Studying abroad can be financially challenging for many meritorious students who often opt out due to the expensive course fee, visa charges, accommodation and food expenses. Therefore, scholarships help many to pursue their dreams.
News18 ‘Scholarship Guide’ brings the best and most prestigious grants for Indian students to study abroad, with most of them covering flight tickets, accommodation and course fee; and some also providing stipend.
Chevening scholarship — one of the longest-standing and premium grants to study in the UK – completes 40 years. It is open to people from diverse backgrounds and considered a symbol of academic achievement. Over 55,000 people have benefited from the scholarship over the past decades.
If you want to study in a UK-based university and join the Chevening alumni network, here is what you need to know.
What is Chevening?
One of the reasons behind the preference of the scholarship is its extensive benefits. It not only covers the full fee of a one-year master’s course at any UK-based university but also provides airfare, accommodation, and expenditure of living and studying in the UK.
Chevening scholars continue to serve globally including in the UK, however, after the end of the scholarship, the applicant has to return to their home country for a minimum of two years.
When it comes to the Chevening scholarship, there are some general myths and misconceptions, according to Sayantan Biswas, Co-founder of UniScholars.
Biswas said students often limit themselves by thinking that such prestigious scholarships are only for geniuses, but Chevening is not exclusively reserved for the exceptionally gifted. “They seek individuals with potential, passion, and a clear vision for their future. While the application process may seem daunting, but scholarships, especially Chevening, can be life-changing. The investment in the application process can result in invaluable educational and professional opportunities,” explained Biswas.
Who Should Apply?
Anyone who has completed at least an undergraduate degree can apply for the scholarship.
The candidates need to apply to study at three different higher education institutes based in the UK and should have received an unconditional offer from at least one of them. Candidates having conditional offers can also apply, only if it is “need to pay a deposit for the course”.
Applicants also need to have a minimum of two years of work experience, as per the eligibility criteria. Many applicants feel confused while meeting the work experience requirements.
As per the official Chevening website, “70% of the ineligible applications we received in 2022 did not meet the two-year work experience requirement”.
Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should understand how the work experience requirement is counted.
Many students do not consider work experience, which is not related to their course or is part-time, however, all these nature of work experiences are accepted.
To meet the requirements, applicants have to match up the work-hours requirement. Chevening considers a job performed for 35 hours per week on average as a full-time job. This implies to any job conducted for 40 weeks per year or 2,800 hours over two years is considered. In fact, if you have worked over 2,800 hours in less than two years, you will still be eligible.
On the contrary, a job which is done during studies will not be considered full-time.
Apart from work experience, incorrectly answered questions, non-English answers on the application form, repetitive answers, and not following the word limit for essays are among commonly conducted errors, as per the official website.
“Chevening offers flexibility. You can accumulate work experience before, during, or after your degree, including part-time work, internships, or volunteering. You can list multiple employment experiences to meet the required hours. Your chosen field of study doesn’t need to match your past experience. For instance, engineers or lawyers can pursue degrees in areas such as development studies or liberal arts as Chevening scholars,” explained Biswas.
What is the Selection Process?
Firstly, the applicant needs to meet all admission criteria requirements and get an offer letter from at least one university based in the UK.
Students have about six months after applying, to secure a university offer from the extensive options available.
Then, candidates can apply at www.chevening.org — the official website. The application process for 2024-2025 is already open, and for Indian candidates, it will be closing on November 7.
The shortlisted application forms will be invited for interviews. Students need to attend the interview in the British Embassy or UK High Commission in their city or nearest location.
As per the official website, the interview is meant to be a “competency-based panel assessment”.
Applicants also need to provide two reference letters, a short bio, and all education documents at the time of the interview. Thus, the preparation might need to be started early.
How is the Interview Round?
The interviews are meant to assess the “competency” of the candidates. A panel will discuss the information mentioned in the application including the college or work experience.
Applicants can be asked to explain their personal and professional aspirations, and how Chevening can facilitate them in achieving their goals. Your course choices will also be discussed and you will be asked to provide an update on your applications, as per the official website.
Candidates, who want to distinguish themselves in the application process for the esteemed Chevening Scholarship, need to be authentic and show their personality in their essays and interview. For instance, they can support a point written in the essay by stating a personal experience, said Biswas.
He added that students often overlook reference letters, however, they need to select their referees carefully and ensure that the referees meet the candidates’ suitability for the scholarship.
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