Chevening Scholarships fund outstanding emerging leaders from around the world to pursue a fully funded one-year Master’s in the UK. Here’s the complete eligibility guide, what’s covered, and how Nigerian applicants can apply.

What Is Chevening?

The Chevening Scholarship is the UK Government’s flagship international scholarship programme — one of the most prestigious and widely recognised awards in the world. It funds exceptional emerging leaders from eligible countries to pursue a fully funded one-year Master’s degree at a UK university.

Since 1983, Chevening has supported over 50,000 scholars from more than 160 countries. Alumni include heads of state, government ministers, Nobel laureates, CEOs, journalists, activists, and researchers who have gone on to shape their countries and the world.

Nigeria is a Chevening-eligible country. Every year, Chevening awards scholarships to exceptional Nigerians who demonstrate the qualities the programme is looking for — and competition is fierce, which means preparation matters enormously.

Here is everything you need to know.

What Chevening Covers

Chevening Scholarships are fully funded. The package includes:

• Full tuition fees at your chosen UK university
• Monthly living stipend to cover accommodation and day-to-day costs
• Return economy airfare to and from the UK
• Arrival and departure allowances
• Thesis/dissertation grant (where applicable)
• Additional grants for study-related travel within the UK

You focus on your studies and your development. Chevening handles the financial infrastructure.

Who Can Apply? (Eligibility)

Every requirement below must be met. Ineligible applications are rejected without review.

You MUST:

1. Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory
Nigeria is eligible. If applying from an ODA-eligible country, you must be resident there at the time of application, though this doesn’t have to be your country of citizenship. You must show a clear intention to support your country of award.

2. Have at least two years of work experience
Equivalent to 2,800 hours, acquired after completing your undergraduate degree. This is a firm requirement, not a soft preference. Part-time work, voluntary work, and internships may count toward the total.

3. Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK Master’s programme
You must have finished your undergraduate studies at least two years before the application deadline, even if you haven’t yet received your certificate. You will need the certificate by interview stage.

4. Apply to three different eligible UK university courses
You must apply to three separate, eligible Master’s programmes at UK universities. You must have received an unconditional offer from at least one by the deadline listed on the application timeline.

5. Commit to returning home for at least two years after your scholarship ends
This is a binding commitment. Chevening is explicitly investing in people who will bring their UK experience and networks back to their countries.

Who Is NOT Eligible?

You are ineligible if:

• You hold British or dual British citizenship (with limited exceptions for British Overseas Territory citizens or BN(O) holders applying from Hong Kong)
• You hold refugee status in a country not eligible for Chevening
• You are resident in the UK at the time of application (excluding British Overseas Territories)
• You are an employee, immediate relative of an employee, or recent former employee (within the last 2 years) of a government department, the British Council, a partner UK university, or their subsidiaries
• You have previously studied in the UK on a UK Government-funded scholarship (Chevening Fellows may reapply after 5 years)

Having a Master’s degree does not prevent you from applying for a second Master’s through Chevening.

What Chevening Is Really Looking For

Chevening is not a purely academic scholarship. Grades matter, but they are not the primary criterion.

The programme selects emerging leaders — people who are already demonstrating influence, impact, and the potential to drive change in their fields and communities. The four core qualities Chevening assesses are:

Leadership: Have you already led something? Managed people, initiated projects, shaped organisations, influenced outcomes? Chevening wants to see a track record, not just potential.

Networking ability: Can you build and maintain meaningful professional relationships? Do you engage across sectors, disciplines, and cultures? The Chevening network is one of the programme’s greatest assets, and they invest in people who will genuinely use it.

Influence: Are you in a position to apply what you learn in the UK back in your country? Do your connections and your career trajectory give you the leverage to make a difference?

Ambition: Do you have a clear, credible plan for what you want to achieve, and does a year of study in the UK fit logically into that plan?

The strongest Chevening applications don’t just describe what someone has achieved. They tell a coherent story about where someone is going — and why this scholarship is the right next step.

The Application Process

Chevening applications are submitted through the official online portal at chevening.org.

Key requirements:

• Four personal essays answering specific Chevening questions (leadership, networking, career plan, and study in the UK)
• Two referee reports submitted through the portal
• Evidence of 2,800 hours of work experience
• Undergraduate degree transcript and certificate (or expected graduation information)
• Three UK university course choices (unconditional offer required from at least one by the deadline)

Application timeline: Chevening typically opens applications in August and closes in November each year. Check the official application timeline for exact 2026/27 dates.

Practical Advice for Nigerian Applicants

Chevening is not a last-minute application. The strongest Nigerian Chevening scholars spend months — sometimes a full year — preparing their application before the portal opens.

Before you apply:

• Identify your three UK courses well in advance. Apply to all three early so you have unconditional offers ready. Popular Master’s programmes fill quickly.
• Calculate your 2,800 hours accurately. Include your employment history, hours per week, and the period of work. Part-time, contract, and voluntary work all count if post-undergraduate.
• Think carefully about your essays. The four Chevening essays are the heart of your application. Vague, generic answers are rejected. Specific, evidence-rich stories of leadership and impact stand out. Start drafting early.
• Choose referees who know your work. Generic academic references are weak. The best referees speak directly to your leadership, professional impact, and why you are ready for Chevening.
• Be clear on your return commitment. Chevening requires you to go back home for two years. Your application should make clear what you will do when you return and why that matters.

Why Chevening Changes Careers

A Chevening scholarship is not just a degree. It is:

• Access to 50,000+ Chevening alumni across 160+ countries — one of the most influential professional networks in the world
• A year embedded in the UK, building relationships across government, academia, journalism, business, and civil society
• A credential that is recognised globally as a marker of exceptional leadership potential
• A platform: Chevening alumni return home with the credibility, connections, and knowledge to accelerate impact in ways that take most professionals decades to build

For Nigerian professionals in law, policy, journalism, development, business, medicine, engineering, technology, or public service, Chevening is one of the most transformative single-year investments in a career that exists.

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