How to apply to Chevening
Read our step-by-step guidance on using Chevening’s online application system to give yourself the best chance of success.
So, you’ve read all the guidance on applying for a Chevening Scholarship and you’re ready to apply?
All applications for Chevening must be completed via the online application system. You can access the application system during the application window by following the ‘apply now’ link on the apply page of your home country or territory.
The steps on this page outline what you need to do next to complete your application.
Using the online application system
Once you’ve clicked on the application system, you will first be asked to read and consent to the Chevening terms and conditions and Privacy Notice, and register your email address and mobile phone number. You will then receive an email with a link to the application portal.
After you have clicked on the link to the application portal, answer the eligibility questions to confirm your eligibility for a Chevening Scholarship.
You will find out immediately if you passed or failed the eligibility checker. If you did not pass but think there was an error, you will be given two more attempts.
If you pass the eligibility checker, you will receive an email to your registered email address with a link to continue your application.
Tip: Take the eligibility quiz on our website to find out if you will pass the eligibility checker!
Once you have followed the link in your email to continue your application, you will see an access code displayed on your screen. This access code is unique to you.
You must make a note or take a photo of your unique access code for your records as you will need it every time you want to access your application.
You will now be able to start your Chevening application.
When completing the form, keep in mind that you will be logged out of the system if you are inactive for 15 minutes, so remember to save your progress as you work through each stage!
You will need to complete each section of the application form:
Personal details
- Provide your full name, pronouns, date of birth, address, and preferred interview location.
Immigration details
- Confirm your country of citizenship, passport number (where available), and other relevant details.
Education history
- Enter details of your education, including names of institutions attended, courses studied, and results received. You can add up to 15 entries.
Work history
- You can add up to 15 entries of past work experiences to the application form.
- The system will then calculate if you meet Chevening’s requirement for 2,800 hours of work experience by multiplying the number of weeks by the number of hours worked for each entry. You will be able to view your total number.
- Find out more about the work experience requirement and the type of work that counts towards it.
Programmes of study
- Submit details of your top three UK master’s degree course choices. You can find a full list of Chevening eligible courses on the course finder.
- You will be asked if you have already applied to each of your course choices. Please note that it is not a requirement to apply to your course choices before submitting your Chevening application.
- Read more about preparing your UK university application.
Referees
- On your application form will you be asked to submit the names, job details, and contact details of two referees.
- If you are invited to interview, you will need to upload two letters written by your chosen referees to the online application system.
- Find out more about references.
Essay questions
- Respond to the four Chevening essay questions on leadership, relationship-building, your course choices, and future career goals.
- Each answer has a 500-word limit and must be in English.
- We recommend you prepare your answers to the essay questions in a separate document, before copy and pasting them into the application form once finalised.
- Read about how to score well on each of Chevening’s application criteria.
Equal opportunities
- Share your background information to help us monitor diversity and accessibility. This does not affect your application outcome.
Once you have ensured all sections of the application form are marked as ‘complete’:
- Consent to the scholarship conditions outlined on the application form.
- Click ‘submit application’ and ‘confirm submission’.
- Give yourself a pat on the back!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you cannot remember your unique access code, you can use the online application system to recover it using a process that works via the mobile phone number you registered with.
No. Applications must be submitted online through Chevening’s online application system.
Please check your spam/junk folders for your activation email.
To ensure that emails we send to you do not end up in these folders, please put our email address, which for application messaging is chevening.awards@notifications.service.gov.uk, on your ‘allow list’.
If you have checked your spam/junk folders and still have can’t see an activation email, please attempt to register again, ensuring you read the registration page carefully. In particular, make sure your email address is spelled correctly, doesn’t contain any spaces or incorrect characters, and is entered into the appropriate field.
If you continue to experience this problem, we would advise that you try registering with a different email address.
Eligible courses must:
- Be full-time
- Start in the autumn term (usually September/October)
- Lead to a Master’s degree qualification
Courses cannot be:
- Distance learning
- Part-time
- Less than nine months in duration
- More than 12 months in duration
- Starting in January
- Research based
If you believe your course meets the above criteria, please fill out the missing course form here: missing course form.
Once you have submitted your form, we will verify whether your chosen course is eligible, and add it to the course finder.
Please note this may take up to two weeks. We appreciate your patience at this time.
If you need to submit your application sooner, because the application deadline is close or for any other reason, please choose a similar course that is available. You will be able to change your course if you are invited to interview.
Yes. You can save your application and return to it as many times as you like during the application period. Just remember to click ‘save’ on each page before logging out.
You can access your application using your email address and your unique access code.
Once you have completed all the steps and clicked on the ‘submit application’ button, you will be advised that you have successfully submitted your application. You will also receive an email from the online application system to confirm that your application has been submitted.
You can check the status of your application by logging in to the online application system and looking at the status notification at the top of the page.
It is not possible to make any changes to your application after you’ve submitted it.
If you are invited to interview, you will have the opportunity to raise any changes you need made with the interview panel.
Please note, these changes are limited to personal data and do not include changes to the contents of your application, such as essays, course choices, or work experience.
If there are factors outside your control that lead to your course options not being available, you will be able to discuss this if you are invited to interview.
Yes. You can withdraw your application at any time.
Please note that withdrawing your application will remove all your details from the system. You will have to re-enter all your information in order to submit.
You are asked to supply the contact details of two referees when you submit your application.
If your application progresses, you must ensure you have uploaded two reference letters to the online application system prior to your interview and by the date listed on the application timeline.
Find out more about references.
Using artificial intelligence software to generate answers to Chevening’s essay questions is strictly prohibited. Applicants must submit their own original work. 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 your application is found to be fraudulent or copied, it will be disqualified. Chevening uses tools to detect fraud, plagiarism, and AI-generated content in applications.
You will be asked to confirm that you have not used artificial intelligence to generate your answers as part of the application form.
Find answers to more questions about our application system on the FAQs page.
Good luck on your application! We can’t wait to welcome you to the Chevening community.
Further guidance
Are you ready to apply to Chevening?
Take the quiz to find out if you are ready and eligible to apply!
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Applications for Chevening Scholarships are now closed.