View source for Chevening Scholarship

{{Short description|UK university scholarship for select foreign students}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{citations needed|section|date=August 2024}}
{{Primary sources|date=September 2024}}
}}
[[File:Chevening Partnerships event (16731149468).jpg|thumb|[[Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (United Kingdom)|Minister of State for Foreign Affairs]] [[Hugo Swire]] discussing the programme in 2015]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
The '''Chevening Scholarship''' is an international [[scholarship]], funded by the British [[Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office]] and partner organizations,<ref name="Chevening 2024 s627">{{cite web | title=Partner with us | website=Chevening | date=2024-03-09 | url=https://www.chevening.org/partnerships/ | access-date=2024-03-09}}</ref> that enables foreign students to study at universities in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="FCO">{{Cite web|url=http://www.chevening.org/about-chevening|title=About Chevening|website=chevening.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref>

==History==
The Chevening Scholarships Programme commenced in 1983 as the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] Awards Scheme (FCOAS) and is funded by the [[British government]]'s [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] and its partner organisations.<ref name="Chevening 2024 s627" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chevening.org/about-chevening|title=About Chevening {{!}} Chevening|website=chevening.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref> The stated objective of the scheme is to build a network of friends of the UK, who will be future leaders in their countries. In 1994, the name of the scheme was changed to Chevening, after [[Chevening House]] in Sevenoaks, Kent{{snd}}currently the joint official residence of the [[British Foreign Secretary]] and the [[British Deputy Prime Minister]].<ref name = "FCO" />

A companion Chevening Fellowships Scheme was launched by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2004. The Fellowships programme provides places for mid-career professionals already in positions of leadership and influence to undertake 3-month courses in fields related to the FCDO's policy goals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chevening.org/fellows/about-fellowships|title=About Fellowships {{!}} Chevening|website=chevening.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref>

In 2007–08, the Chevening Scholarships cost the British [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] approximately £22 million.<ref name=":0">{{Citation | url = https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmfaff/195/195we97.htm | title = Letter for Foreign Affairs Committee | publisher = Parliament | place = UK | year = 2008}}.</ref> In the same year the Chevening Fellowships scheme cost approximately £4 million.<ref name=":0" /> In July 2010, the British Foreign Minister announced a cut of £10 million from the scholarships budget, in the context of wider budget cuts. This resulted in several scholarships being cancelled for 2010–11. After a review period, the 2011–12 scholarship round opened for applications in February 2011. In 2011–12, the number of scholarships was increased to more than 700 worldwide. In 2015–16, the number of scholarships was increased to 1,500.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chevening-scholarship-places-in-developing-countries-tripled-for-201516|title=Chevening Scholarship places in developing countries tripled for 2015/16|work=GOV.UK|access-date=2018-08-10|language=en}}</ref> In 2017–18, the total number of scholarships was 1,650.<ref name="orientation">{{Cite web|url=http://www.chevening.org/chevening/news/2017/chevening-orientation-2017|title=Chevening Orientation 2017 welcomes the successful 3% to the UK {{!}} Chevening|website=chevening.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref>

In April 2012, the Association of Commonwealth Universities took over the running of the scheme from the [[British Council]], establishing a Chevening Secretariat. In September 2023 British Council took over as Secretariat of the scheme from the Association of Commonwealth Universities.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In October 2018, the Chevening Scholarships Programme celebrated its 35th anniversary by awarding a total number of 1,800 scholarships from 160 countries for the 2018–19 school year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chevening.org/chevening/news/2018/chevening%E2%80%99s-landmark-35th-anniversary-year-begins-at-orientation|title=Chevening's landmark 35th anniversary year begins at Orientation {{!}} Chevening|website=chevening.org|access-date=2019-02-13}}</ref> Earlier that year, the number of Chevening alumni also hit the 50,000 mark.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chevening.org/scholars/news/2018/chevening-alumni-network-hits-50000-globally-at-farewell|title=Global Alumni network hits 50,000 at Farewell {{!}} Chevening|website=chevening.org|access-date=2019-02-13}}</ref>

In 2024, Chevening celebrated its 40th anniversary.<ref name="Chevening 2024 t129">{{cite web | title=Chevening's 2022-2023 Impact Report | website=Chevening | date=2024-03-09 | url=https://www.chevening.org/impactareas/chevenings-2022-2023-impact-report/ | access-date=2024-03-09}}</ref>

==Participating countries==
[[File:Chevening Scholars (8538209647).jpg|thumb|[[Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi]] meeting with Chevening Scholars in Afghanistan]]
The number of available scholarships varies from country to country. More than thirty scholarships are currently awarded to candidates from Nepal, India, Russia and China. Twenty or more are awarded to candidates from Egypt, South Korea, Indonesia, Bhutan, Pakistan, Mexico, Thailand and Brazil, with less than five core scholarships now available to candidates from Australia and Canada<ref name= "FCO"/> (US students are not eligible, but can apply for the [[Marshall Scholarship]]s which are also funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office).{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In 2017–18, over 1,650 scholarships were awarded to students from more than 140 countries,<ref name="orientation"/> allowing students from developing countries to access UK tertiary education institutions.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2011 |title=QS World University Rankings |publisher=Top universities |year=2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001010736/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2011/ |archive-date=1 October 2011}}.</ref> In this way the Chevening scheme is similar to the US [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright Scholarships]] which bring students from 140 countries to the US<ref>{{Citation | url = http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/ | title = Fulbright scholarships}}.</ref> and differs from the [[Rhodes Scholarship]] scheme which currently allows applications from approximately 18 countries.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/page/about | title = Rhodes house scholarships | publisher = Oxford | place = UK | access-date = 19 June 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110410165810/http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/page/about | archive-date = 10 April 2011 | url-status = dead }}.</ref>{{or|date=August 2024}} Winners of Chevening scholarships have received coverage in national and local newspapers.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://nation.com.pk/10-Aug-2018/first-asma-jahangir-scholarship-awarded-to-top-ranking-female-chevening-scholar | title=First Asma Jahangir Scholarship awarded to top-ranking female Chevening scholar | date=10 August 2018 | newspaper=The Nation | location=Pakistan | access-date=9 May 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/10/45-malaysians-get-chevening-awards-students-to-study-in-britain-under-programme/|title=45 Malaysians get Chevening awards – Nation {{!}} The Star Online|website=thestar.com.my|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref>

During the Chevening 40th anniversary in 2023, the programme said it had granted its scholarship to 1,500 Nigerians since 1983.<ref name="Habib 2024 q759">{{cite web | last=Habib | first=Gift | title=British High Commission welcomes 178 Nigerian Chevening, commonwealth scholars | website=Punch Newspapers | date=2024-02-23 | url=https://punchng.com/british-high-commission-welcomes-178-nigerian-chevening-commonwealth-scholars/ | access-date=2024-03-15}}</ref><ref name="YouTube 2024 j092">{{cite web | title=40 Voices of Cheveners in Nigeria #Chevening | website=YouTube | date=2024-03-06 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=bxitC61xuUk | access-date=2024-03-15}}</ref>

The Chevening Scholarship is not available to non-indigenous Australian candidates.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chevening.org/australia|title=Chevening in Australia {{!}} Chevening|website=chevening.org|language=en|access-date=2017-08-07}}</ref>

== Selection criteria ==
The selection criteria for Chevening Scholarship aim to identify "high-calibre graduates with the personal, intellectual and interpersonal qualities necessary for leadership". Specific selection criteria for Chevening Scholarships vary from country to country, and from year to year. In 2017/18, of 65,000 applicants, 1,650 scholarships were awarded.<ref name="orientation"/>

Applications are made online via a [[web portal]] between early August and early November<ref name="chevening.org">{{Cite web|url=http://www.chevening.org/apply/application-timeline|title=Application timeline {{!}} Chevening|website=chevening.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref> of each year, except for some sponsored scholarships for which applicants apply via the co-sponsoring organisation.<ref name="chevening.org"/> Scholarship applicants must also apply directly to their preferred [[Universities in the United Kingdom|universities in the UK]], usually for taught master's degree courses. Most scholarships include a living stipend, airfares and the full or partial cost of tuition fees.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The most popular destinations for study in 2011 were the [[London School of Economics|London School of Economics & Political Science]], [[University College London]], and the universities of [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], [[University of Edinburgh|Edinburgh]], [[University of Nottingham]], [[University of Bath]] and [[King's College London]].<ref name ="FCO" /> 

== Chevening alumni ==
As of 2024, there are over 60,000 Chevening Scholarship alumni,<ref name="Impact23-24">{{cite web |title=Chevening's 2023-2024 Annual Impact Report|at=Chevening alumni in numbers, page 8 |url=https://www.chevening.org/impact/chevenings-2023-2024-annual-impact-report/ |publisher=Chevening |access-date=1 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref> with an emphasis being placed on improved links with and between previous scholars as a consequence of reviews in 2005<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.britishcouncil.org/home-carter-report%20 | publisher = British Council | title = Home Carter Report | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100623235525/http://www.britishcouncil.org/home-carter-report%20 | archive-date = 23 June 2010| access-date = 16 June 2010 }}.</ref> and 2006.<ref name="review">{{Citation | place = UK | url = http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-0889.doc | title = Parliamentary Review of Chevening | format = MS Word | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100704141637/http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-0889.doc | archive-date = 4 July 2010}}.</ref> Many Chevening Scholars have since gone on to reach positions of influence in a range of sectors.

===Heads of state and government===
21 current or former heads of states are Chevening alumni,<ref name="Impact23-24"/> and include:<ref>{{cite web |title=Chevening Impact Report |at=Global Network, pages 12-13  |url=https://www.chevening.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Impact-report.pdf |publisher=Chevening |access-date=1 July 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" width="74%" style="float: center; border: 5px solid #BBB; margin: .96em 0 0 .9em;"
|-
! width=220px | Leader
! width=180px | State/government
! width=280px | Office
|-
|[[Baldwin Spencer (politician)|Baldwin Spencer]]
|''{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda|Prime Minister]] (2004–14)
|-
|[[Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé]]
|''{{flag|Bolivia}}''
||[[President of Bolivia|President]] (2005–06)
|-
|[[Mladen Ivanić]]
|''{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}''
||[[Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Co-President (Presidency Member)]] (2014–18)
|-
|[[Sergei Stanishev]]
|''{{flag|Bulgaria}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Bulgaria|Prime Minister]] (2005–09)
|-
|[[Álvaro Uribe Vélez]]
|''{{flag|Colombia}}''
||[[President of Colombia|President]] (2002–10)
|-
|[[Carlos Alvarado Quesada]]
|''{{flag|Costa Rica}}''
||[[President of Costa Rica|President]] (2018–22)
|-
|[[Grigol Mgaloblishvili]]
|''{{flag|Georgia}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Georgia|Prime Minister]] (2008–09)
|-
|[[Guðni Th. Jóhannesson|Gudni Thorlacius Jóhannesson]]
|''{{flag|Iceland}}''
||[[President of Iceland|President]] (2016–24)
|-
|[[Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson]]
|''{{flag|Iceland}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Iceland|Prime Minister]] (2013–16)
|-
|[[Anote Tong]]
|''{{flag|Kiribati}}''
||[[President of Kiribati|President]] (2003–16)
|-
|[[Rinchinnyamyn Amarjargal]]
|''{{flag|Mongolia}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Mongolia|Prime Minister]] (1999–2000)
|-
|[[Elijah Ngurare]]
|''{{flag|Namibia}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Namibia|Prime Minister]] (2025–)
|-
|[[Marek Belka]]
|''{{flag|Poland}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Poland|Prime Minister]] (2004–05)
|-
|[[Un-Chan Chung]]
|''{{flag|South Korea}}''
||[[Prime Minister of South Korea|Prime Minister]] (2009–10)
|-
|[[Enele Sopoaga]]
|''{{flag|Tuvalu}}''
||[[Prime Minister of Tuvalu|Prime Minister]] (2013–19)
|-
|}

=== Other alumni===
* [[Abdul Hamid Bador]] – Inspector-General of Police, the Royal Malaysian Police (since May 2019)
* [[A.T.M. Zahirul Alam]] – Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Liberia
* [[Anna Jóelsdóttir]] – Icelandic artist
* [[Annastacia Palaszczuk]] – [[Premier of Queensland|Premier]] of the [[Australia]]n state of [[Queensland]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-13/who-is-qld-new-premier-annastacia-palaszczuk/6090968|title= Queensland election 2015: Who is new Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk?|author1= Leonie Mellor|author2= Elaine Ford|date= 13 February 2015|publisher= [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] 13 February 2015|access-date= 15 February 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150214185854/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-13/who-is-qld-new-premier-annastacia-palaszczuk/6090968|archive-date= 14 February 2015|url-status= live}}</ref>
* [[Anne Enright]] – Booker Prize–winning author
* [[Binyavanga Wainaina]] – Caine Prize–winning novelist
* [[Bolaji Abdullahi]] – Nigerian Politician and writer
* [[Bogolo Kenewendo]] – Cabinet Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, in the [[Cabinet of Botswana]] 
* [[Charles S. Ramson|Charles S.Ramson]] –  Parliamentarian and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport of the Co-operative [[Guyana|Republic of Guyana]]
* [[Chen Liangyu]] – former member of the [[Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party]]
* [[Emil Kirjas]] – [[North Macedonia|Macedonian]]n politician
*[[Erdem Moralıoğlu]] – fashion designer<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/erdem-moralioglu-vogue-interview|title=When Vogue Met Erdem|last=Shulman|first=Alexandra|access-date=2018-08-14}}</ref>
*[[Fatou Jeng]] – internationally recognized Gambian climate activist
* [[Fawad Hasan Fawad]] – former Principal Secretary to the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan]]
* [[Filiz Ali]] – Turkish pianist and musicologist
* [[Ghil'ad Zuckermann]] – linguist and revivalist
* [[Gideon Olanrewaju]] – Nigerian educational development practitioner 
* [[Giga Bokeria]] – Secretary of the National Security Council, [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
* [[Glanis Changachirere]] – Zimbabwean women's rights activist and founder of the Institute for Young Women Development (IYWD)
* [[Guillermo Sheridan]] – literary critic
* [[Hassan Wario]] – Kenyan Cabinet Minister
* [[Helon Habila]] – Caine Prize–winning novelist
* [[Herbert Wigwe]] – CEO, Access Bank, Nigeria<ref name="thecable.ng"/>
* [[Ibrahim Sheme]] – Nigerian writer and journalist
* [[Igor Pokaz]] – Croatian Ambassador to NATO
* [[Jaime Bermudez]] – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Colombia
* [[João Miranda]] – former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Angola
* [[John Momoh]] – Chairman, Channels Television, Nigeria<ref name="thecable.ng">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecable.ng/chevening-alumni-ask-buhari-bring-vocational-tertiary-education-par-nigeria|title=Chevening Alumni ask Buhari to bring vocational and tertiary education 'to par' in Nigeria|date=10 January 2017}}</ref>
* [[Jorge Capitanich]] – former Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers of Argentina
* [[Jorma Ollila]] – Non-Executive Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell; Non-Executive Chairman of Nokia
* [[Katlego Kai Kolanyane-Kesupile]] – Botswanan performance artist and LGBT activist 
* [[Mahnaz Malik]] – barrister and arbitrator between the United Kingdom and Pakistan
* [[Manuel Lajo]] – Member of the Peruvian Congress
* [[Martín Lousteau]] – Argentine Congressman and former Minister of Economy
* [[Martin Manurung]] – Member of the Indonesian People's Representative Council
*[[Mélanie Joly]] – Canadian Cabinet Minister
* [[Muhammad Uteem]] – Member of the National Assembly of Mauritius
* [[Nan Achnas]] – Film Director
* [[Nkoyo Esu Toyo]] – Nigerian politician and diplomat
* [[Paula Vaccaro]] – Argentine/Italian award-winning journalist, producer and scriptwriter also known as Paula Alvarez Vaccaro
* [[Peter Sinon]] – Seychellois Cabinet Minister
* [[Phil Goff]] – New Zealand Mayor of Auckland
*[[Pooja Kapur]] – [[India]]n [[Ambassador]] to the [[Bulgaria|Republic of Bulgaria]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pooja Kapur appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Bulgaria|url=http://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/28446/Pooja_Kapur_appointed_as_the_next_Ambassador_of_India_to_the_Republic_of_Bulgaria|access-date=2017-07-23|website=mea.gov.in|language=en}}</ref> and the [[North Macedonia|Republic of North Macedonia]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pooja Kapur concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Macedonia|url=http://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/29000/Pooja+Kapur+concurrently+accredited+as+the+next+Ambassador+of+India+to+the+Republic+of+Macedonia|access-date=2017-12-17|website=mea.gov.in|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Prince Seeiso of Lesotho]] – diplomat 
* [[Asha Mwilu]] – journalist and filmmaker
* [[Pritam Singh (Singaporean politician)|Pritam Singh]] – Singaporean Opposition Leader
* [[Rajesh Talwar]] – Indian writer
* [[Riri Riza]] – Indonesian film director, film producer and screenwriter
* [[Samson Folarin]] – former features editor at the Nigerian magazine "the Punch" <ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2024/april/chevening-scholar-samson-folarin | date = 3 May 2024 | publisher = [[City St George's, University of London]] | title = Award-winning journalist and Chevening Scholar on his time at City}}</ref>
* [[Shaffi Mather]] – former Chief Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister of Kerala, India
* [[Shirani Bandaranayake]] – Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
* [[Simon Kolawole]] – Founder, [[TheCable|Cable Newspaper Limited]], Nigeria<ref>{{cite news | title = TheCable's Tijani Mayowa wins Chevening scholarship | publisher = [[TheCable]] | date = 2017-08-07 | url = https://www.thecable.ng/thecables-tijani-mayowa-over-40-others-win-uk-govt-chevening-award | access-date = 2019-01-18 | quote = He thanked Simon Kolawole, the CEO of TheCable, who also won the Chevening scholarship in 2005}}</ref>
* [[Stone Sizani]] – Member of the South African National Assembly and ANC Chief Whip
* [[T. V. Narendran]] – CEO and Managing Director, Tata Steel
* [[Xiaolu Guo]] – Chinese novelist and film director
* [[Zaina Erhaim]] – Syrian journalist<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/24/syrian-journalist-zaina-erhaim-passport-held-assad-request | date = 25 September 2016 | access-date = 26 September 2016 | first = Emma | last = Graham-Harrison | newspaper = [[The Observer]] | location = London | title = Syrian activist barred from travel after UK seizes passport at Assad's request}}</ref>
* [[Ziad Bahaa-Eldin]] – Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt

==See also==
* [[Rhodes Scholarship]]
* [[Jardine Scholarship]]
* [[Yenching Scholarship]]
* [[Fulbright Program]]
* [[Erasmus Programme]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Citation | url = http://www.chevening.org/ | title = Chevening | type = official website}}

{{Global Scholars Group}}
{{Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office}}

[[Category:Scholarships in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Government scholarships]]