Common application errors

Seven questions to ask yourself before applying to Chevening.

1. Am I eligible?

Read about Chevening’s eligibility criteria and take our eligibility quiz to find out if you meet our eligibility criteria.

2. Am I a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory? 

You must apply from your country of citizenship, regardless of where you currently live. 

Applicants with dual citizenship in the United Kingdom are not eligible for Chevening.  

3. Do I have enough work experience?

• A minimum of two years’ work experience is required (equivalent to 2,800 hours). 

• Common mistakes include not meeting the minimum hours, incorrectly entering the number of weeks worked, entering the same work experience more than once, or providing unrealistic work hours. 

• Your work experience is calculated automatically by multiplying weeks worked by hours per week (typically 35-60 hours per week, 40-50 weeks per year). 

Strong applications include clear examples of leadership and positive influence on others. If you don’t yet feel you have enough experience, we strongly recommend you wait for a future application cycle to apply.

4. Have I researched three different UK masters courses?

Applicants who enter duplicate courses at the same universities cannot be considered for a scholarship. You must select three different courses.

Check if your chosen courses are eligible for Chevening in our course-finder. 

5. Have I met the word limit for each of the four essay questions?

There is a 500-word count limit for each of the four Chevening essay questions. You must not exceed this limit.

Similarly, if your answers are much shorter than 500 words, assessors may feel that you have not provided enough detail for each question. 

6. Are my answers my own? 

Applicants must submit their own original work. Using AI software to generate answers for Chevening’s essay questions is strictly prohibited. You must not use someone else’s work or present content generated by AI tools like ChatGPT as your own. Doing so violates Chevening’s guidelines on plagiarism and fraud.

If any part of your application is found to be fraudulent or copied, your application will be disqualified. Chevening uses tools to detect fraud, plagiarism, and AI-generated content in applications.

7. Am I confident in my English language skills?

Applicants must complete the application form in English. If the application form is not completed in English, it will be deemed ineligible.

Though an English test score is not required for Chevening, strong English skills are necessary to write a successful application, conduct the interview, and apply to a UK university. Relying on AI tools to write your application will lead to rejection. 

Find guidance on strengthening your English skills.  

Following this guidance will give you the best chance of acing the Chevening application process. To find out more, read our applications criteria, reading committee feedback, and our step-by-step guide to the online application system.