writing chevening essays

• Sep 17, 2020

Part 2: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (Essay Tips)

Updated: Oct 14, 2020

This serves as Part 2 of the Chevening Tips, in the event that you would like insight in as far as what is Chevening and an overall insight on what is required to apply, kindly have a look at Part 1: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ).

Applying for the Chevening Scholarship Series

Three Years a Charm: Becoming a Chevening Scholar

Part 1: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ)

Disclaimer: Note that the advice given here below is my own personal opinion and not that of the Chevening Secretariat or the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office .

When applying for the Chevening Scholarship, you will be required to submit four written essays, each a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 500 words.

Quick Tips on how to write your 4 Chevening Essays:

When writing your essays, use the STAR and SMART approach.

Ensure that you cover the bases in each of your essays, mentioning the most important elements.

Your essays have to be truthful, concise, and well-written.

Ensure that you tell a story when writing your essays, you can add bullet points to list achievements and highlight career goals however there should be a flow.

Ensure that any stranger can make out what you are trying to say, making it clear what you are talking about. When making references to data or situations from your home country, be sure to mention the country's name.

Refrain using words like our and their, and opt to name what you are talking about.

Use Grammarly to spell check your work and ensure that your grammar is correct.

STAR Approach - Derived from Muse

Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example.

Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.

Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it.

Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved.

SMART Approach - Derived from CFI

Specific: Well defined, clear, and unambiguous.

Measurable : With specific criteria that measure your progress toward the accomplishment of the goal.

Achievable: Attainable and not impossible to achieve.

Realistic: Within reach, realistic, and relevant to your life purpose.

Timely: With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date and a target date. The purpose is to create urgency.

Four Essay Topics

Leadership and Influence

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Using the methods explained above (STAR AND SMART Approach), ensure that you speak on the times you have depicted leadership traits, the leadership positions you have occupied and the times you have displayed a position of influence. These can range from managerial positions, leadership in organizations (NGO's included), or in your day-to-day life. In addition, you can touch on what leadership ambitions you have and how this ties back to your community.

It is important to ensure that the examples are impact-driven and not only for self-gain.

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional relationship-building skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Please explain how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity, using clear examples of how you currently do this, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Writing your networking essay is primarily about showing clear examples of the relationships you have built, how they were established, and how you have managed to maintain them. In addition, highlight how these said relationships have been instrumental in your personal development and the work that you do. Ensure that you are able to glean from every example the skill acquired and how these skills will be useful to you in the future as a possible Chevening scholar. This essay, in essence, is to show that you have the ability to use the opportunities given to you in a tangible and impactful manner.

Career Plan

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer-term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country. - Question as per Chevening Website

This essay provides an opportunity for you to layout an immediate 2-year plan, and a 5 to 10-year plan. Your plans need to be attainable and should speak to your ambitions as laid out in your career plan. The most important tip for when writing out your career plan, is to ensure that when you touch on your professional experience, it not be written as though it is a Curriculum Vitae but rather speaking on impact, journey, and career trajectory. You too are welcome to link your journey thus far, to how this informs your next career move, namely pursuing a masters degree. You should depict an understanding of what you want to do in the future, how this is tangibly attainable, and what your ambitions are long term.

Studying in the UK

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future. Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Do not duplicate your career essay in this essay, however, you can link the information. You will also be required to list the three universities you will be applying to, the name of the courses at the said universities, and why you chose the particular university.

Tip: Depending on which course you intend to study, google the top-performing universities in the said field to inform your university choice. Then ensure that the universities you would like to attend are Chevening partner universities, before finalizing your list of your three chosen universities.

Bonus: I have asked three scholars who have managed to successfully be chosen for Chevening before to assist with proofreading 3 prospective scholars essays before submission. Kindly note that these will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. This available to a total of 9 prospective scholars and no more. Only the 9 successful prospective scholars will be contacted. If you are not contacted, unfortunately, the 9 spots were already taken.

To get your essays proofread - please fill in the form at the link here .

(Available to ONLY the first 9 applicants)

Proofreading volunteer scholars (each reading 3 prospective scholars essays EACH)

Rosalia Shiimi - Rosalia holds a BSc Honours Degree in Geology and a Certificate in Investment Management from the University of Cape Town. She is currently the Acting Grade Control Geologist at Vedanta Zinc International’s Gamsberg Operation. She is a part of the 2021/2022 Chevening cohort, pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Environment Geology at Cardiff University.

Abel is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and former Head of Internal Audit. He holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science and Postgraduate Diploma in Internal Auditing. In addition, he too is a Section Chairperson and Branch Executive member in SPYL and serve on the NCCI Windhoek Trading Committee. He will be pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations at the University of Birmingham.

Hilja Eelu - Hilja is a UCT molecular biology graduate and a previous recipient of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellowship. Having been awarded both the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarship, she will be pursuing the MSc Control of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine starting September 2020, thanks to the Commonwealth scholarship.

Additional Reading Material

Essay Tips from the Reading Committee of Chevening

Essay Examples

Writing an effective networking essay

My Application for Chevening Scholarship

Chevening Leadership Essay

How I won the Chevening Scholarship - Part 2: Writing your Essays

From One Powerhouse to another

Twitter - @MavisBraga

Instagram - @MavisBraga1

Facebook - Mavis Elias

Website - www.mavisbraga.com

Recent Posts

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2 comentários

The forex trade market is the place where monetary forms are exchanged. Monetary forms are significant in light of the fact that they empower acquisition of labor and products locally and across borders Forex trading for beginners . Global monetary forms should be traded to lead unfamiliar exchange and business.

Thank you so much for your great effort. I have got tons of ideas after reading your tips and essay prompts. You are really amazing one. Love you from Myanmar

laurensia.saraswati

Thoughts Left Unspoken

Writing Chevening Essay: Breakdown Those 4 Questions

Writing an essay for Chevening scholarship was not an easy task. But surely, we need to invest our time to write, revise and polish it. The whole writing process took me 1.5 months, but let’s not use this as a standard as anyone can have different situations.

In this post, I’m going to breakdown each question and share how I answered my Chevening essay. It is surely not the perfect one, but I’d like to share what I think essential when answering those four questions. I also did a mentoring program for Chevening applicants 19/20 and some of my mentees were accepted! Having said that, I’m sure there are some of my tips that you can use.

Disclaimer. This post does not reflect on the Chevening Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and its partner organisations. This story is just my experience and personal thoughts working on Chevening’s essay.

Without further ado, let’s go through each question.

Leadership and Influence 

One of the common thoughts that most applicants have about leadership is the position; the title. I would say, no. The title is a legitimation that you have the power to lead, but beyond that, I think the most important thing that Chevening really look is the impact of your leadership. They are also looking for a potential leader. So, it does not matter if you don’t have a Manager, Head, Leader, etc in your resume as long as you can showcase your influencing and leadership skills by giving examples.

Before start writing, think about what leadership accomplishments that you had. List all down and select two to three examples that gave great impact and made you learn the most. Each question only allows 500 words hence we really need to be careful to choose which experience to be put in the essay. If you can, try to put examples in different cases and environment to show that you have a range of leadership experiences.

As I already mentioned in the previous post about general tips for writing Chevening  essay, it is important to give an introduction. Although this is just a suggestion, if you’re unsure where to start, you can try with what you believe about leadership or a brief about what kind of leader you think you are. After that, you can link to your leadership experiences, supporting your statement about the leadership that you write in the introduction. Build an engaging introduction is also crucial to make the panel stay reading your story. Remember, they read thousands of essays, at least you want to keep them engaged with your essay.

In my case, my first sentence in the intro was: I believe that the leaders are not born, but made through a process of hard work.  I then supported this statement by briefly telling several experiences during high schools and how it has been forming me primary wisdom about leadership. However, this is not my highlight of the leadership experience that I want to tell the panel. Hence, I used a linking sentence such as  I apply this wisdom to excel my role in current employment, but my training is never complete. The linking sentence could also serve as a bridge to the next thing I have on my plate and build the story’s flow.

Then, I wrote two examples of my leadership experiences which are happened in my office using Situation, Task, Actions, Result (STAR) structure. Read about this here . I would say give more portion for “action” because the more specific and detail you give, the more panellist know you hence more room to asses you.

I wrote one success story about my experiences in leading an early-stage start-up company. When you write a success story, make sure that you’re really specific about what you did, what steps that you did differently to achieve the goal? Did you face challenges? How did you overcome the challenge? Did people doubt you? How did you convince them to finally follow your leadership? I wrote about making an unpopular decision which I deemed a huge challenge; I should do it otherwise it won’t do any good for the company. From this story, I took an angle on the lesson learned and how it contributed to mature my emotions.

When you write about result, if you can, give a quantifiable result to justify the impact. However, the bottom line is to justify your impact. Tell them that there are people who benefited from the projects that you led — it could be personal or organisational.

Another thing is to mention your lesson learned. What you learned from each experience that contributes to your personal development. I personally think this is critical to show that you’re a human and a growing person. We all know that leadership is not a one-day skill, it takes years to sharpen it hence mistakes are okay to be mentioned as long as you can turn the “angle” into supporting your story.

Finish the essay with a closing paragraph which amplifies Chevening’s role in developing your leadership skill. What is your aspiration, in regards to leadership skill, if you were accepted as Chevening scholar? State this briefly and do the same for the next 4 questions.

I would say that the networking question was a bit difficult for me to elaborate. Why? Because again, Chevening is looking for someone whose networking skills could create an impact. So, in my opinion, it’s not about showing off how big your network is or how often you attend networking events, instead of how you use your network to create a greater impact.

Using the same approach as in question 1, answer the question by STAR structure. Started by an introduction, get into the main body and finish with closing.

In my case, I was using my exchange program to South Korea during undergraduate study as a chance to meet new friends — where one of that friend was playing a great role of me working at an early-stage startup company, a place where I highlighted my  leadership skills in the first question. The company is obviously has been a place for me to create an impact on the team and communities. For instance, a collaboration opportunity with external media to provide cross-content and it would give us huge traffic for the website.

Emphasise the impact you’ve created because of the networking you did. Give two to three networking skills and experiences that you have and again, be detail. Highlight that the impact is not only beneficial for you, but also for another side that you network with.

In the closing, you should elaborate Chevening’s role in your networking skills, you can try to relate how Chevening would expand your networking and how will you use Chevening networking if you were accepted as Chevening scholar.

Studying in the UK

While questions about leadership and networking are more to dig your skills and capability in becoming a potential future leader, in my opinion, questions about studying in the UK and career plan are crucial to showing your cause, passion and how do you stay true with that. This can be a very critical part that would differentiate you from other applicants I guess, as I would say that Chevening is looking for people who would serve and build their community. So, it is important to answer the last 2 questions coherently.

To make your essay coherent, try to answer these questions as a base for you to answer questions number 3 and 4.

• What is my passion/concern?
• What problems do I want to solve?
• How will I solve the problems?

My ultimate advise for this part is don’t write more than 50% for the courses and campus rank. Write more about you: your passion, area of expertise, problems found in your field and what is your vision — which supposed to be related with your expertise area. Think about why taking a master study in those three sp ecific courses and universities is going to help you to achieve your vision. This information is really helpful to link and congruent your story in the question no.4 (career plan). 

In my case, I used a fact that the growth of digital start-up in Indonesia has been astonishing recently but it is not followed by the success rate of a startup. If you want to use a fact, don’t forget to put the source. I outlined that the major problem was startup founders mostly great in building products yet tend to ignore other managerial skills such as people development, sales and finance (again, I put source). I then linked this statement to my personal experience working in an early stage start-up company where I had limited experiences or skills which happens to be a similar situation like startup founders. Hence, a degree in innovation and entrepreneurship would give me a balanced set of technical skills and knowledge in building early ventures.

From previous paragraph, I answered three basic questions to outline my background. Who am I? — A start-up early employee, what is my passion? — early venture development, what problems do I want to solve? — the high rate of startup failure rate and how will you solve it? — a degree in innovation and entrepreneurship by Chevening scholarship as one of stepping stones and followed by action plans that I will write in the question no.4

After outlining the “background” story about you, you can write the three courses. Highlight the reason why you choose them, it can be the campus ranking, curriculum, or professors/projects. I chose Warwick University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship because of the curriculum, the final project worth 50% of the final grade in which devoted to developing the business innovation carefully.  The school also placed the second rank of best Entrepreneurship master degree in the UK, after Oxford. My second choice was Imperial College and the third was the City University of London.

By the way, another advise choosing the school, besides research the course and its curriculum, do find out about the whole campus. Think about the facilities, clubs/societies, opportunities, the lifestyle (or living cost), nearby attractions, the city it’s located, etc. Ask current students about living in your designated campus, how do they like the campus and its surroundings? How about life after campus? I’m saying this not because I dislike Warwick University, instead, the campus has its own art centre and biggest sports centre in Coventry — which is realllly cool, but I would say Coventry itself doesn’t have many attractions to offer. But for the bright side, that really helps me to focus on my study and save money (it’s true!); it forces me to travel to other places more often hehe.  I would share my travel stories in other posts. Coventry also not too far from London and Birmingham, the two biggest cities in the UK. It’s easier for me to jump on opportunities in UK startups scene.

Career Plans

One thing I always shared to Chevening applicants who asked me to proofread their essay is: make a clear plan and breakdown into short term, mid-term and long term goal. Ensure each breakdown is contributing to your long-term goals if that makes sense? This way, it shows that you know how to get there. In my case, I wrote for immediate plans (2 years after study), the next 5 years and beyond 5 years. Make sure that your career goals are answering your concern and supporting your passion (stated in question no.3) which forms a more congruent essay.

As you need to relate your career goals to what the UK Government do in your country, you need to research. This might be different in every country and it might change year by years. You can start the search from the official UK’s government website ( http://gov.uk/world/name of country/news). Research thoroughly and try to link what you can contribute through your career goal.

Another thing to highlight is state how Chevening is one of the paths you would greatly benefit to take you to your future goals. How would you apply things you got from Chevening (the scholarship, the network, the education, the international friends) in your future career path? In my case, I outlined that I would use network from Chevening alumni to open access for mentors who can guide and share expertise to founders in establishing a new business.

As this is the last question, end the whole essay with a strong “punchline”. Keep elaborate Chevening, you can try to summarise outlined your aspiration by being a Chevening scholar. In my case, I mentioned that I still have to acquire deeper knowledge in innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as expanding my network to collaborate together in solving the problem. I acknowledged that from previous experiences, I gained valuable lessons in networking and leadership, however, I believe it’s still not enough. I then closed with thus, by being a Chevening scholar, I believe I would be (fill in the blank). 

I hope this article helps you! I also want to highlight that this is just my personal experience and thoughts, it might be not relevant for different courses; many of my Chevening friends pursue a course that I don’t know it exists 😀 (but that’s what I like about Chevening: they acknowledge that future leaders can contribute in any field). Lastly, write the essay with all your heart, write what you feel right and true. Good luck, keep fighting and believe in yourself!

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Published by laurensiairma

ESTJ; my stories are on my own perspective. View all posts by laurensiairma

61 thoughts on “Writing Chevening Essay: Breakdown Those 4 Questions”

[…] breakdown of each question is posted here. However, there are some important points I want to point out when you work for Chevening […]

Thank you! That’s really inspiring!

what a magnificent breakdown kak, terima kasih 🙂 *udah pinter cantik pula idamaannnnn huaa

Haha thank you! Goodluck!!

Thank you so much! My leadership essay exceeds the word count of 500, will the reading committee consider my application? this is my biggest concern, please leave me a reply if you know about the issue.

HI Mohammad, I think it will be best to stay at 500. Panellists read thousands of essays, they probably do skimming reading and you don’t want to leave them uninterested if your story is too long. It’s our challenge to make our essay is engaging and effective within 500 words. It’s hard indeed, but just be direct and straight to the answers asked in the questions. Hope it helps.

Thanks a lot for your all your tips! I’m glad I bumped into your blog. I have a tiny question related to essays 3 and 4: when I write about the efforts of the UK being made in my country, do I need to cite/quote the, let’s say, the FCDO and put their reference somewhere? I’m wondering since I think the link itself would take away many words out of my 500 word count. Or is there a specific format I should stick to? Thanks once again!!

Hi Mitch. When I cited the source, I just write “according to xxx research in 2015 (for example)..” and then put the whole link in the footnote. Actually there’s no specific format about citing (As this is not academic essay) and I guess this format worked well. Hope it helps!

Amazing guidance, many thanks for sharing this with us confused youths. I am working for an educational Facebook page in Vietnam (which works to aid scholarship applicants in their process and is currently having over 41 000 followers). May I translate this entry into Vietnamese and share it on my page? I will credit you with this link and send you the draft before publishing Thank you in advance,

Hi Anne, thanks for reaching me out. Yes, sure you can 🙂 Please head to my Instagram @laurensiaimce and dm me. Thank youu!

Thank you so much for such an amazing and detailed information.

Dear Linos, Thanks for the kind word!

Thank you. Your insights shed bright lights on what panel really look for and what they expect. It is my first year applying for Chevening. The process itself offers so much excitement. I am a language teacher and want to develop myself as leader and influencer in education. Could I contact you directly to get help for my essays? thank you.

Hi Bekzod, yes you can head to my Instagram and leave me a dm. Thank you!

Thank you for this! Its a wonderful detailed and helpful article!

Thank youuuu!

Thank you so much Lauren, your posts has been really helpful. Please do you know if Chevening also supports for non partner universities

Hi Isaiah, they support non-partners too. If Im not mistaken, what makes different between partner and non-partner is the scholarship ratio between chevening and the sponsors (partner). For awardee, there wont be any impact.

priceless informaion!!!

Thank you 🙂

Thank you for this article Lauren, please can I send you a mail

Hello ! I am a student applying for Chevening . This is my first time. I have no IG or FB. May i have your mail ID? I request you to proofread my essays and offer feedback. Many thanks, M

Hi, please contact me via linkedin: Laurensia Irma Saraswati. Thank youu!

A very thoughtful article! I am also applying for Chevening scholarship this year. This article gives me a lot of insights into my essay

May I ask you to proofread my essays kak? Thanks a lot!

Regards, FM

Hi Faisal, thank you so much for reading my blog! I’m currently unavailable for proof read, so sorry! Good luck for your application!

Hi Abdibasid, thank you for reading my blog too! Good luck for your application!

Hi Laurensia, thanks for sharing this insightful article. Just curious in your opinion, is it better to write all three courses or can I just focus to one course only?

Hi Dee, so sorry for late reply. I wrote all three courses but I explained the first choice slightly more than other two. It’s because I really like my first choice and highlight what I need to study there. Hope this helps.

Hello Laurensia, I am beyond grateful to you for this detailed article!. I tried to reach out to you on LinkedIn but it seems that it’s not possible to contact you via instant messaging. I hope you get to see my request.

Hi Assia, yeah we connected through Linkedin right? 🙂

This is a beautiful guide, if followed carefully with a mother luck, one can get the scholarship I believe. Thanks a bunch

Hi James, thank you so much for reading my blog. Good luck!!

Wow ! Just perfect post. One of the best posts I have ever read about Chevening. Heartfelt thanks ♡♡

Hi Marwa, thank youuuu!!

Thank you so much for this, your guidance was invaluable!

Dear Akeyo, thank youuu so much for the kind words. Good luck on your application!

Dear Laurensia, This is the most flexible article i have ever read for Chevening application. I have a question regarding experience as i have more than 6 years of experience which is totaling 11,000 hours (35 hours / week). The minimum requirement is 2,800 hours but i want to know is there any upper limit. if i show the full 11,000 into my application. Would it impact or not? Waiting for your reply. Thanks

Hi Sagheer,

Thanks for reading my blog! As far as I know there is an upper limit, but I forgot what the number is. Btw, if the system already recorded that you have min. 2000 hrs of working experience, you’ll be okay!

Thank you Laurensia for your reply. Yes i checked Chevening website they said a range of minimum 35 to maximum 60 hours per week. So what i understand is that i can add maximum employers as far as the time spend per week at each employer does not exceed 60 hours per week.

Halo, Kak Lauren! What an inspiring article :)) Kak Lauren, would you please be my mentee for Chevening 🙂 I do really need someone to review my essay. Hopefully you can be my mentee. Thankyou in advance :))

Hi Ratri, Apologies for late reply. I’m soo sorry I’m currently unavailable for becoming a mentor neither proofread assistance 😦 Good luck in your application!

HeyLaurensia, Loved the the detailed article. I used the contents in your blog to edit my essays. Thank you so much.

Hi Maryam, thanks for your kind word! Good luck for your application!

Dear Laurensia, I am so excited to read your blog which has a completed information for potential applicants. I have question that i have worked more than 11,000 hours and if i want to show them in full does it have a negative impact on my application? Is there any Upper limit for working hours?

Thanks the insights

hello Laurensia, Thank you for this help! I want to ask if it’s okay to write UK in essay or we have to in full (united kingdom)? another qn is that, is there a problem when one chooses one course at all three universities or we have to choose three courses as well?

That was very usefull I think if this essey included some bullet piont can be more ataractive. Tank you .

Halo kak,… Ketika kita copas essay ke sistem chevening,sebaiknya antar paragraf diberi spasi (di-enter) atau tidak ya? Apakah hal ini mempengaruhi? Terima kasih

Apologise for very late reply. Aku dikasih paragraf dulu, supaya bacanya enak. Jujur gak tau mempengaruhi atau nggaknya, cuma at least buat akunya sendiri, aku jadi bisa baca lebih jelas. Hope this helps!

Hi Laurensia, thank you for such great tips on writing the chevening essay. I have been applying for chevening scholarship for the past 3 years and I am not shortlisted for interviews. I was wondering if you would be able to give me points on my essays? It would be great help for me. Thank you!

great explanation, really help me to start my essay! i’ll just bookmarked this, then

Thank you! Goodluck!

Hello, I am really glad i came across your blog. My questions are, I was given admission in only one University and that is the course i really wanted, can i just focus on that one course? I also want to know, what to know the most challenging stage for you. How long can the process of writing the essay take? Do i need someone to guide and coach me physically?

Hi Simon, thanks for reading my blog. I think, based on Chevening requirement, we still need to provide 3 courses. Perhaps you want to include similar courses in 3 different campus? Because as far as I know, if applicants can’t obtain the unconditional acceptance letter from the first choice, then they can submit LOA from the second choice.

The most challenging stage while writing essay was connecting the dots. I had several leadership & networking experiences, but struggled to showcase which one to put in the essay(since I only have 500 words). I know what to study, but difficult how to link it with future career and past experiences. I got helped by a friend and together we dig down what should be included in the essay, what is not. The process itself was more like a journey to know more of what I’m good at and my aspiration is.

For guide and coach, it depends on you. If you think you really know what your passion is and have clear aspiration, then maybe no need. Sometimes coach/mentor helps to connect your dots, it is you who should discover the dot itself.

Hope it helps, good luck!

thanks a lot forthis great article Laurencia, I wanted to know how we can get the university admission ? in the website part where you can search the available courses , they don’t show them you have to write the name or the university or course ? thnks for your help

Hi Hamza, you can find the course & campus list here: https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/find-a-course/ the list has a direct link to the campus website.

thank you so much be blessed

Thank youu!

Hello Dear Laurencia,

I hope that you are doing well and that Eid passed in a good way for you and your family , how can I contact you please it’s urgent , thanks a lot I made comments in the past but you don’t respond

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The Scholarship Mentor

📚 Step 5: Chevening Scholarship Career Plan Essay

Hi friends,

Welcome to our prestigious Chevening Scholarship journey, we're now on Step 5 of our six-part series in the Chevening Scholarship Essay Writing Guide.

⚗️ Part 1: Crafting an Award-Winning Career Plan Essay for Chevening

The Career Plan essay is your canvas to paint a vivid picture of your career aspirations for your country/community and how the Chevening Scholarship will propel you towards your goals. Here are some tips and an outline to help you craft a compelling Career Plan essay:

Outline Tips for the Career Plan Essay:

Outline: You should follow the standard rule of writing an essay.

INTRODUCTION

Write one paragraph with a clear statement to introduce the problem in your country, your goals to tackle them and your vision/impact once you achieved your goals.

Introduction of the problem

Before you talk what you want to do, it is important to first tell what the problem is. Providing solutions without describing what the problem is, is not logical of course.

What is the problem?

How many people are impacted?

What is your vision?

This means, after you explain your goals, your vision should appear.

Short term Goals

Short term goals are normally for 1-5 years upon your return.

Mid-term Goals

Mid-term goals are between 5-15 (average 10 years) after you return to you home country.

Long term Goals

Long-term goals are typically 15-25 years

Tips for Writing a Career Plan Essay:

Start with Clarity: Begin by clearly articulating your career goals. What impact do you aspire to make in your field and community, and how?

Pathway to Success: Describe the steps you plan to take to achieve your goals. This includes short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals.

Alignment with Course: Explain how your chosen course or program aligns with your career aspirations. How will it provide the necessary skills and knowledge?

Impactful Vision: Showcase your vision for how your career will address a critical issue or problem in your country or field. Highlight the significance of your work.

⚗️ Part 2: Problem, Solution, and Impact

Beyond career aspirations, Chevening Scholars are expected to be Agents of Change, and are expected to think about how they can contribute to solving pressing problems in their countries or fields. Here's a framework to consider:

Problem: Identify a significant issue or challenge in your country or field that you're passionate about addressing.

Solutions: Describe the short-term, mid-term, and long-term solutions you envision to tackle this problem. These become your goals in the course of the next 1-20 years.

Impact: Explain the positive impact your proposed solutions will have. How will they transform your community, country, or field?

Vision: Summarize your overarching vision for your role in creating positive change. What legacy do you aspire to leave behind?

This part of your essay demonstrates your commitment to making a difference and aligns with Chevening's mission to empower future leaders who are dedicated to improving the world.

Do you have problem writing your essays: Here is how I can be helpful.

Learn more: You can enroll in my essay writing course which I brought a huge discount. Check it out here .

🏗️ Example:

In the short term, my focus will be on building a robust foundation for my career as a Women's Rights activist in Iran. Over the next 1-5 years, I aim to achieve the following:

Raise Awareness: Launch targeted awareness campaigns to highlight the pressing issues faced by women in Iran, including discriminatory laws and practices. Utilize social media, workshops, and partnerships with local organizations to amplify the voices of marginalized women.

Legal Advocacy: Collaborate with legal experts and organizations to challenge discriminatory laws and policies through legal means. Work towards the repeal of laws that perpetuate gender inequality and advocate for the enforcement of existing laws protecting women's rights.

Mid-term Goals (5-15 Years): In the mid-term, spanning 5-15 years, I envision building on the foundation laid in the short term and expanding my impact:

Policy Reform: Engage in sustained advocacy efforts to influence policy changes at the national level. Collaborate with like-minded organizations and activists to draft and promote legislation aimed at gender equality and the protection of women's rights.

Crisis Intervention: Develop a comprehensive crisis intervention system to provide immediate assistance to women facing domestic violence, discrimination, or other forms of abuse. Establish safe shelters and helplines for those in need.

Long-term Goals (15-25 Years): Looking 15-25 years into the future, my long-term goals are aimed at creating a lasting legacy for gender equality in Iran:

Cultural Transformation: Work towards a cultural shift that recognizes and celebrates the contributions of women in all aspects of society. Promote gender-sensitive education and media representation to challenge stereotypes and biases.

Political Participation: Encourage women's active participation in politics and decision-making processes. Support women to run for political office and ensure their voices are heard at all levels of government.

International Collaboration: Foster international collaboration with women's rights organizations and activists to apply global pressure on Iran to uphold human rights and gender equality standards. Engage with international bodies to monitor and report on the state of women's rights in Iran.

Vision: My overarching vision is to see Iran as a nation where women enjoy full and equal rights in all spheres of life, where gender-based discrimination is eradicated, and where every woman has the opportunity to reach her full potential. I envision a society that embraces diversity and empowers women to be leaders, decision-makers, and agents of positive change.

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By investing in your Chevening Scholarship journey, you're also investing in a brighter future for those who need it most. Thank you for your commitment to both personal growth and community empowerment.

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Stay tuned for our next issue, where we'll delve into the Career Plan essay. Crafting a compelling career plan is essential for your Chevening Scholarship application, and we'll provide you with expert guidance to make it stand out.

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Chevening Applications Q&A: your questions answered

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We held two Q&A sessions on our Instagram and Facebook channels last week to answer your questions about the Chevening Application process. As we were not able to answer every question in the time that we had (we received over 500!), here is our summary of the most common questions that came up, and our answers to them.

1. When do I apply to Chevening and when do I apply for my UK university courses?

You must apply for a Chevening Scholarship between the 12 September 2023 and 7 November 2023 via our website . On your Chevening Application, you will be asked to select three courses at up to three UK universities that you have already applied to OR plan to apply to.

The date when you apply to your chosen UK university courses will depend on the deadline of those courses. You will find those deadlines on the specific university course webpage.

You must have secured at least one unconditional offer from a UK university by 11 July 2024 in order to be able to take up a Chevening Scholarship.

2. Am I eligible for a Chevening Scholarship if…?

You will find all the eligibility criteria for a Chevening Scholarship on the eligibility page of our website. The most common eligibility criteria questions we received were:

Is there an upper age limit for Chevening Scholarships? No!

Is my country eligible for a Chevening Scholarship? You will find information on all eligible countries on the apply page of our website. This information is updated regularly to reflect any changes to your country’s eligibility. You must be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country to be considered for a Chevening Scholarship.

Is there an English language requirement? No, Chevening does not have an English language requirement. However, all UK universities will have specific English language requirements. So please check this with the university you are planning on applying to before submitting your application.

Can I apply before I finished my undergraduate degree? No, you must have completed all components of an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry onto a postgraduate programme at a UK university by the time you submit your application. This is typically equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK but may be different depending on your course and university choice. You will be asked to upload either a degree certificate or degree transcript from your undergraduate degree as part of your Chevening Application.

3. Are there restrictions on the types of university courses I can apply for?

Chevening Scholarships are for one-year taught master’s courses only. So, that means no PhDs and no bachelor’s/undergraduate degree programmes.

You can choose from hundreds of courses at hundreds of UK universities – and this can include subjects in the arts and humanities or the sciences. You will find everything you need to know about which courses are eligible on our courses webpage .

On your Chevening Application form, you will need to explain how the three courses you have chosen to study in the UK reflect your current or future career goals. Therefore, the three courses should be similar in content in order to demonstrate your commitment to a specific career goal.

We also recommend applying to three courses at three different universities in order to increase the likelihood that you will gain entry into one of them.

Finally, remember that there is a fee cap applied to MBA programmes that requires you to cover any additional cost concerning tuition fees over £22,000. This fee cap only applies to MBA programmes.

4. Does remote/volunteer/internship work count towards the work experience requirement?

To be eligible for a Chevening Scholarship you must have completed 2,800 hours of work experience. This can include full-time employment, part-time employment, remote work, voluntary work, paid or unpaid internships.

Our work experience page gives you all the information you need to calculate whether you are eligible for this requirement.

5. What types of references do I need?

You must submit the names of two referees when you submit your Chevening Application. Your referees can either be known to you in a professional or academic capacity – they should not be a relative or close personal friend. You can upload either two professional references or two academic references, or one professional reference and one academic reference.

If your application is progressed to the next stage, you will then be required to upload two reference letters to the online application system.

Our references page gives more information on the referencing process and requirements.

6. What are your top tips for the essay questions?

In the essays, we are looking for evidence of your leadership potential and networking skills, an overview of your personal goals and how they will benefit your home country, and a strong understanding of how your Chevening Scholarship and chosen master’s courses in the UK will help you to achieve your goals. The essay questions are what gives us the best first impression of who you are as a person and future leader. They are all equally important and equally weighted.

We also understand that leadership comes in many shapes and forms. You do not need to have had managerial experience in order to prove that you have leadership potential. But you should share examples of how you have successfully led a project, a group or a team, ideally in a professional context.

This blogpost contains feedback from last year’s reading committees on common mistakes applicants made, including in the essay questions.

7. Can I apply again and will this either advantage or disadvantage me?

Yes, you can most certainly apply again. Many of our current scholars applied multiple times before being #ChosenForChevening. Applying again will neither advantage nor disadvantage you, as your application will be assessed by an independent reading committee and they will only look at your latest application.

This means you can submit the same essays again. However, we strongly recommend re-reading your essays to check that they are still the best possible representation of you. You should also check carefully how you can improve the essays to give you a better chance of being successful this time round.

8. Why should I apply to Chevening?

Chevening allows you to choose the course that’s right for you from hundreds of courses at hundreds of universities – this includes some of the most prestigious universities globally. It also gives you access to a lifelong community of leaders from around the world, who you will have the chance to meet and bond with throughout your Chevening year at events and conferences across the UK (we organise more than 60 exclusive events for our scholars every year!).

We know we may be biased though, so we’ll let some of our lovely scholars do the talking instead from here:

‘It is true that Chevening is a really powerful network to have. My time in the UK also really pushed me out of my comfort zone. While I was in the UK I got to explore, be self-sufficient, and learn to be a go-getter’ – Bantu Mabado, 2021 Chevening Scholar, University of Edinburgh

‘The ‘Chevening factor’ has boosted my personal brand in ways I had never imagined as both a prospective employee and in my own capacity as an entrepreneur where it has inspired a potent evolution of thought and outlooks in life.’ – Mzameni Mpanza, 2016 Chevening Scholar, Loughborough University

‘I chose Chevening because it gives me to access to the key factors of success: studying in a world-leading university, learning in an empowering environment, and being part of a prestigious community’ – Nassima Chahboun, 2022 Chevening Scholar, University College London

You can find more answers to common questions on our FAQs page . If you have a specific question that you cannot find the answer to on our website, please use the contact us form .

Stay tuned for more live Q&As to follow on our Facebook and Instagram channels during the applications period!

Related news

How to prepare your Chevening application

Follow these five steps between now and when applications open to put yourself in the best position to write a first-class application for Chevening.

Where did I go wrong? Reading Committee feedback for applicants

As Chevening Scholarship results are announced, you may find that you have not received the news you were hoping for, and in this case will no doubt wonder where you might have gone wrong in your application – after all, you’ll want to review your application ahead of reapplying with even stronger essays when applications […]

What will your contribution be? How to show interviewers your value to the Chevening network

Here are 3 questions to help you work out what kind of Chevener you’ll be A Chevening Scholarship is not just a scholarship for a year of study – it’s a network for life. Our scholars work together around the world long after they graduate, taking on projects from setting up new networks in Israel to […]

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Crafting Your Chevening Scholarship Application Essay: A Structured Template

The Chevening Scholarship is a prestigious international scholarship program fully funded by the UK government. It is specifically designed to provide opportunities for outstanding individuals from around the world to pursue postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom. The program is named after the Chevening House in the UK, which is used for many of its events.

To be selected for a Chevening Scholarship, applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria and go through a competitive application and selection process. The eligibility criteria include:

• Being a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country.
• Having an undergraduate degree or equivalent work experience.

Once the eligibility is confirmed, applicants are evaluated based on their leadership qualities, academic achievements, and potential to contribute to their home country. The selection process involves multiple rounds of assessment, including written applications, interviews, and references from credible sources. Only the most exceptional candidates are chosen for the prestigious Chevening Scholarship.

Crafting an effective Chevening essay requires a thoughtful approach that begins with a deep understanding of the essay prompt. By brainstorming, outlining, highlighting achievements, and improving on grammar, flow, composition, and relevancy, applicants can create a compelling narrative that demonstrates their suitability for the scholarship. This strategic approach will increase their chances of becoming Chevening Scholars and pursuing their academic and leadership goals in the UK.

The provided hypothetical responses to the Chevening scholarship essay questions should not be used or referenced in your application, as doing so could lead to automatic disqualification. The purpose of these responses is to assist inexperienced scholarship applicants in effectively approaching the essay task.

BY ALL MEANS AVOID COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR ESSAY.

HYPOTHETICAL RESPONSE: I possess the qualities and experiences necessary to meet Chevening’s requirement of being a future leader or influencer in my home country. Throughout my academic and professional journey, I have consistently demonstrated leadership and influencing skills, which I intend to develop further during my time in the UK.

One significant example of my leadership ability is when I served as the president of a student organization during my undergraduate studies. In this role, I successfully led a team of diverse individuals toward a common goal. I organized events, managed budgets, and ensured effective communication among team members. Through this experience, I not only honed my organizational and managerial skills but also learned the importance of collaboration and teamwork in achieving objectives. I organized a symposium titled Life after Undergraduate Studies. This symposium recorded 1000 participants including the vice chancellor of the university and several guest speakers.

In my professional life, I have held a position as a project manager in a non-governmental organization focused on environmental conservation. During my tenure, I initiated a campaign to raise awareness about sustainable practices in our community. Through strategic planning and effective communication, I garnered support from local businesses, government agencies, and community members. This campaign resulted in a significant reduction in environmental degradation in our area. My ability to mobilize resources and inspire action illustrates my capacity to influence positive change.

Furthermore, my involvement in advocating for educational reform in my home country underscores my commitment to becoming a future influencer. I have actively participated in discussions with policymakers and educational institutions, presenting innovative ideas to improve the quality of education and access for underprivileged communities. My efforts have contributed to policy changes and the implementation of programs aimed at bridging educational disparities.

I intend to capitalize on the world-class education and networking opportunities Chevening offers to further enhance my leadership and influencing skills. I will pursue a Master’s degree in Public Policy, focusing on sustainable development and social equality, which are critical issues in my home country. This academic experience will provide me with the knowledge and expertise needed to address pressing challenges effectively.

In conclusion, my track record of leadership roles and influencing outcomes, coupled with my dedication to addressing pressing issues in my home country, makes me a strong candidate for Chevening’s mission of nurturing future leaders and influencers. My time in the UK will serve as a transformative experience, equipping me with the skills, knowledge, and network needed to make a lasting positive impact on my community and beyond.

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NETWORKING QUESTION: Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional relationship-building skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Please explain how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity, using clear examples of how you currently do this, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future. (minimum word count: 100 words; maximum word count: 500 words)

HYPOTHETICAL RESPONSE: Building and maintaining professional relationships has been an integral part of my career journey, and it is a cornerstone of effective leadership and influence. I have consistently demonstrated my ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds and industries. Below, I provide clear examples of how I currently build and maintain professional relationships and how I plan to leverage these skills in the future, especially during my time in the UK through the Chevening program.

In my current role as a project manager at XXX, I have had the opportunity to work with cross-functional teams comprising members from various departments, each with distinct roles and responsibilities. To foster collaboration and ensure project success, I proactively initiate meetings, facilitate open communication channels, and actively listen to my team members’ ideas and concerns. By valuing their input and expertise, I have established trust and respect within the team, which has resulted in enhanced teamwork and project outcomes. These relationships are essential not only for project success but also for my personal and professional growth.

Furthermore, I engage in professional networking events and conferences within my industry. At these events, I approach professionals with a genuine curiosity about their work and experiences. I ask insightful questions and actively listen, seeking to understand their perspectives and challenges. By doing so, I have built a valuable network of industry experts and peers whom I can turn to for advice, collaboration, or knowledge sharing. One notable example is when I connected with [Industry Expert’s Name] at a conference. Our discussions eventually led to a collaborative research project that has since been published in a reputable industry journal.

Looking ahead, I aspire to use these relationship-building skills during my Chevening journey. In the UK, I plan to actively engage with the Chevening community, my fellow scholars, and faculty members at my chosen university. I intend to organize and participate in academic and professional networking events, creating an environment conducive to sharing knowledge and experiences. By fostering a sense of community and camaraderie, I hope to encourage meaningful interactions and collaborations among scholars from diverse backgrounds.

Moreover, the Chevening experience is an opportunity to expand my global network. I aim to connect with British professionals, entrepreneurs, and academics who can provide unique insights into their fields and contribute to my personal and professional growth. Through these interactions, I plan to bring back valuable knowledge and experiences to my home country, fostering international collaborations that can address pressing global challenges.

In conclusion, my ability to build and maintain professional relationships has been instrumental in my career growth thus far. I am excited about the prospect of further developing these skills during my Chevening journey. Through active engagement with the Chevening community, networking with professionals in the UK, and fostering international collaborations, I aim to use my relationship-building skills to influence and lead others in my chosen profession and make a positive impact on a global scale.

ALSO READ:  The Rhodes Scholarship for outstanding young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford

STUDY IN UK QUESTION: Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future. Please enter new information and examples here and not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

HYPOTHETICAL RESPONSE: I have meticulously selected my three university courses for the Chevening Scholarship with a clear vision of how each choice aligns with my previous academic and professional experiences and contributes to my plans.

My first choice is to study Public Policy at Oxford University. This is rooted in my deep-seated commitment to public service and policy advocacy. Throughout my career in xxx, I have actively engaged in policy analysis and contributed to the development of initiatives aimed at improving public services and addressing societal challenges. Oxford University’s rigorous curriculum and esteemed faculty members in the field of public policy make it the ideal place for me to deepen my understanding of policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.

Oxford’s academic excellence will not only enhance my policy analysis skills but also provide me with a global perspective on effective governance. Armed with this knowledge, I aim to return to my home country and play a pivotal role in shaping policies that address pressing issues such as education reform, healthcare access, and poverty alleviation.

My second choice is to pursue a degree in Public Project Management at the University of Cambridge. This stems from my extensive experience in project management and my aspiration to contribute to efficient and impactful public projects. In my current role as a Project Manager at [Company Name], I have led cross-functional teams and overseen the successful execution of complex projects. However, I recognize the unique challenges that public projects present, including budget constraints and stakeholder engagement.

The University of Cambridge’s program is renowned for its emphasis on project management within the public sector. By acquiring advanced project management skills tailored to the public domain, I aim to bridge the gap between private and public project management practices. This knowledge will enable me to lead public projects that are not only cost-effective but also yield significant social benefits.

My third choice of the Public Engagement and Sustainability program at University College London reflects my passion for environmental conservation and community engagement. Over the years, I have been actively involved in environmental initiatives and community outreach programs. The intersection of public engagement and sustainability is crucial for addressing the global climate crisis and promoting responsible citizenship.

University College London’s program offers a comprehensive curriculum that combines sustainability studies with effective public engagement strategies. By enrolling in this program, I will gain a deeper understanding of sustainable practices and the means to engage communities in adopting them. This knowledge will be instrumental in my long-term career goal of advocating for sustainable policies, promoting eco-friendly practices, and fostering a culture of environmental responsibility in my home country.

In conclusion, my choice of these three university courses is a strategic step in my journey to becoming a global leader who can drive positive change in my home country. These programs will not only enrich my academic and professional knowledge but will also empower me to tackle complex issues related to public policy, project management, sustainability, and community engagement. Through the Chevening Scholarship, I aspire to return home with the expertise needed to make a lasting impact on the development and well-being of my community and nation.

ALSO READ: YALI RLC cohort 46 (Onsite) Selection Process and Criteria

CAREER PLANS QUESTION: Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country. (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

HYPOTHETICAL RESPONSE: My post-study career plan and long-term career goals are intricately connected to my aspirations to contribute to the development and prosperity of my home country. Upon completing my studies in the UK through the Chevening program, I have a clear vision of my immediate and longer-term career objectives.

Upon returning to my home country, I intend to actively apply the knowledge and skills I acquire during my studies in the UK to make an immediate impact. Given my background and career in the public sector, I aim to return to my current position or a higher-ranking role within my government agency. My immediate goal is to use the insights gained from my academic program to contribute to more effective and evidence-based policy formulation and implementation. I aim to be at the forefront of initiatives that address critical issues facing my country, such as healthcare reform and education enhancement.

I am committed to sharing the knowledge and experiences I gain in the UK with my colleagues and peers. This includes organizing workshops, seminars, and training sessions within my government agency to promote best practices and foster a culture of continuous learning. I plan to engage actively with local communities and civil society organizations. Through volunteering and collaborative projects, I want to apply my expertise to address social and environmental challenges, aligning with the UK government’s emphasis on sustainable development and community engagement.

Looking further into the future, my long-term career goals are shaped by a commitment to sustainable development, social progress, and the values promoted by the UK government in my home country. Over the long term, I aspire to take on leadership roles within my government’s policy-making bodies. I aim to play a pivotal role in shaping policies that address complex societal challenges, foster economic growth, and promote social inclusivity. I envision fostering international collaborations between my home country and the UK. Leveraging the networks I build during my Chevening journey, I will seek opportunities for knowledge exchange, joint research projects, and partnerships that benefit both nations.

I am passionate about education and its role in societal progress. Therefore, I plan to establish educational initiatives, scholarships, and mentorship programs that empower the next generation of leaders and scholars in my country. This aligns with the UK government’s commitment to global education and capacity-building. Long term, I aim to be a prominent advocate for sustainable practices, environmental conservation, and renewable energy solutions in my country. I will work towards aligning national policies with global sustainability goals, reflecting the UK government’s focus on climate action and environmental protection.

In conclusion, my post-study career plan and long-term career goals are driven by a strong commitment to making a meaningful impact in my home country. I intend to leverage the knowledge, skills, and networks gained during my Chevening-sponsored education in the UK to contribute to effective governance, sustainable development, and positive change. By aligning my aspirations with the values and goals of the UK government in my country, I aim to be a catalyst for progress and development in the years to come.

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How To Write Chevening Essays | Chevening Scholarship

Study in uk.

Tips for Writing Your 4 Chevening Essays.

Table of Contents

Use the tips provided below to write successful Chevening Essays.

Utilize the SMART and STAR approaches when writing essays. Make sure you have addressed all points thoroughly, highlighted the most significant ones, and followed all instructions provided. Your Chevening essays should be truthful, concise, well-written, and thoroughly researched. When writing essays, make sure you create a narrative. Utilizing bullet points can be useful to showcase achievements or career objectives; however, the narrative must have a logical flow. Make sure those who hear you speak can comprehend what you’re saying. Make sure to mention your country’s name when discussing data or situations from that location. Eliminate using words such as our or their, and instead use words that accurately convey what is being discussed. Grammarly can help you double-check your work for spelling and grammar errors, so use Grammarly today!

START Approach — Drawing From Muse

Setting the scene and providing details of your example. Task: Describe your role in this situation. Explain the steps taken to resolve it. Result Share the outcomes of your actions.

Smart Strategies Inspired by CFI

Specific: Accurate, unambiguous and well-described. Measurable – With specific criteria to measure progress towards reaching the goal. Possible: Realizable and achievable. Realistic: Within reach yet realistic and pertinent for life purpose. Timely Establish a timeline with both start and goal dates, then create urgency around each topic. Four che Chevening essays Topics to Get You Moving forward Leadership and Influence Chevening is seeking individuals who can serve as leaders and influencers in their countries. Use concrete examples of your leadership and influence skills to demonstrate how you meet this requirement, according to the Chevening Website.

Utilize the STAR AND SMART Approach (STAR and SMART Approach) to reflect upon times you have demonstrated leadership traits, held leadership positions, or been influential. These could include managerial duties, NGO leadership positions, or your everyday life. Furthermore, discuss your leadership objectives and how they relate to those in your community.

Networking and Chevening Essays:

Leadership and influence.

Chevening seeks individuals with strong professional relationship-building abilities, who will engage with the Chevening community and inspire others in their chosen profession. Please describe how you have developed and maintained professional connections; give examples, as well as your plans to utilize these abilities going forward. – Please answer the following questions as posed on the Chevening website:

Your networking essay should provide concrete examples of relationships you’ve formed, nurtured and maintained. Highlight how these contacts have contributed to both personal growth and the work you do. As a potential Chevening scholar, you should be able to draw upon each example the skills learned and how they will benefit you in the future. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that you can maximize opportunities presented to you.

Career Plan:

Chevening seeks individuals with a comprehensive career plan after they graduate. Please outline both your immediate plans and long-term ambitions, which may include involvement with the UK government in your country. – Questions as per Chevening Website

This essay will enable you to craft 2-year and 5- to 10-year plans that are achievable, while also reflecting your career plan. When crafting this document, avoid treating it like a Curriculum Vitae; rather, emphasize its impact and path in relation to other opportunities like pursuing master’s degrees. Your career journey also serves as an opportunity to show that you have thought deeply about long-term ambitions as well as short-term targets.

Study In UK:

Please explain why you selected these three courses and how it relates to your professional and academic experiences. Do not repeat information provided in the education or work experience sections of this form. – Questions as per Chevening website

It is best not to duplicate information within this essay. Instead, link the information together. Furthermore, you must list three universities to which you are applying and include the names of courses offered at each one as well as your reasons for selecting that particular institution.

Tip: To help you decide which university to attend, research the top-performing institutions in that field. Before making your selections, be sure to confirm them with Chevening partner universities so that all is confirmed.

Questions with Sample Answers for Chevening Exams

1-  Chevening seeks individuals who can become leaders or influencers in their home countries. Demonstrate how you can meet this requirement by providing specific examples of your ability to influence others and lead others toward your answer (minimum word count 100 words; maximum word count 500 words).

As a disaster management professional and agriculturalist, I am given the opportunity to organize events, seminars, or workshops where my leadership abilities can be demonstrated. As a professional, I must attend field trips with farmers and laborers who have undergone training or attend seminars or group discussions held. Through these experiences, my leadership abilities must be demonstrated. I possess excellent management, leadership, and operational abilities as well as a broad practical and theoretical knowledge of projects such as Project Management, Climate Change & Disaster Management, Agriculture Planning & Food Security Disaster Response Sustainable coastal livelihoods Physical & Social Survey Techniques (qualitative/quantitative), Geographic Information System (GIS) Report Writing Qualitative In addition To Quantitative Methods Research etc..

Leadership abilities have the power to shape people’s environments, and can be passed down from family members or close relatives. A leader must put their plans into action with determination, vision, and perseverance for results. At the university, I was part of various cultural groups and organized successful programs. After graduating, I decided to work with street children but lacked enough money for schooling. No matter how many times I tried to open a school, my drive never wavered. To reach my goals, I sought ways to make them happen; so after consulting with friends about my idea and visiting teachers to convince them of its viability, we launched Our Education Training for street children as an initiative.

Leaders must be dedicated to their job and put in the effort, as dedication and perseverance play a crucial role. They aren’t those who seek out opportunities; rather, they create them by applying vision and perseverance towards an ideal. As a new leader, I feel I’ve made great achievements thus far; however, to further hone my leadership qualities I plan to enhance both education and professional capabilities by learning more about people development through service to my country and society. With this knowledge gained, I hope to serve my nation for its improvement through service towards its people.

2-  Chevening seeks individuals with strong relationship-building capabilities, who can engage within the Chevening community and motivate others in their field of expertise. Demonstrate how you create and maintain professional connections, giving specific examples of your accomplishments; also discuss how these abilities will be employed in the future (minimum word count: 100 words; maximum word count: 500 words).

Chevening scholarships have given me the chance to meet people from many cultures. If I were chosen as the winner, I hope to build relationships with Chevening graduates and company representatives to find better solutions for environmental foreign policy – since these issues concern us all. My life experiences have given me opportunities to connect with hundreds of people from various countries, religions, cultures, and professions; now through Chevening’s scholarship program I hope to connect even more people around the world!

My work at a non-profit organization has given me the chance to connect with many networks. I’ve formed connections with donor organizations, local stakeholder groups and community members alike. Additionally, as organizer of trainings, seminars and campaigns I was able to build rapport with experts in the field. So I participated in numerous field trips including one for farmers living rurally as well as urban slum dwellers; gathering data regarding their problems before presenting it in writing to authorities or daily newspapers. Now my aim is to build an effective network to address these matters efficiently.

My network skills are used to support my job responsibilities, personal growth and gathering data that can inform strategic actions. As I progress in my profession, I will devote more time to using my network for guidance when making decisions. Since many issues I need to solve and the results I must deliver require collaboration with people both inside and outside my network; thus, in addition to connecting with those within and outside of my professional environment I also plan on expanding it outside these immediate circles.

Thus, I will not settle for a casual presence but will remain active through social media platforms such as Emails, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. With passion and determination I aim to expand my networking experiences and knowledge so that I may contribute towards improving my country and contributing towards everyone’s wellbeing.

3- Outline the reasons you selected these three courses for your university education and how they relate to both your prior professional or academic experience and future plans. Do not duplicate information already filled out on the education and work experience section of this application (minimum word count 100 words; maximum word count 500 words).

As a disaster management expert and agriculturalist, my knowledge makes me particularly sensitive to environmental concerns. Currently employed as the Project Officer for Charity Foundation – a national NGO – my projects revolve around environmental protection, climate change adaptation strategies in agriculture as well as other sectors.

While completing my Master’s studies, I became deeply engaged in climate change issues that impact urban slum dwellers’ quality of life. I have been exploring the impacts of climate change on five assets for livelihood, as outlined in the Sustainable Livelihood Framework from DFID. My undergraduate research focused on discovering alternative sources of chemical pesticides to control plant diseases through plant tissue cultivation, genetic engineering and biotechnological advancement. Through bio-control agents and botanical extracts, I’ve provided biologically eco-friendly alternatives to seed-borne and soil-borne fungal pathogens. To date, three papers have been published and several more are under examination.

My courses from esteemed UK universities are focused on environmental change and management, which can have disastrous results if not managed effectively. Since my master’s program in Environmental Change and Management overlaps with my professional and academic interests in environmental engineering and project management, this field was an obvious choice for me to further hone. Environmentalism also plays a large role in international development – something which challenges both my professional and academic abilities to the limit.

I hope to further cement myself as an environmental expert by expanding my knowledge and experience.

4-  Chevening seeks individuals with clearly stated post-study career plans. You should include both your immediate objectives upon return home as well as long-term plans that align with what the UK administration is currently doing in your home country (minimum word count: 100 words; maximum word count: 500 words).

My country faces numerous UK priorities, but the one most relevant to my goals is Environment and Climate Change. Bangladesh has always been vulnerable to natural disasters due to climate change, rising sea levels, and higher temperatures that pose greater threats. Development in our country is necessary and I aspire to contribute my expertise in this area in order to benefit my people and my nation. By sharing what I know with others, I hope to give something back and make a positive impact on my home turf. I want to contribute towards the development of my nation and make a larger impact. Bangladesh’s frequent disasters and their effects on agriculture pose risks to livelihoods such as hunger, poverty, unemployment insecurity, malnutrition, loss of food production and migration into cities.

After I finish my MSc program, I plan to specialize in climate change and environmental problems. As an environmental expert, I will work with research institutions or institutes. With my dedication and extensive experiences from the UK, I am certain that with determination and hard work I will be able to surpass expectations and contribute significantly towards Bangladesh’s progress in the near future.

Check Out: Chevening Scholarships 2023-2024 | Masters

Tips for Solving Chevening Essay Questions:

1- Essay Discusses Networking Capabilities Candidates

He should discuss how he has been exposed to different cultures, age groups, and socioeconomic classes. Additionally, he must give an outline of the length of time he’s been involved in relationships that have lasted for some time. He must further develop his communication abilities across a range of contexts. Candidates are encouraged to demonstrate their connections and personal relationships on both national and international levels. He should describe how he interacts with individuals from a range of professions, such as international and government representatives, public officials, and academics.

2- The second essay will ask questions about your leadership abilities.

How did he take into account each member’s opinions and negotiate between them? His experiences working with various personalities and leading successful projects. How his leadership program had long-lasting effects in his community, ultimately leading to positive changes? The candidate should describe situations in which they served as leader. How did he manage his team’s management skills across various projects? He should also describe how he managed community initiatives with an annual fixed budget.

3- The third essay will focus on your professional goals for the future.

Candidates should create a comprehensive educational, social and professional plan. Candidates must be able to articulate their experiences, abilities, volunteer activities or work-related knowledge. Candidates should clearly articulate their career objectives and plans to demonstrate how they plan to contribute to the nation or community. Every goal should be intelligently set and achievable.

4- Chevening essays should focus on why you wish to study in the UK.

Academically, The UK is one of the top nations. Candidates should demonstrate their interest in understanding cross-cultural differences. Furthermore, they should demonstrate an enthusiasm for international research that benefits society as a whole. Individual reasons for wanting to study in the UK vary, but must remain valid and relevant. For a master’s degree that lasts one year, studying here offers great advantages. Furthermore, the UK boasts some of the world’s top-ranking universities.

Check:  How I Won a Chevening Scholarship – 10 Tips for Success

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4 Examples of Chevening Essay: Leadership and Influence

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

See all Newest Chevening Essay Example: click here .

Leadership Essay for Chevening Example 1

With a background in psychology, I am excited to apply for the MA in Interpreting and Translation in the UK, with a focus on the Spanish-English-French language path. I’d appreciate your feedback on my leadership essay and the others that I will be submitting. I firmly believe that leadership is a multifaceted concept, varying significantly from one person to another. In light of this, I would like to highlight my unique leadership experiences, particularly during my tenure at Navistar International.

See also:  Ultimate Chevening Scholarship Resources

At Navistar International, I was the first psychologist to be hired, and I quickly realized the absence of any mental health campaigns within the company. Seizing the opportunity, I developed a comprehensive mental health program, concentrating on stress inoculation. I chose this focus because I noticed many employees grappling with long hours and difficulties during their shifts. Designed to span four weeks, the program’s content was both easily comprehensible and pragmatic for the employees.

The program also extended a psychological assistance service to those in need. I meticulously wrote and devised this program with the aim of institutionalizing it as an ongoing mental health initiative for the company, thereby contributing to the prevention of mental disorders. I am pleased to share that the project was successfully incorporated into the company’s annual medical care campaigns.

I also demonstrated leadership while overseeing a university project in 2017, having been selected as the former representative. I was tasked with creating a health initiative for a vulnerable community in my hometown of Victoria. I led a team of eight students from the school year below mine and one from my own school year.

Navigating this project was challenging, particularly in delegating tasks in alignment with the individual knowledge and capabilities of each team member. With the more senior classmates, I elucidated the project’s structure and the psychological approach we would adopt to foster life skills such as problem-solving, assertive family communication, and knowledge about government facilities offering healthcare services, which many community members were unaware of.

Working closely with my peers Carlos and Patricia, we thoroughly reviewed the project structure and sponsorships. After successfully presenting the project to a jury, I am proud to share that we received a first-place award. As a token of recognition, we were each awarded an extra point in our semester grades, and the project was implemented, benefiting a community of nearly seventy people.

Lastly, I am honored to have had an article published in the psychology journal ‘Psychology and Health’ from Universidad Veracruzana. Driven by a desire to contribute to science, I researched journals interested in the topic, ultimately finding a suitable platform. Over the course of six months, my work was reviewed and accepted, thanks to the invaluable support of my teachers, Miss Báez and Miss Torres. The article was officially published in January 2020 and is available on both the journal platform and my Google Scholar profile.

In conclusion, my leadership strengths are rooted in observation, empathy, and a keen ability to discern people’s needs, strengths, and abilities. I excel in the design and organization of projects that promote well-being, community engagement, and effective communication. With a passion for languages and an MA in Interpreting and Translation, I am eager to leverage these strengths to make an impact in the linguistic field.

“Leadership and influence” Chevening Essay Example 2

It is increasingly becoming a well-known fact that ‘influence is the new currency for success’. This is especially true in this new social media era, where several careers have taken off on the strength of social media influence alone, and several political careers have been elevated through the power and ubiquity of social media. Former American President Barack Obama, who used the Internet to orchestrate an unprecedented political campaign mainly using social media, is a prime example. I am well aware that influence and leadership are intertwined, where one cannot exist without the other. Amassing influence is, therefore, the surest way of achieving one’s leadership goals because people can only be motivated to follow a person with some influence. With this knowledge in mind, I have endeavored to build my influence over the years to become a leader within my profession and community. This has seen me take on various leadership responsibilities in school, work, and community.

In high school, I held two primary leadership responsibilities— I was both the Head Girl and Netball Captain at Kereri Girls High School. Being a Head Girl is the highest leadership position one can attain as a secondary school student, and as you can well imagine, it came to a lot of weighty responsibilities. I was the overall leader of all prefects in the school and had to carefully use my influence to guide them towards exercising thoughtful and balanced leadership over the rest of the students. As the Netball Captain, I had to motivate my teammates to succeed in the various national and provincial competitions in which we would participate. Even at the university, I found myself in a leadership role where I was tasked with heading the Fourth Year University Project Group.

Professionally, I have consistently exercised my leadership skills throughout my career. As the Branch Operations Supervisor at NIC Bank, I oversaw teller operations, back office, and customer service operations and guided staff accordingly. I recognized my leadership capabilities and was rewarded with the ‘NIC Bank Branch Forex Champion’ award. These leadership roles have continued as I progress in my career at NIC and currently chair the NIC Securities Limited Welfare Committee. Within the community, however, I have most enjoyed exerting my influence as a leader because it has helped me contribute to society’s betterment in my little way. I am a Mentor at Nyabururu Girls High School, Kereri Girls High School, and the Equity Bank Wings to Fly Program. As a mentor, I have been able to guide young people in terms of professional and academic mentoring and financial support, especially concerning sanitary towels and other school items. In addition, I currently work with the Uthiru Area Chief to support disadvantaged families by donating clothes, food, and some financial support.

Chevening Essay Example 3

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it”. (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

Coming from Jordanian-Palestinian Family taught me about Eisenhower’s definition of leadership throughout my personal, academic, and professional life. External political and economic forces drove my father’s Palestinian family to move to Jordan, Lebanon, then settle in Syria. In 2015, the carpet-bombing of Aleppo forced me to leave for Turkey without a firm grasp on my future.

From the Voluntary experience I gained from working in the Red Crescent and my University Degree in Economics, I have worked as a humanitarian for the UN, trying to assist crisis-affected communities with economic empowerment and development. I have used my leadership skills to assist others who believe in recovery and resilience to commit to the exact humanitarian cause. I helped coordinate and manage the first pilot project for economic recovery in northern Syria at UN-IOM Turkey. Using my communication and administrative skills, I monitor and oversee the implementation of IOM’s programs in Turkey through our partners remotely daily. My leadership skills have been crystalized through the effective management of this project by allowing the partner flexibility to implement the activities and getting feedback on the results.

Strong leadership comes from clear communication of the task and the ability to give freedom and motivate others to thrive in implementing the objective. Moreover, I have used my communication and coordination skills to initiate change in the workplace. When the Turkish lira dropped significantly against the US dollar, and inflation rose 40%, UN local staff suddenly could not support themselves. I led discussions with colleagues suggesting writing a letter to the management expressing our needs and the aim of changing our salaries. By listening, gaining their trust, and acknowledging their fear, I convinced many local staff members to sign a letter to senior management. The letter led to a meeting with senior management to officially coordinate this issue with other UN agencies in Turkey, which later required establishing the Staff Association Committee that I was elected to lead and represent more than 150 staff in the south of Turkey.

The Chevening scholarship will allow me to receive an education that will provide me with the technical expertise and the network I will need when I return to create social change in terms of development and economic recovery not only at the community level but also in terms of policy implantation. This is a highly needed change for the current Syrian Refugee crisis and the Middle East.

Example 4: Leadership and Influence in Water Management

In the pivotal final year of my degree, I took a stand against the pressing issue of limited access to clean water in Sucre, my hometown. Recognizing the urgency, I spearheaded a groundbreaking project focused on groundwater research. Not only did I secure crucial funding from the water services company, ELAPAS, but I also orchestrated collaborations with key stakeholders across neighborhoods. My leadership role encompassed everything from research initiation and sample collection to the actualization of purification units. Through my unwavering commitment, I championed the cause of Sustainable Development Goal 6 and Water Quality Regulation NB512. The tangible impact? Seventy families now have access to safe drinking water, and a ripple effect of heightened awareness about hygiene and responsible water consumption has been set in motion.

My leadership journey didn’t stop there. As a board member of the Scientific Society of Civil Engineers Univalle-Sucre, I took the helm in coordinating all hydraulics and hydrology-related activities. The pandemic posed unique challenges, but I innovatively transitioned to virtual platforms, spotlighting critical issues like sustainable water management and the pivotal role of women in the water sector. My proactive involvement in the society culminated in co-authoring a scientific article, now published in a renowned Costa Rican journal, poised to enlighten future researchers.

Another feather in my cap was my active involvement with ABIS Chuquisaca. Here, I played a pivotal role in orchestrating the “1st Water Fair” in Sucre, offering a platform for 17 companies to showcase their expertise in the water sector. This event, which I helped bring to fruition, garnered significant attention from students, professionals, and the general public alike. Notably, I was among the elite group of eight professionals recognized during the association’s official founding act.

In essence, while my GPA might not be sky-high, my leadership trajectory speaks volumes. I’ve consistently demonstrated the ability to inspire teams, set visionary goals, and navigate through challenges with resilience and determination. I firmly believe that my proven leadership prowess and influential impact make me an ideal candidate for the Chevening scholarship. My vision is clear: to leverage this opportunity to further the development of my nation, elevate living standards, and champion sustainable water management.

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