 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(August 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| This articlerelies excessively onreferences toprimary sources. Please improve this article by addingsecondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: "Chevening Scholarship" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(September 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Chevening Scholarship | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Prestigious UK government scholarship for international students to pursue postgraduate study in the United Kingdom |
| Sponsored by | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the United Kingdom |
| Established | 1983 |
| Website | www |
.jpg)
TheChevening Scholarship is an internationalscholarship, funded by the BritishForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organizations,[1] that enables foreign students to study at universities in theUnited Kingdom.[2] Chevening Scholarship is highly competitive with an acceptance rate around two percent from tens of thousands of applicants from all over the world.[3]
The Chevening Scholarships Programme commenced in 1983 as theForeign and Commonwealth Office Awards Scheme (FCOAS) and is funded by theBritish government'sForeign and Commonwealth Office and its partner organisations.[1][4] The stated objective of the scheme is to build a network of friends of the UK, who will be future leaders in their countries. In 1994, the name of the scheme was changed to Chevening, afterChevening House in Sevenoaks, Kent – currently the joint official residence of theBritish Foreign Secretary and theBritish Deputy Prime Minister.[2]
A companion Chevening Fellowships Scheme was launched by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2004. The Fellowships programme provides places for mid-career professionals already in positions of leadership and influence to undertake 3-month courses in fields related to the FCDO's policy goals.[5]
In 2007–08, the Chevening Scholarships cost the BritishForeign and Commonwealth Office approximately £22 million.[6] In the same year the Chevening Fellowships scheme cost approximately £4 million.[6] In July 2010, the British Foreign Minister announced a cut of £10 million from the scholarships budget, in the context of wider budget cuts. This resulted in several scholarships being cancelled for 2010–11. After a review period, the 2011–12 scholarship round opened for applications in February 2011. In 2011–12, the number of scholarships was increased to more than 700 worldwide. In 2015–16, the number of scholarships was increased to 1,500.[7] In 2017–18, the total number of scholarships was 1,650.[8]
In April 2012, the Association of Commonwealth Universities took over the running of the scheme from theBritish Council, establishing a Chevening Secretariat. In September 2023 British Council took over as Secretariat of the scheme from the Association of Commonwealth Universities.[citation needed]
In October 2018, the Chevening Scholarships Programme celebrated its 35th anniversary by awarding a total number of 1,800 scholarships from 160 countries for the 2018–19 school year.[9] Earlier that year, the number of Chevening alumni also hit the 50,000 mark.[10]
In 2024, Chevening celebrated its 40th anniversary.[11]
.jpg)
The number of available scholarships varies from country to country. More than thirty scholarships are currently awarded to candidates from Nepal, India, Russia and China. Twenty or more are awarded to candidates from Egypt, South Korea, Indonesia, Bhutan, Pakistan, Mexico, Thailand and Brazil, with less than five core scholarships now available to candidates from Australia and Canada[2] (US students are not eligible, but can apply for theMarshall Scholarships which are also funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office).[citation needed]
In 2017–18, over 1,650 scholarships were awarded to students from more than 140 countries,[8] allowing students from developing countries to access UK tertiary education institutions.[12] In this way the Chevening scheme is similar to the USFulbright Scholarships which bring students from 140 countries to the US[13] and differs from theRhodes Scholarship scheme which currently allows applications from approximately 18 countries.[14][original research?] Winners of Chevening scholarships have received coverage in national and local newspapers.[15][16]
During the Chevening 40th anniversary in 2023, the programme said it had granted its scholarship to 1,500 Nigerians since 1983.[17][18]
The Chevening Scholarship is not available to non-indigenous Australian candidates.[19]
The selection criteria for Chevening Scholarship aim to identify "high-calibre graduates with the personal, intellectual and interpersonal qualities necessary for leadership". Specific selection criteria for Chevening Scholarships vary from country to country, and from year to year. In 2017/18, of 65,000 applicants, 1,650 scholarships were awarded.[8]
Applications are made online via aweb portal between early August and early November[20] of each year, except for some sponsored scholarships for which applicants apply via the co-sponsoring organisation.[20] Scholarship applicants must also apply directly to their preferreduniversities in the UK, usually for taught master's degree courses. Most scholarships include a living stipend, airfares and the full or partial cost of tuition fees.[21][22]
The most popular destinations for study in 2011 were theLondon School of Economics & Political Science,University College London, and the universities ofOxford,Cambridge,Edinburgh,University of Nottingham,University of Bath andKing's College London.[2]
As of 2024, there are over 60,000 Chevening Scholarship alumni,[23] with an emphasis being placed on improved links with and between previous scholars as a consequence of reviews in 2005[24] and 2006.[25] Many Chevening Scholars have since gone on to reach positions of influence in a range of sectors.
21 current or former heads of states are Chevening alumni,[23] and include:[26]
| Leader | State/government | Office |
|---|---|---|
| William L. Hinds |  Barbados | expert in renewable energy |
| Baldwin Spencer |  Antigua and Barbuda | Prime Minister (2004–14) |
| Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé |  Bolivia | President (2005–06) |
| Mladen Ivanić |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | Co-President (Presidency Member) (2014–18) |
| Sergei Stanishev |  Bulgaria | Prime Minister (2005–09) |
| Álvaro Uribe Vélez |  Colombia | President (2002–10) |
| Carlos Alvarado Quesada |  Costa Rica | President (2018–22) |
| Grigol Mgaloblishvili |  Georgia | Prime Minister (2008–09) |
| Gudni Thorlacius Jóhannesson |  Iceland | President (2016–24) |
| Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson | Iceland | Prime Minister (2013–16) |
| Anote Tong |  Kiribati | President (2003–16) |
| Rinchinnyamyn Amarjargal |  Mongolia | Prime Minister (1999–2000) |
| Elijah Ngurare |  Namibia | Prime Minister (2025–) |
| Marek Belka |  Poland | Prime Minister (2004–05) |
| Un-Chan Chung |  South Korea | Prime Minister (2009–10) |
| Enele Sopoaga |  Tuvalu | Prime Minister (2013–19) |
He thanked Simon Kolawole, the CEO of TheCable, who also won the Chevening scholarship in 2005
Scholars programs in the UK | |
|---|---|
| Scholarships | |
| Supporters | |
