UNITED KINGDOM: Chevening Scholarships 2026

The Chevening Scholarships 2026/2027 call for applications is now open. 

Chevening is the UK Government’s flagship international scholarships programme, aimed at developing global leaders since 1983. Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations, Chevening Scholarships are awarded to outstanding professionals from South Africa and around the world to pursue a fully funded one-year master’s degree in any subject at any UK university.

For detailed information on the programme and eligibility criteria, please visit: Chevening South Africa

Degree level

Master’s

Deadlines

7 October 2025 at 12:00 (midday UK time) / 13:00 South African Standard Time

What is included in the scholarship?

Chevening offers a fully funded scholarship package for a one-year master’s degree at a UK university, which includes:

• University tuition fees;
• Monthly stipend;
• Travel costs to and from the UK;
• Arrival allowance;
• Homeward departure allowance;
• Cost of one visa application;
• Travel grant to attend Chevening events in the UK.

For further details, please visit the UK university courses and the Deadline pages on the Chevening website.

Who can apply?

• South African citizens;
• Commitment to return to South Africa for a minimum of two years after your award has ended;
• Have at least 2,800 hours work experience since graduating from your undergraduate degree. This is roughly equivalent to two years of full-time work, though it may have been completed over a shorter or longer period;
• Have an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry onto a postgraduate programme at a UK university;
• Not have studied in the UK previously with a UK government-funded scholarship;
• Apply to three different eligible UK university courses and have received an unconditional offer from one of these choices by 9 July 2026.

Fields of Study

• Any one-year taught master’s programme offered by UK universities (full-time only; research-focused MRes programmes are not eligible)
• Applicants must be available to commence studies in the UK at the start of the 2026/27 academic year (September/October 2026)

Application process

Applications can only be submitted through the Chevening online application system.
All applicants must provide:

• Education documents
• References
• One unconditional offer from a UK university

The selection process takes approximately eight months from the application deadline to conditional selection. Applicants will receive updates via email and can check their status on the online system using their registration details.

For more information, refer to the Application Timeline and Frequently Asked Questions on the Chevening website.

Contact

Please visit the Chevening Scholarship website for enquiries.

Documents and links

Chevening Scholarships website

Chevening application timeline

Application guidance

Guidance on the online application system 

Note

Please note that this opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Applicants are required to undertake their own research into programmes and institutions and are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognised in South Africa by contacting the South African Qualifications Authority and the relevant professional bodies. If there are any discrepancies in the details provided, the information given by the sponsor supersedes the details provided above. No additional financial support will be provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training.