By Your Study Abroad Partner “iQualify Abroad” | December 2025
If you have ever Googled “fully funded scholarships to the UK,” you have likely stumbled across Chevening (often typo-ed as “Chewing”). Let’s clear the air immediately: this is not just a scholarship; it is a golden ticket.
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Chevening doesn’t just pay for your degree—it treats you like a diplomat in training.
However, if you are reading this in December 2025, there is a crucial timeline alert you need to understand.
The Chevening application cycle is strict.
For Sept 2026 Entry: The application window closed in November 2025. If you didn’t apply last month, that ship has sailed.
Your Target: You are now preparing for the 2027/2028 Intake.
Next Window Opens: August 2026.
Don’t panic. This is actually good news. Chevening is highly competitive (2-3% acceptance rate). Having 8 months to build your profile, write your essays, and calculate your work hours gives you a massive advantage over people who start rushing in July.
When Chevening says “fully funded,” they mean it. You don’t need to touch your savings.
Tuition Fees: 100% covered for almost any one-year Master’s degree. (MBA Cap: ~£22,000).
Monthly Stipend: You receive £1,100 – £1,400 per month (depending on if you live inside or outside London) for rent and food.
Flights: Round-trip Economy tickets from Pakistan to the UK.
Allowances:
Arrival Allowance: Cash in hand when you land to buy bedding/sim card.
Departure Allowance: Cash to help ship your luggage home.
Visa Fee: 100% Reimbursed.
TB Testing: Up to £75 contributed.
Before you spend months dreaming of London, check these three boxes. If you miss one, you are instantly disqualified.
You must be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country (Pakistan is a priority country).
You need an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK Master’s.
Pakistan: usually 16 years of education (4-year Bachelor’s or 2-year Bachelor’s + 2-year Master’s).
Grade: Equivalent to a UK 2:1 (typically a 3.0+ GPA or First Division).
This is where most students get confused. You need 2 years of work experience, calculated as 2,800 hours.
What counts? Full-time jobs, part-time jobs, paid internships, unpaid internships, and even voluntary work.
Calculation: 35-40 hours a week × 40 weeks × 2 years.
Tip: If you volunteered at a massive flood relief camp or a university society, get a certificate. Those hours count!
Chevening does not interview everyone. They select candidates based on four 500-word essays. These essays are the heart of your application.
The Prompt: Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries.
The Mistake: “I am a good leader because I listen to people.”
The Fix: Use the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
Example: “During the 2022 floods in Sindh (Situation), I organized a relief drive (Task). I mobilized 50 volunteers using social media (Action), resulting in 500 families receiving food packs (Result).”
The Prompt: Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional relationship-building skills.
The Mistake: “I have many friends on LinkedIn.”
The Fix: Show utility. How did you use a connection to solve a problem?
Example: “I leveraged my network with [Company X] to secure funding for my university project…”
The Prompt: Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses.
The Rule: You must pick 3 distinct Master’s courses at UK universities.
The Fix: Do not copy-paste the university website. Explain why that specific module or professor helps your career goal.
Choices: You can pick 3 different courses at the same uni (risky) or similar courses at 3 different unis (recommended).
The Prompt: Outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer-term career goals.
The Rule: You must return to Pakistan for 2 years.
The Fix: Be specific.
Immediate (1-2 years): “I will return to work as a Policy Analyst at [Specific Ministry/NGO].”
Long term (5-10 years): “I aim to lead the [Specific Department] to implement [Specific Reform].”
The British High Commission in Islamabad is looking for specific profiles. They want “Nation Builders.”
Solve a Local Problem: Your application is stronger if you focus on Pakistan’s current crises: Climate Change, Economic Reform, Education, Public Health, or Tech Export.
English Proficiency: Chevening removed the IELTS requirement for the scholarship application. However, the UK universities still require it. You will eventually need an IELTS (6.5+) to secure your university admission offer.
The “References” Game: Start talking to your old bosses or professors now. You need two referees who can upload a letter for you by Feb 2027.
Since the portal is closed, here is how you use this time to guarantee success next year:
Jan – Mar 2026:
Calculate your work hours accurately. If you are short, start a volunteer role or internship NOW.
Research your 3 UK Universities. Check their specific entry requirements (do they need a 3.0 or 3.5 GPA?).
Apr – Jun 2026:
Write the first draft of your 4 essays. They will be terrible. That is okay. You have months to fix them.
Aug 2026:
Portal Opens. Submit early to avoid website crashes.