Chevening Scholarship Eligibility and Application Process for ASEAN Students

What Chevening Funds

Chevening is a UK government scholarship programme run by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), together with partner organizations. It funds one academic year of full-time taught master's study at any UK university that offers you a place.

The award pays your tuition fees, a monthly living stipend set at UK Foreign Office rates, and return economy flights between your home country and the UK.

Some scholars also receive a one-off arrival allowance and a thesis grant or travel grant for fieldwork. Full details of what the award pays each year are published on chevening.org .

Who Can Apply From ASEAN

Chevening runs in more than 140 countries and territories worldwide. Most ASEAN countries have an active Chevening scheme, though the exact list and any country-specific notes change from one application cycle to the next. Check the eligibility page for your country on chevening.org before you start, since some cycles add extra conditions or pause a country's scheme.

Two groups do not qualify regardless of nationality: citizens of the United States, and people who already hold British or dual British citizenship at the time of application.

Beyond that, the scholarship targets early to mid-career professionals rather than students straight out of university.

Work Experience and Degree Requirements

You need a minimum of two years of full-time work experience, paid or unpaid, by the application deadline. Chevening counts this in hours rather than continuous years, so part-time roles, internships, and volunteering count toward the total when you document the hours.

You also need an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for postgraduate study at a UK university. Chevening does not require a specific field of study, and past scholars have come from business, government, media, law, engineering, and the arts.

English Language Requirement

You must meet the English language requirement set by the UK university course you plan to attend. Most master's courses ask for an IELTS score in the 6.5 to 7.0 range with no individual band below 6.0, though the exact score depends on the course and university, not on Chevening itself. Check the language requirement listed on each course page before you apply, and sit an approved test (IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE Academic) with enough lead time to submit results by the university's deadline.

How the Application Works

The Chevening application opens online in August and closes in early October (the deadline has moved earlier in recent cycles from a historical early-November close). Always confirm the exact date on chevening.org since it can shift slightly each year.

You apply directly through the Chevening online portal, not through a UK university first. The form asks for your personal and professional background, then four short essays: one on leadership and influence, one on networking, one on why you chose your proposed course and UK study, and one on your career plan after the scholarship.

After the essay stage, Chevening shortlists candidates for interview. Interviews happen at the British High Commission or Embassy in your country, usually by video call, in the first few months of the following year.

If you pass the interview, Chevening offers you a scholarship on the condition that you secure an unconditional offer from an eligible UK university course by a set deadline, so apply to up to three different UK master's courses in parallel with your Chevening application.

Return Home Commitment

Chevening scholars agree to return to their home country for a minimum of two years after their award ends. The scholarship builds a global network of leaders who bring skills back to their own country rather than stay in the UK, so this condition applies to every scholar regardless of nationality.

Chevening Fellowship: A Different Award

Chevening also runs a separate Fellowship track for established professionals who want a short, non-degree programme in the UK rather than a full master's. The Fellowship has its own eligibility rules, timeline, and application form, and it is not a shortcut into the Scholarship or the reverse. If you already hold a master's degree and want a shorter leadership programme instead of a new degree, check the Fellowship page on chevening.org separately from the Scholarship guidance in this article.

What Strengthens Your Application

Chevening reviewers read thousands of essays each cycle, so specific examples carry more weight than general statements about wanting to make a difference. Describe one leadership moment with a clear outcome, name the people and organizations in your professional network instead of describing networking in the abstract, and connect your proposed UK course directly to a role or project you plan to take on back home. Weak applications repeat the same points across all four essays instead of using each essay to show a different side of your record.

Timeline From Application to Enrollment

Applications open in August, close in early October, and interview invitations go out over the following months. Most scholars find out whether they have won a place by June or July, in time to finalize their unconditional university offer and prepare for a September or October start in the UK. The full cycle from application to enrollment runs close to a full year, so research UK courses and gather references well before the deadline.