Chevening Scholarship Application Process & Requirements for Indian Students

Introduction

Dreaming of studying in the UK? Chevening Scholarships could make it happen! These prestigious awards fully fund talented individuals to pursue a one-year master’s degree at a top UK university. These are highly competitive, attracting some of the brightest minds from India and across the globe, but with the right preparation, you could be one of them.

This guide is your roadmap to success as an Indian applicant. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know: checking your eligibility, completing the online application, gathering the right documents, and increasing your chances of success. Think of it as your step-by-step companion to turn your dream of studying in the UK with a Chevening Scholarship into reality!

Quick eligibility checklist

Here’s what you need to check off to qualify for Chevening:

• Be a citizen of India. See the full list of all eligible nationalities here.
• Have at least 2,800 hours of work experience (roughly equivalent to two years of full-time work) after graduating from your undergraduate degree. They may have been completed over a different time period.
• Commit to returning to India for at least two years after your scholarship ends.
• Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK master’s programme.
• Apply to three different and eligible  UK university courses. The full list of courses can be found here. You must have received an unconditional offer from at least one of these course choices by the deadline for the references and education documents listed on the application timeline.

Step-by-step application process

Fill and submit the application form

1. Register: Visit your country’s portal (Click here if applying from India). Press “APPLY TODAY” and fill out the form.

2. Pass eligibility check: The system will immediately tell you whether you meet the basic eligibility requirements. If it fails, you’ll get a few more tries.

3. Fill in personal, education, and work sections: Enter accurate dates, job hours, and responsibilities (you’ll need to prove these later if shortlisted). Use the work-experience calculator on the site.

4. Confirm you meet the work-experience requirement (2,800 hours): This must be completed after your undergraduate degree.

5. Choose courses: You must list three eligible full-time UK master’s courses on your Chevening form, and apply to those universities directly (Chevening does not submit university applications for you).

6. Write the four Chevening essays: Answer within the word limits, use concrete examples of leadership/influence, and explain how the UK course links to your impact in India. Be original, as Chevening screens for plagiarism/AI-generated text.

7. Provide two referees: Supply referee names/contacts when you submit. If you progress, you must upload two signed reference letters (or have them submitted to your local Chevening team) by the interview/document deadline.

8. Save, validate, and submit: You can only submit one Chevening Scholarship application per cycle. After you click submit, you’ll get a confirmation email.

Getting shortlisted

1. Initial automated checks: Applications are screened for eligibility and originality (for plagiarism/AI-generated content) first.

2. Reading committees score applications: Independent readers score against Chevening/FCDO/region objectives. The top scorers go to the longlist and then local posts make a shortlist for interview.

3. Interview invitation email: Shortlisted candidates get interview invitation emails. Use the link in the invite to book an interview slot in the online system. Interviews typically occur in the global interview window.

4. Upload required documents: When you book, you’ll be asked to upload a photo ID, your degree certificate, and the two reference letters (or arrange direct submission to your local team) before the interview. Bring originals to the interview.

5. Interview basics: In a Panel interview, which lasts 30-40 minutes, they probe your essays, leadership examples, network, why the UK course, and your career plan for returning to India. Be ready with concrete evidence and figures.

Final Confirmation Steps

1. Interview outcome: Interview results are announced (typically mid-June in recent cycles). If you’re conditionally selected, you’ll get an email with a task list.

2. Complete the ASAMS task list: Tasks usually include: upload your university offer(s), provide passport details, complete health information, and confirm your final course choice. Finish these before the deadline.

3. Submit an unconditional course offer: Chevening requires at least one unconditional (or conditional on funding only) offer by the deadline listed on the application timeline for that cycle. Always check your country’s timeline/year.

4. Award letter: After verification (once all tasks are validated), you receive the Final Award Letter.

Essays

The four Chevening essays are your golden opportunity to shine. This is where most applicants win or lose. Use real examples to show exactly how you meet Chevening’s selection criteria. Here's how to approach each one with structure, storytelling, and impact.

1. Leadership and Influence: Use the STAR method to tell specific stories where you led or influenced others, showing measurable results like policy changes, increased revenue, or community impact. Include both formal roles and informal influence, making it clear what you did and what you learned about leadership.

2. Networking: Share concrete examples of building and leveraging relationships, like attending conferences, connecting people, joining professional groups, and the outcomes these networks produced. Finish with a forward-looking plan for using Chevening’s global alumni network to create mutual benefit for India and the UK.

3. Studying in the UK: Show why the UK is uniquely suited to your goals. Link each of your three chosen courses to specific modules, faculty, research centres, or industry links, and explain how this learning will directly strengthen your work back in India.

4. Career Plan: Present a clear, ambitious, but realistic roadmap, consisting of short-term steps after returning, medium-term leadership roles, and long-term systemic impact. Tie it together with how Chevening’s resources and your UK experience will help you drive change, mentor others, and foster an effective India-UK collaboration.

Funding and Stipend

Chevening is a fully funded scholarship, covering almost every major cost of your one-year master’s in the UK. You’d be studying in the UK without worrying about tuition, living expenses, or travel, so you can focus on learning and growing without any financial stress. Here’s what you get:

1. Tuition Fees: Covers the full cost of your chosen eligible UK master’s course (no upper limit, unlike some scholarships that cap fees).

2. Monthly Stipend: You receive a monthly living allowance to cover accommodation, food, transport, and other expenses.

3. Travel Costs: Return airfare to and from the UK (usually from the international airport nearest your home in India).

4. Other Allowances: One-time payment to help with initial costs in the UK, Homeward departure allowance to help with expenses when you leave, Visa application fee reimbursement (if applicable), TB test reimbursement (if applicable), Additional travel grant if your course requires study trips, etc.

How to improve your chances?

Before You Apply

1. Strengthen your leadership track record: Take on visible roles at work, in NGOs, community initiatives, or professional networks.

2. Expand your professional network: Attend relevant conferences, alumni events, or industry meets.

3. Research your chosen UK courses deeply: Make sure your three course choices are relevant to your career goals and you understand their modules, faculty, and reputation in your field.

While Applying

1. Tell compelling, evidence-based stories: In each essay, use specific achievements with numbers, results, and names (if public) rather than vague claims.

2. Show a clear ‘return to India’ plan: Chevening wants scholars who will have impact back home. Your career plan should read like a realistic roadmap with clear goals.

3. Align your essays to Chevening’s core criteria: Leadership & influence, Networking, Studying in the UK, and Career plan. Each answer should hit these points and connect to India’s development or your sector’s growth.

4. Choose referees strategically: Pick referees who can provide specific examples of your leadership, vision, and professional excellence.

5. Write with clarity and authenticity: Avoid jargon-heavy, generic, or overly academic writing.

After Submission

1. Prepare for the interview from day one: Review your essays regularly so you can speak confidently about them without sounding rehearsed. Have fresh, practical examples ready to discuss in case the panel asks for more.

2. Secure your university offers early: Apply to your three UK courses as soon as applications open.

3. Stay engaged with current affairs: Be aware of policy shifts, economic trends, or tech developments in your sector.