Becoming a Chevener: Getting Started

If you are reading this, you probably already have a solid idea of what Chevening is. But if you haven’t the slightest clue, you are reading the right piece! Either way, carry on! Chevening is the scholarship scheme administered by the British Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office(FCDO) to offer leaders in different fields from across the world an opportunity to pursue 1-year master’s degree of their choice in the UK. Sounds too good to be true? Carry on!?

In mid-2021, a friend casually mentioned that if I ever wanted to pursue a master’s degree in the UK, Chevening should be the path to follow. Little did I know that he had planted a seed of mission and desire, borderline obsession with that idea.

Before the window to apply opened on August 2nd 2021, I went to the Chevening website www.chevening.org, and my goal here was relatively simple - to absorb as much information as possible regarding the world of Chevening. I remember camping on pages such as guidance, eligibility criteria & FAQs for days before starting to draft anything. This process helped me choose the relevant courses and institutions and avoid common knowledge-based errors(these are the worst).

The content on the website was also crucial in helping me understand that leadership is the central theme for Chevening as an organisation. So I asked myself three questions - What does leadership mean to me, and how does my definition of leadership align with that of Chevening? How have I demonstrated leadership in the past, and how do I plan to do so in the future? Am I the right fit for Chevening, and is this the right time to pursue it?” If you can have an honest conversation with yourself on these three questions and come to a balanced conclusion, then carry on!

Next up, I opened my account in the Chevening applicants portal(you need an account to apply, right?). Then I started drafting my responses to the four popular Chevening essay questions themed on leadership, networking, studying in the UK and long-term plan. It was time to tell my story, and I was hell-bent on telling it like a pro. The most important thing was to stay as original as possible and to share my experiences gracefully but not boastfully. I chose my most impactful career moments and shared them through vivid examples with impact figures, names of people, places, organisations and timelines to prove relevance in all four thematic areas. I broke it down like I would feeding a child and remained 100% unassuming while at it! I established a weekly cycle of writing, sharing with others to review and rewriting. But I also used this article titled “Where did I go wrong? Reading Committee feedback for applicants” to help me shape my writing approach to avoid costly mistakes (I highly recommend it).

Furthermore,? I figured I did not have to walk this journey alone; I joined the community of Chevening applicants on Facebook in a group that's now renamed to “Chevening 2023/2024 Applicants”, where I met brilliant aspirants and mentors from all over the world. We shared the same goals, fears, tears and even jubilations. I often went there to network to find answers to nagging questions or to connect with peers who understood my journey.

Sheer ambition can not be taught, an obsession with your goals does not need a mentor, and mere hype can only take you so far. If you are preparing your application, please do not rush it; take your sweet time. Stay intentional and have your eyes on the game ball all year long; I mean, is there any other way?