Questions related to Chevening 2020/2021

Questions related to Chevening 2020/2021

Hi Everyone.

I plan to apply to the Chevening Scholarship program this year. After some initial research, I fit the programs eligibility in respect to the work experience and ielts

There are some questions in my mind, which need some clarity before I start working on my essays. I’d really appreciate if you all can add in your comments and thoughts

1. I have done my bachelors in business administration with a 3.03GPA, but not from the top schools of Pakistan. Do applicants from top schools have an edge over the ones who come from mediocre institutes

2. Does the selection committee closely consider your O/A level academia? Or only the university’s academics matter.

3. I am not from the education, health, environment or the development sector which I believe are the prime and the most integral areas when it comes to giving back to your country. I rather hold a 3 year experience in the ecommerce industry which is still in the teething phase but yet is a flourishing industry, comes with a scope and has lot to offer in the coming years. So my question is if I talk about making a change and giving back to my country through deploying sound and effective ecommerce practices in SCMs (short term) via incubation/support centres and moving on to implement my skills and knowledge learnt in leading market giants ? Will this sound as a convincing aim.

Let me know do you guys think. Thanks

While your academics will matter in the consideration of your application, it is not the strongest aspect that will be considered in your presentation. Rather, it is the strength of your professional experience and vastness of your professional exposure that will matter more. That is because you will be up against some of the most highly qualified professionals in the world, some with diplomatic experience, in the application pool. It is the education and work experience that will have to set you apart from the other candidates. The most successful applicants are those with the strongest professional references and career prospects. If you feel that you will be able to compete on the professional level, even if you academic background does not include name schools, then you have nothing to worry about.

If you are changing career paths then you may have a problem with the competition. Most of the applicants are well established in their fields with career paths that indicate their future as leaders within their field of work and, potentially, as leaders of their country. So you will have to think about whether or not your new career path will be able to withstand the relevance, leadership, and networking scrutiny that your application will definitely undergo.

Chevening is not a scholarship application for students who do not have strong career foundations. While they do not look at the ranking of the school that you came from, they do require that you have a highly relevant experience in relation to the masters course that you will be choosing. It is not the kind of scholarship that someone looking for career change should apply for. It is too competitive when it comes to professional credentials and leadership requirements. Those with weak career credentials may not make it through the first round of considerations.

Word to the wise, before you apply for Chevening, make sure that the course you want to apply to, and the field of work you are in, are both supported by Chevening as a part of their educational program. If it is not, then you will not be considered for the scholarship.