sample chevening leadership essay

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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.

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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• 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

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Practical tips for preparing for university 101: A checklist guide (Part 4)

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What they did not tell me about preparing for University Life

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• How I Won a Chevening Scholarship – 10 Tips for Success

If you’re planning to do your Masters in the UK as an international student, chances are you’ve already heard of the Chevening scholarship. The UK government’s international award scheme is highly prestigious due to its competitive selection process. My cohort (2018-2019) had over 68,000 applicants from 168 countries, but only 1,800 of us made it! Chevening scholars attain academic and professional growth, extensive networking opportunities, the UK cultural experience, and lasting positive relationships with the UK. And we get to join an exclusive alumni network! How cool is that?

The selection process takes roughly a year, and comprises application, interview, conditional offer, final award and pre-departure briefing stages. I won’t lie, the process will demand exceptional mental and emotional strength, but don’t let that deter you from this life-changing opportunity.

Personally I’m glad I went through the process, and I am now enjoying my Masters here in the UK. If you’re thinking of applying yourself, here are some tips from my experience!

#1 It’s not just about you

Chevening wants you to use the knowledge you gain in the UK to give back to your home country, not just to advance your own career.

Remember that scholars carry the reputation of Chevening and their home countries, so they are encouraged to look beyond themselves. That’s why we cannot apply to remain in the UK immediately after our studies (instead, we’re expected to return home and work for at least two years).

#2 Check the eligibility criteria

You’d be surprised how many people overlook this obvious requirement. You’ll need at least two years’ work experience and an undergraduate degree equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK.

Don’t forget to check admission criteria when browsing courses and universities, as it helps to apply to these at the same time. Note that some universities may also charge non-refundable application fees.

#3 Observe the timeline

The Foreign Commonwealth Office releases a timeline for the selection process each year. Follow them on social media ( @CheveningFCDO ) so you don’t miss out on vital information. You must be physically present at certain stages (e.g. interview and pre-departure briefing) so it’s best to keep travel plans in check.

#4 Research, research, research!

You can either choose to apply to three similar courses at different universities, or three different courses at one university. Any recognised UK university and course is fine, provided it is a one-year taught postgraduate course which leads to a Masters degree. You cannot change your choices later on, so this is your one chance to pick something that matches your development goals.

#5 Write your essay with conviction and consideration

The essays you’re asked to write will be an important part of your application. Think about what you want to say and believe in yourself! I had initially contemplated applying for public policy and governance instead of journalism, but I quickly realised I could not convince myself that the subject was the best choice for me. If you cannot convince yourself of the justifications you are making in your essays, how can you convince the selection panel?

For essays that stand out, explore other potential angles on a topic instead of stating the obvious. In the leadership section of my essays, the easy route would have been to talk about my leadership skills and how I benefited from them. Instead I highlighted how good leadership can inspire and contribute to human capital development. Draw on your experiences where need be but keep examples short and let the word limit steer you to be concise. For after-study plans, it may help to refer to the UK’s efforts in your home country that are aligned to your field of study.

#6 Don’t duplicate, don’t cheat!

The folks at Chevening want to know who you are as a person, not just your qualifications and career plans. Never get someone else to write your essays because your interview session will revolve around the points you made in them. Beware using repetitive answers as well. It’s easy to fall into this trap as the essay questions are related to each other. Instead, work your essays in such a way that they complement each other, and have a coherent flow.

#7 Prepare to elaborate

It’s easier to justify courses in a field of study that you are already involved in, but Chevening doesn’t stop you from choosing a different course from your current career path. If you’re making the switch, you must explain why this is beneficial to your future and how you expect to cope. Talk about your academic / professional background and mention relevant experiences that led you to this decision.

#8 Choose your referees carefully

Many applicants choose one academic and one professional referee, but it’s fine to provide two professional ones instead. I approached two bosses who I believed knew me better than professors who might not recall some kid they taught many years ago. Contact your referees when filing your application because if you make it to the interview stage, the referral letters must be submitted before your interview date.

#9 Check if you need language qualifications

I’m of little help here, since I was exempted from this requirement. What I do know is that you must provide proof of language qualifications (unless exempted) as part of three required documents within a set deadline to secure a full award. If you’re putting off taking the language qualification exams until after the conditional offer, plan well so you can get the results before deadline.

#10 Don’t delay

As with all other applications, do not leave anything until the eleventh hour. The online application system can slow down badly as the deadline approaches, so try to get things sorted well ahead of time. This year, the deadline is 1 November 2022 .

If you need more guidance, I’d suggest you keep an eye out for Chevening workshops. In some countries, the British embassy hosts workshops featuring past scholars and guest speakers. I attended one in Malaysia, where I learned more insider tips on what makes a successful Chevening application. I hope you find these tips helpful, and please don’t be put off applying for the Chevening because the prize is worth the fight. Good luck!

Editor's note : This blog was first published on 08/02/19. We've checked and updated it for current readers.

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Leadership and Influence Essay – Chevening Scholarship Application

• Post author By JB English
• Post date September 19, 2020

If you prefer a video, you can watch this YouTube video below:

Welcome back! Let’s look closely at the Leadership and Influence essay.

Another common question that I didn’t mention in the previous blog is “What kinds of awardees is Chevening looking for?” Here is their official answer:

“Whilst there is no ‘typical’ Chevening Scholar, we are looking for the kind of people who have the passion, ideas, and influence to provide the solutions and leadership needed to create a better future.”

I left this question to the end because this is what the essays are all about. The essays are the most important pieces of your application. That’s why I am going to focus on the essays and interview in these blog series. There are four essays in the Chevening application: Leadership and Influence, Networking, Study in the UK, and Career Plans.

In today’s post, I want to share how I answered the first essay Leadership and Influence. Here is the full instruction:

“Chevening is looking for individuals that 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.(Minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words)”

When answering this question, I thought of two of my best achievements where I used my leadership and influencing skills. I then used the STAR technique to write about each achievement. The STAR approach is an effective way to structure my writing. It stands for S ituation, T ask, A ction, and R esult.

In this part, I described the general situation: what it was, what year, where it happened, and what role I took.

Then, I described what I tried to achieve.

In this section, I started to describe how I used my leadership skills to achieve the goal of my project. I tried to be specific by providing vivid examples.

Here I mentioned the improvement that happened in relation to my action.

Have a look at my paragraph example below. Pay attention to the color codes as they match with the STAR description above.

“In 2014, along with my colleagues, I started XXX project, a free English program, around the YYY School, an international school focused on sustainability education. XXX project uses English as a tool to overcome the language barrier between local and international communities so we can solve environmental problems together. At the beginning of the program, I worked with eight local schools and various teachers in the area to recruit 90 motivated students to the program. I invited the selected students and their parents to the school for interviews and scheduling. To help me teach the English classes, I recruited and trained native speaker volunteers. By 2016, XXX has grown to 264 students and 6 teachers. As a result of this project, students are not only more informed about English but also about environmental issues in their community. Most importantly, they can help solve these problems .”

In addition to following the STAR structure, I believe I did three important things in this paragraph:

• I described the project and the organization that I worked in. This is very important because we can’t assume that readers know what we are talking about.
• I used active sentences. Active sentences are strong and show involvement of the subject (in this case “myself”)
• I mentioned numbers to show progress. Including numbers is also an easy way to make a paragraph more vivid.

Whenever I write an essay, I always start with the contents. Then I work on the opening and draw a conclusion based on the main contents or reiterate the opening paragraph a different words. I did exactly that for this essay. I described two of my biggest achievements using STAR technique, then continued with the opening and conclusion.

Proofreading

I suggest you find a native English speaker to proofread your application before submitting. I use * Preply to find native English speaker editors that suits my need and budget. I personally worked with Christopher B. He has a Ph.D. and 17 years teaching at the university level. He is awesome!

You can take free classes with other teachers to find the right teacher for you. Even better, if you have an English native speaker friend, you can ask him/her to help.

*Disclaimer: this is an affiliate link meaning I will get a commission if you purchase their services at no additional cost to you.

I hope you learn something from my Leadership and Influence essay and best of luck!

By JB English

JB English adalah lembaga kursus bahasa Inggris profesional yang berlokasi di Bali Indonesia. Guru-guru kami sudah berpengalaman dan berkualifikasi untuk mengajar bahasa Inggris. Beberapa dari mereka sempat mengenyam pendidikan di luar negeri dan mengajar di sekolah internasional di Bali. Tertarik belajar dengan kami? Kontak via WhatsApp +6287 806 000 552

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What leadership qualities do you need to become a Chevening Scholar?

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Are you considering applying for a Chevening Scholarship? Are you wondering how you can demonstrate the ways in which you meet Chevening’s leadership requirements? We hear from 2020/2021 Chevening Scholar Sushma Mahabala about her journey to achieving a Chevening Scholarship.

When Sushma Mahabal applied for her Chevening scholarship, she had to overcome her fear that she wasn’t ‘good enough.’ She reflected on her past successes, showed resilience in the face of her failures and set realistic aspirations for her future. In doing so, Sushma demonstrated many of the leadership qualities that we seek out at Chevening. Here, Sushma reflects on her Chevening journey and how she overcame her fear.

The dilemma of an aspiring Chevener – should I apply or not?

Many of us suffer from imposter syndrome, feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. I delayed applying for a Chevening Scholarship until I gave myself time to contemplate what was stopping me. I soon realised that my real concern was ‘what if I’m not good enough?’

I’m lucky to have built close friendships with people I trust and admire who provided reassurance. A dear friend said, “Your job is to apply. The Chevening screening team will assess your application and decide whether you are good enough. Don’t do their work, focus on yours instead.” Focusing on the things I can control rather than the things I can’t is advice that has stuck with me every time I feel anxious.

My best piece of advice to all Chevening applicants is to be unafraid to call upon your support network to help you overcome your concerns and organise your thoughts about what you really want from life.

In talking to my friends, I realised where my real passion lies and what I wanted to study: Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at London School of Economics (LSE). My friends also helped boost my resilience in the face of additional stress that comes with college and scholarship applications. I have been diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. During September 2019, I depended on medicine and weekly therapy to help reduce the pain I experience for two weeks of every month. I will always be grateful for my support network who helped me navigate through the difficult days.

Irrespective of your mental health, forging relationships and having a band of people that you can depend on will always hold you in good stead.

Completing the application

Generally, I dread writing, but I enjoyed writing the Chevening essays. Despite talking to friends and mentors about my career aspirations, putting it on paper served to strengthen my conviction.

It also gave me a chance to pause and look back at all the initiatives and projects that I have spearheaded over the years. It was an overwhelming experience to look back at my accomplishments, as well as to analyse the lessons I’ve learnt from my failures. My main priority was to write an honest, authentic essay.

After pressing the submit button I wrote a detailed plan B! I had already made up my mind to re-apply for a Chevening Scholarship in 2020.

It was at my best friend’s engagement that I received the offer email from LSE. A few days later, I received the email from Chevening that I’d been selected for an interview.

I prepared a list of questions that I thought the panel would likely ask and researched my answers. Unlike writing, I do enjoy talking. I was excited about the interview and it went well. I was over the moon when I saw the ‘congratulations’ email from Chevening on 16 June 2020.

Those who are planning to apply this year, applications are now open. Start writing your essays!

Those who are planning to apply in the future, do your best to get experience in your chosen field of work.

For those of you who are uncertain, as I was when I first heard about Chevening in 2015, take the time to explore new things, find out what you want to do, and make the most of any opportunity that comes your way.

In a world with many problems, Chevening gives hope. It gives scholars an opportunity to study at the best universities in UK, come back and work in their respective home countries. It connects scholars with Chevening Alumni across the globe, enabling scholars to collaborate, amplify their work, and live their dreams. If you’ve thought about applying for a scholarship, go for it! Any idea that’s not executed is merely a hallucination.

Cheveners from around the world have shown us that effective leadership comes in many forms, as part of our current #BeALeader campaign. Check out the campaign on our social media channels or get involved today! Simply write down what attributes you think a good leader has, take a photo and share it on your social media. Don’t forget to tag us as we’ll share our favourites!

Related news

How could a UK master’s degree bring you closer to achieving your goals?

Showcasing how your chosen course content will help you achieve your career goals is a key part of the Chevening application process. We can’t wait to hear about what gets you excited about your chosen course, and how your UK university experience will bring you closer to making your goals a reality.

Are you passionate about creating positive change in the communities around you?

If the answer is yes, and you can show how a UK master's degree will help you achieve your career goals, we want to hear from you.

How could a Chevening Scholarship help you achieve your career goals?

Demonstrating leadership qualities and showcasing how your Chevening experience will bring you closer to achieving your career goals is crucial to submitting a successful Chevening application. We hear from Chevening Scholar, Fabricio Bonecini de Almeida, Class of 2020, about how he intends to leverage the Chevening network to help him realise his dream of increasing education standards in Brazil.