What Is the Chevening Scholarship?

Chevening is the UK Government's international scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations. It supports emerging leaders from eligible countries and territories to pursue a one-year, full-time master's degree in the United Kingdom.

Beyond academic funding, Chevening offers opportunities to build professional networks, experience UK culture, and join a global alumni community. The selection process is highly competitive, so thoughtful and well-structured preparation matters.

What Does Chevening Cover?

A standard Chevening Scholarship generally covers tuition fees, economy travel to and from the UK through an approved route, the recipient's visa application fee, arrival and departure allowances, and a monthly living stipend. Funding components are governed by the terms for each intake, so applicants should always review the latest official information before applying.

Core Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must satisfy every official criterion. Key requirements include:

  • being a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory;
  • committing to return to the country of award for at least two years after the scholarship ends;
  • holding an undergraduate degree that qualifies the applicant for a UK master's programme;
  • having the required amount of work experience gained after completing the undergraduate degree; and
  • applying to three different eligible UK master's courses and receiving an unconditional offer from at least one choice by the stated deadline.

Eligible work experience may not be limited to full-time employment. Applicants should consult the official guidance to confirm which types of experience count and how working hours are calculated.

Choosing Your Courses

Applicants must list three course choices. Eligible courses are generally full-time taught master's programmes lasting between nine and twelve months, beginning in the autumn term, based in the UK, and leading to a master's qualification. Choose closely related programmes that support a coherent long-term career plan.

The Chevening application and university applications are separate processes. Do not wait for a scholarship result before checking admission requirements, preparing documents, and applying directly to your selected universities.

Four Areas to Prepare

1. Leadership

Select experiences that show how you took initiative, influenced others, and created measurable change. Explain the situation, your specific actions, and the result.

2. Relationship Building

Show how you develop meaningful professional relationships, sustain collaboration, and use networks to achieve shared goals. A strong example goes beyond listing contacts or memberships.

3. Course Rationale

Explain how your three choices connect with your development needs and with a real challenge you intend to address after returning to Indonesia.

4. Career Plan

Set realistic short-, medium-, and long-term goals. A persuasive plan identifies the contribution you want to make, the people or institutions you need to work with, and the impact you aim to create.

Tips for a Strong Application

  1. Begin with reflection. Map the experiences, achievements, setbacks, and lessons that shaped your goals.
  2. Use concrete examples. Include context, your personal role, the action you took, and evidence of results.
  3. Create a clear narrative. Your experience, course choices, and career plan should reinforce one another.
  4. Research thoroughly. Review modules, faculty, facilities, communities, and the relevance of each programme.
  5. Seek feedback. Ask trusted readers to assess the clarity, consistency, and authenticity of your answers.
  6. Recheck deadlines. Dates and rules may change between application cycles, so treat the official Chevening website as the primary source.

Final Thoughts

Chevening looks beyond academic achievement. Applicants need to demonstrate leadership potential, relationship-building ability, well-researched course choices, and a clear plan to contribute after returning home. Starting early gives you time to research, craft an authentic narrative, and manage your university applications in parallel.

Would you like to discuss your UK study strategy and identify programmes that align with your career goals? The RIM Education team can help you build a more focused preparation plan.