Chevening Scholarship From Pakistan: 2027/28 Dates and 2028/29 Prep
Applications for the 2027/28 Chevening Scholarship closed on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC (4pm in Pakistan). If you applied, your application is now with the reading committees: shortlisted candidates hear in mid-February 2027, interviews run at the British High Commission in Islamabad in March and April, and results arrive from mid-June. If you missed it, the next round, for 2028/29, is expected to open in early August 2027 — and the ten months in between are exactly the time you need to build a competitive application.
Chevening is the UK government's flagship scholarship. It pays full tuition for a one-year master's at almost any UK university, plus a monthly stipend, flights and your visa fee. Around 30 to 45 Pakistanis win one each year, from thousands of applicants, and nearly 2,000 Pakistani alumni have studied in the UK on the award. This guide covers who is eligible, what the scholarship pays, what happens at each stage of the 2027/28 cycle, and how to prepare for 2028/29.
The short answer
- 2027/28 status: closed on 6 October 2026. Shortlist mid-February 2027, interviews March–April, results from mid-June.
- Next cycle (2028/29): expected to open early August 2027 and close in early October 2027, based on the last three cycles.
- Who can apply: Pakistani citizens with an undergraduate degree, at least two years (2,800 hours) of work experience after it, and a commitment to return to Pakistan for two years.
- What it covers: tuition fees, a monthly stipend, return economy flights, the visa fee, TB test, and arrival and departure allowances.
- No IELTS at application — but you need an unconditional university offer, including its English requirement, by 8 July 2027.
- Courses: three different full-time, one-year taught master's courses at UK universities, starting in September or October.
The 2027/28 Chevening timeline
Here is the official timeline for the current cycle, with what each stage means for applicants in Pakistan:
| Stage | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Applications open | August 2026 | Online form opened in early August |
| Deadline | 6 October 2026, 11:00 UTC | Closed — 4pm Pakistan time |
| Eligibility checks | From October 2026 | Applications screened against the criteria |
| Reading committees | Mid-October 2026 to January 2027 | Independent readers score the four essays |
| Shortlist | Mid-February 2027 | Interview invitations sent by email |
| Documents | 7 working days before your interview | Two reference letters and your degree certificate uploaded |
| Interviews | March–April 2027 | Panel interview at the British High Commission |
| Results | From mid-June 2027 | Selected, reserve or unsuccessful |
| Unconditional offer deadline | 8 July 2027, 17:00 UK time | Offer must be uploaded, or the award lapses |
| Studies begin | September–October 2027 | Pre-departure briefings, visa, travel |
The date that catches applicants out is 8 July 2027. Chevening does not apply to universities for you, and a conditional offer is not enough. If you are shortlisted, start your university applications at once — many popular UK master's courses fill up by spring — and book your English test early, because the unconditional offer must include it.
Who is eligible from Pakistan
To apply, you must:
- Be a citizen of Pakistan, and apply through the Pakistan programme even if you live elsewhere.
- Commit to return to Pakistan for at least two years after your scholarship ends.
- Have an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK master's, completed at least two years before the deadline. For the 2027/28 cycle, that meant by October 2024.
- Have at least 2,800 hours of work experience, gained after your degree and spread over at least two years.
- Apply to three different eligible UK courses.
You are not eligible if you hold British or dual British nationality, live in the UK when you apply, or have previously studied in the UK on a UK government-funded scholarship. Employees of the UK government, the British Council or a Chevening partner university are also excluded, along with their immediate relatives and anyone who left such a job less than two years before applications opened. Already holding a master's degree does not disqualify you.
The 2,800-hour rule in practice
The work-experience requirement is generous in what it counts. Full-time, part-time, voluntary work and paid or unpaid internships all qualify, as long as they come after your undergraduate degree. The application form calculates hours as weeks multiplied by hours per week, across up to 15 entries. A graduate who has worked full time, at 35 to 40 hours a week, for two years clears it comfortably. If you graduated in 2025 or 2026, you will reach the threshold in time for a later cycle, not 2028/29 — plan for that.
Is a 16-year degree required?
Chevening's own rule is only that your degree qualifies you for entry to a UK master's. In practice, most UK universities expect sixteen years of education from Pakistan, so a four-year bachelor's, or a two-year bachelor's followed by a master's, is the safe route. Some universities set a minimum of a 2:1 equivalent for competitive courses. Our guide to a master's in the UK with a low CGPA sets out how UK universities read Pakistani grades.
What the scholarship covers
According to the current Chevening terms and conditions (August 2026), a full award pays for:
| Covered | Details |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | Full fees for one year; MBA tuition capped at £22,000 |
| Monthly stipend | Separate rates for London and outside London, reviewed annually |
| Travel | One economy return flight between Pakistan and the UK |
| Arrival and departure allowances | One-off payments at the start and end of the course |
| Visa application fee | For the scholar only |
| TB test | Up to £75 |
| Event travel | A travel top-up for Chevening events, for scholars outside London |
Three points the summaries usually skip. First, the award covers the scholar only: there is no support for a spouse or children, and dependants' visa costs and living expenses are yours. Our guide to UK student visa dependants rules explains what is still possible. Second, partner universities are expected to contribute at least 20% of tuition; if one will not, Chevening may move you to your next-choice course. Third, Chevening does not publish its stipend rates in advance, and figures circulating online vary, so treat any specific monthly amount you see as unofficial until your award letter arrives.
The four essays
The online application asks four questions, each scored equally. In the current cycle they are:
- Leadership and influence: do you have good examples of your leadership and influencing skills?
- Networking: do you have good examples of building professional relationships to achieve positive outcomes?
- Studying in the UK: how will your chosen course give you the skills to address pressing challenges linked to UK priority areas?
- Career plan: how will your career plan support your ambitions to drive positive change?
The third question now ties your course to the UK's priority areas: growth and prosperity; climate resilience; security and stability; and inclusive, effective development. Write it around your first-choice course and name specific modules. The fourth needs short-, medium- and long-term goals that are measurable and rooted in Pakistan — the two-year return requirement makes this the question where vague answers show most.
Word limits are short, so every sentence must carry evidence. Recent cycles have used a limit of a few hundred words per essay; check the exact figure on the form when it opens. Two warnings for 2027 and beyond. Chevening now screens for AI-generated answers, and the British High Commissioner publicly warned Pakistani applicants in August 2026 that such applications will be disqualified. And the most common reason good candidates fail is not weak writing but generic examples: "I led a team" scores far lower than a specific project, a number, and what changed because of you.
The interview
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by a panel at the British High Commission, usually in Islamabad. The panel tests the same four areas as the essays, so expect to be asked to expand on every example you wrote — reread your application the night before. Panels also probe how well you know your chosen courses, why the UK rather than another country, and how you will use the Chevening network after returning.
Upload two reference letters, in English and addressed to the British High Commission, and your original undergraduate degree certificate, at least seven working days before the interview. Chevening does not accept transcripts in place of the certificate, so if your university has not yet issued it, start the process with the university now. Your two referees, named at application, should be professional or academic contacts — not friends or relatives.
Preparing for 2028/29: a ten-month plan
If you are aiming for the next cycle, here is how to use the time before applications open in August 2027:
- Now to December 2026: confirm you will meet the 2,800 hours and the two-year degree rule by October 2027. Ask your degree-awarding university for your final certificate if you do not have it.
- January to March 2027: shortlist three courses and check each one's entry requirements, English score and application window. Our UK university application deadlines guide shows when courses close.
- April to June 2027: take IELTS, PTE or another test your universities accept. A result in hand turns a conditional offer into an unconditional one quickly. Our comparison of UKVI IELTS and IELTS Academic explains which version you need.
- June to July 2027: draft the four essays from your strongest evidence — dates, numbers, outcomes — and line up two referees who know your work.
- August to October 2027: submit well before the deadline. The system slows sharply in the final days.
Apply to your three universities in parallel rather than waiting for the Chevening result. An offer in hand by the interview strengthens your answers on course choice, and it removes the July deadline pressure if you are selected.
If you are not selected
You can apply again in a later cycle — many scholars succeed on a second or third attempt with stronger examples and more experience. Meanwhile, look at the Commonwealth Scholarships, which funded 48 Pakistanis in 2025 compared with 32 on Chevening, and at university awards for Pakistani students, many of which are automatic. Our UK scholarships guide lists the main options, and the bank statement guide covers the funds you would need to show for a self-funded visa.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Chevening deadline for Pakistan?
The 2027/28 deadline was 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC, which is 4pm in Pakistan, and applications are now closed. The 2028/29 cycle is expected to open in early August 2027 and close in early October 2027, following the pattern of recent years.
Is IELTS required for Chevening?
No English test is required when you apply for Chevening. However, the scholarship depends on an unconditional offer from a UK university, and universities set their own English requirements, so in practice most Pakistani applicants need an IELTS, PTE or similar score before the 8 July deadline.
How many Pakistani students get Chevening each year?
Around 30 to 45. The UK government reported 32 Pakistani Chevening scholars and 48 Commonwealth scholars in 2025, and Pakistan has nearly 2,000 Chevening alumni in total.
Does Chevening cover my family's expenses?
No. Chevening covers the scholar only: tuition, a monthly stipend, flights, the visa fee and allowances for you alone. A spouse's or child's visa fees, health surcharge, travel and living costs must be funded separately.
Do internships count towards Chevening work experience?
Yes. Paid and unpaid internships, voluntary work and part-time work all count, as long as they come after your undergraduate degree. You need at least 2,800 hours in total, spread over a minimum of two years.
Can I apply for Chevening after a master's degree?
Yes. Holding a master's does not make you ineligible. What disqualifies you is having previously studied in the UK on a UK government-funded scholarship.
Chevening rewards preparation more than talent alone: the strongest Pakistani applicants pick three well-matched courses, secure offers early, and write essays built on specific, measurable examples. If you want help shortlisting courses, securing unconditional offers before the July deadline, or planning a self-funded route alongside your scholarship application, book a free consultation or start with our guide to studying in the UK from Pakistan.