Applications are now open for the UK Government's fully funded Chevening Scholarships for 2027–2028, giving eligible applicants across Africa the opportunity to study a one-year master's degree in the United Kingdom.
AFRICA — August 26, 2026 — African graduates and professionals can now apply for the 2027–2028 Chevening Scholarships, one of the United Kingdom Government's best-known international scholarship programmes.
The scholarship is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) together with partner organisations and supports successful applicants to complete eligible one-year taught master's degrees at universities across the United Kingdom.
According to the official Chevening application timeline, applications opened on August 4, 2026 at 11:00 UTC and will close on October 6, 2026 at 11:00 UTC.
Chevening describes its scholarships as fully funded, with support normally including tuition fees, travel, visa costs and a monthly living allowance.
Is Chevening Open to Africans?
Yes.The Chevening scholarship operates through country and territory routes around the world, including across Africa.
The official Chevening country and territory application finder currently lists scholarship routes for African countries including Algeria, Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Niger, Republic of Congo, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, rwanda among others.
Applicants should therefore search for their own country of citizenship on the official Chevening platform before beginning an application.
The important qualification is that applicants must be citizens of a Chevening-eligible country or territory and must satisfy all current eligibility rules.
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Chevening Scholarships 2027–2028 Open Across Africa — How to Apply
Chevening Scholarships 2027–2028 are open to eligible African applicants. See funding, eligibility, work experience rules and how to apply.
August 26, 2026 at 11:50:09 AM
August 26, 2026 at 11:50:09 AM
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Applications are now open for the UK Government's fully funded Chevening Scholarships for 2027–2028, giving eligible applicants across Africa the opportunity to study a one-year master's degree in the United Kingdom.
AFRICA — August 26, 2026 — African graduates and professionals can now apply for the 2027–2028 Chevening Scholarships, one of the United Kingdom Government's best-known international scholarship programmes.
The scholarship is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) together with partner organisations and supports successful applicants to complete eligible one-year taught master's degrees at universities across the United Kingdom.
According to the official Chevening application timeline, applications opened on August 4, 2026 at 11:00 UTC and will close on October 6, 2026 at 11:00 UTC.
Chevening describes its scholarships as fully funded, with support normally including tuition fees, travel, visa costs and a monthly living allowance.
Is Chevening Open to Africans?
Yes.The Chevening scholarship operates through country and territory routes around the world, including across Africa.
The official Chevening country and territory application finder currently lists scholarship routes for African countries including Algeria, Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Niger, Republic of Congo, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, rwanda among others.
Applicants should therefore search for their own country of citizenship on the official Chevening platform before beginning an application.
The important qualification is that applicants must be citizens of a Chevening-eligible country or territory and must satisfy all current eligibility rules.
For applicants applying from countries classified as ODA-eligible, Chevening also requires them to be resident in an ODA-eligible country when applying. That country does not necessarily have to be their country of citizenship.
For example, Chevening explains that an applicant from an eligible African country may in some circumstances apply while living in another ODA-eligible country, but may be ineligible while resident in a non-ODA country.
Applicants should therefore check the official Chevening eligibility criteria carefully before submitting.
What Does the Chevening Scholarship Cover?
Chevening is designed as a fully funded scholarship.
According to the official Chevening funding guidance, a standard full award normally includes:
Payment of university tuition fees
Economy travel to and from the applicant's country of residence
An arrival allowance
The cost of the UK entry-clearance visa application
A departure allowance
A contribution of up to £75 toward TB testing where required
A travel top-up allowance where applicable
A monthly personal living allowance or stipend
The monthly stipend is intended to help cover accommodation and normal living costs while studying in the UK.
The amount depends partly on whether the scholar studies in London or outside London and is subject to annual review.
Applicants considering MBA programmes should also check the latest Chevening rules because separate tuition-fee caps may apply to some MBA awards.
Who Is Eligible for Chevening 2027–2028?
Applicants must meet Chevening's core eligibility requirements.
According to the official eligibility guidance, applicants must:
Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory
Meet applicable residence requirements
Commit to returning to their country of award for at least two years after completing the scholarship
Have at least 2,800 hours of qualifying work experience
Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies them for admission to a UK master's programme
Have completed their undergraduate studies at least two years before the Chevening application deadline
Apply to three eligible UK master's courses
Obtain an unconditional offer from at least one of those courses by the later Chevening offer deadline
There is no upper age limit for a standard Chevening Scholarship.
Important Change: Work Experience Must Come After Your Bachelor's Degree
This is one of the most important rules for the 2027–2028 application cycle.
Chevening requires applicants to have accumulated at least 2,800 hours of work experience after completing their undergraduate degree.
The official Chevening work-experience guidance says this is approximately equivalent to two years of full-time work based on a 35-hour work week.
For the current cycle, Chevening says applicants must therefore have completed their undergraduate degree by October 2024 in order to meet the minimum two-year post-degree experience requirement.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum work-experience requirement will be rejected.
What Types of Work Experience Count?
Chevening accepts several forms of professional experience.
Qualifying experience can include:
Full-time employment
Part-time employment
Voluntary work
Paid internships
Unpaid internships
Applicants may enter up to 15 separate employment periods in the online application system.
The work does not necessarily have to be directly related to the master's programme the applicant chooses, although candidates changing career direction should be able to explain how their previous experience and transferable skills connect to their future plans.
You Must Choose Three UK Master's Courses
Each applicant must select three eligible master's courses when applying.
According to Chevening's official course guidance, eligible programmes must normally be:
Full-time
Based in the United Kingdom
Taught master's degrees
Starting in the autumn term
At least nine months but no more than 12 months in duration
Programmes that lead to a master's qualification
Courses cannot normally be:
Part-time
Distance learning
PhD or DPhil programmes
Research-focused MRes programmes
Longer than 12 months
Programmes with more than one month of study outside the UK
Applicants can use the official Chevening course finder to identify eligible master's programmes.
Do You Apply to the Universities Separately?
Yes.
Submitting a Chevening Scholarship application does not count as a university application.
Applicants must apply separately to the universities offering their selected courses.
Chevening recommends choosing three similar courses that fit the applicant's career plan and applying to the universities early enough to meet their own admission deadlines.
Candidates who reach the later stages of the scholarship process must secure at least one unconditional university offer by the deadline set by Chevening.
For the 2027–2028 cycle, that deadline is July 8, 2027 at 17:00 BST.
What Information Is Required in the Online Application?
Applicants apply through Chevening's online application system using the country or territory route corresponding to their citizenship.
The official application guidance says the online form includes sections covering:
Personal information
Immigration details
Education history
Work history
UK master's course choices
Leadership and career-related application questions
Contact details for referees
Applicants can record up to 15 education entries and up to 15 work-history entries.
The application system automatically calculates qualifying work hours based on the information entered.
References and Education Documents
Applicants must provide the names and contact details of two referees when completing their initial application.
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The referees can be:
Two professional referees
Two academic referees
One academic and one professional referee
They should know the applicant well enough to comment meaningfully on their abilities but should not be relatives or close personal friends.
According to Chevening's official references guidance, candidates invited to interview must later upload two reference letters.
Applicants who progress to interview must also provide their undergraduate degree certificate.
The official application preparation guide states that the degree certificate must be an official document from the university.
Warning: Do Not Use AI to Write Your Chevening Essays
Applicants should pay particular attention to Chevening's current rules on artificial intelligence.
Chevening's official online application guidance says using AI software to generate answers to the scholarship's essay questions is strictly prohibited.
Applicants must submit their own original work.
Chevening says applications found to contain fraudulent, plagiarised or AI-generated responses may be disqualified, and applicants are required to confirm that they have not used AI to generate their answers.
Candidates can still use general online resources to understand the programme, but their submitted essays and personal examples should be written in their own words and based on their genuine experiences.
Chevening 2027–2028 Application Timeline
The official timeline currently lists the following stages:
Stage | Date |
Applications open | August 4, 2026 at 11:00 UTC |
Applications close | October 6, 2026 at 11:00 UTC |
Eligibility sift begins | From October 2026 |
Reading committee assessments | Mid-October 2026 to January 2027 |
Interview shortlist announced | Mid-February 2027 |
Interviews | March–April 2027 |
Scholarship results | From mid-June 2027 |
Unconditional university offer deadline | July 8, 2027 at 17:00 BST |
Studies begin in the UK | September/October 2027 |
Applicants should not wait until the final day because the Chevening system becomes inaccessible after the official deadline.
How African Applicants Can Apply
Applications are submitted online.
Candidates should:
Select their country of citizenship.
Choose Chevening Scholarship.
Open the scholarship page for their country.
Review any country-specific instructions.
Complete the eligibility checker.
Create or access the online application.
Enter education and work-history information.
Select three eligible UK master's courses.
Add two referees.
Complete all required application questions in their own words.
Review and submit before October 6, 2026 at 11:00 UTC.
Applicants should keep a record of the unique access code generated by the online system because Chevening says it will be needed at later stages.
Special Note for Congolese Applicants in the DRC
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has its own dedicated Chevening Scholarship application page.
Chevening confirms that applications from DRC candidates are open until October 6, 2026 at 11:00 UTC.
However, Congolese candidates should be aware of an important logistical issue.
Chevening currently states that there is no UK visa-processing centre in the DRC.
Successful candidates may therefore have to travel to another country to complete their UK visa application.
Chevening also says there is currently no approved TB-testing facility in the DRC, meaning successful applicants who require a TB test may also have to travel outside the country.
Applicants are initially expected to meet the costs associated with this travel, although Chevening says selected scholars may be eligible for discretionary reimbursement of some travel costs.
This issue is specific to the DRC and does not change the broader eligibility of Congolese applicants for the scholarship.
What About Africans Living Abroad?
African citizens living outside their home countries should check the residence rules carefully.
For applicants applying from ODA-eligible countries, Chevening says the applicant must be resident in an ODA-eligible country.
The applicant does not necessarily need to be living in the same country as their citizenship, but they must still apply under the scholarship route for their country of citizenship and demonstrate a clear intention to contribute to their country of award.
For example, an eligible African citizen living in another ODA-eligible country may still qualify, while living in a non-ODA country could affect eligibility.
Diaspora applicants should therefore use Chevening's official eligibility guidance rather than assuming that citizenship alone guarantees eligibility.
Is There an Application Fee?
Chevening's scholarship application is submitted directly through the official online application system and applicants should not pay third parties to complete or secure a scholarship application.
Successful full-award scholars also normally receive coverage for the UK visa application as part of the scholarship package.
Applicants should be cautious of individuals or agencies claiming they can guarantee selection in exchange for payment.
Chevening selection is competitive and applications are assessed through the official scholarship process.
Why African Applicants Should Start Early
October may appear far away, but a competitive Chevening application requires significant preparation.
Applicants may need time to:
Confirm they meet the 2,800-hour post-degree work requirement
Research eligible UK universities
Select three suitable master's programmes
Prepare strong examples showing leadership and influence
Develop a clear career plan
Contact two suitable referees
Check university admission requirements
Prepare education documentation
Applicants should also remember that applying for the scholarship and applying for admission to a university are two separate processes.
Starting early reduces the risk of missing university or scholarship deadlines.
Official Application
African applicants should begin through the official Chevening country finder:
Find Your Country and Apply for Chevening
Applicants can also review the main scholarship information here:
Chevening Scholarships — Official Website
Application deadline: October 6, 2026 at 11:00 UTC
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