Success Tips for your Chevening Scholarship award application

Dr Cassandra Akinde, Team Lead
TNCI and beneficiary of
Chevening Scholarship 

How do I begin?

Well, let me start with a little background 😊
Chevening is a UK global scholarship award which is merit based and identifies talented individuals who have shown potential through their academic and professional work to become future leaders ,decision makers and opinion formers at local, regional and global level .

It is funded by Foreign Common Wealth Office and  other various global partners.

I heard about Chevening Scholarship from a friend who also happens to be an alumni  in 2016 . He invited me for the pre departure ceremony  which I, unfortunately, could not attend. He told me about how this particular opportunity aligned with my humanitarian work and encouraged me to apply the following year.

My curious nature got the better of me and I began researching about it and the opportunities for professional and personal development it could give me .

What I found was mind blowing and unreal.
The chevening alumni which consists of over 50,000 individuals  are all so accomplished in their various fields and their global network is another story for another day.

 I decided to apply the following year, but I  was unsuccessful . I was devastated, but my failure also helped give me some perspective. Upon reflection,  I realized that I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. I didn't put as much effort into my application to be successful. But I wasn't done.

I began reading and seeking counsel about  scholarship tips from the successful candidates like Tife Soloye, Dr Odera and attended the Chevening Webinar organized by the country program officer Jibike Faborede.

This helped me to polish and build my online portfolio and document my professional work well enough to ensure visibility.I also kept amplifying my achievements while ensuring I was making social impact.

On September 2018, I applied again. This time I had done my homework and I was more prepared. Rather than just an offhanded 'whatever happens, happens' attempt, my application this time was armed with scholarship tips from alumni ,proof read essays, and lots of research regarding UK Department For  International Development and its Priority Areas in my home country  which can be summarised as Security, Prosperity,Health, Science and Innovation, Good Governance, Energy and Power Generation.

It is safe to say that any course or discipline that advances the achievement of any of these areas would be suitable to land this scholarship.

And voilá  my application was successful and I was shortlisted for an interview .

I was a nervous wreck prior to my interview because, even though I had prepared and turned in a worthwhile application,  I did not expect to be called in for an interview. My nervousness was even more amplified because this would be my first interview, ever. 🙈

In the middle of my anxiety ,I met  Mr Gideon Olanrewaju a Chevening  alumni who is doing amazing work in Education Development sector  who would turn out to be just the help and positive support that I needed at that time .It was also a bonus that  he happens to be a big fan of my work and currently it has even produced a fruit as we are collaborating on a project called Hanging Libraries of Nigeria 😁

 Anyway back to my story , he organized special mentorship online classes for the prospective candidates and gave us some interview tips with lots of resource materials.

He had to take extra time with me, though, as I became sick, and had just began a very stressful Non Profit Leadership and Management Course at the Lagos Business School so it was very hard.

Thankfully, my interview went well. Although, I thought the interview was the end of my world at the time because I felt I didn't say everything I needed to say .

Fast forward to the  happy day I received an email stating  that I have been  conditionally selected as I had done extremely well in my interview. I was so excited I almost fainted. Coincidentally I was at a Beach cleanup representing The Neo Child Initiative with my volunteers that day and one good Samaritan took this picture.

Now To My Tips For Prospective Candidates

I will  like to emphasise some important points that may be helpful for future applicants


1. Research Research Research

 It is extremely vital to the whole application process.
What is Chevening?
What are they about ?
What are the requirements?
What is their impact?
Please read up about them and what they are doing for your country. Check out their website, follow them on social media and subscribe to their newsletters .
If it is possible attend their  seminars in your city  or webinars online .Find out about  their alumni and what they are doing .
All of these will give you a wider perspective on what you are embarking on and highlighting what needs to be done .


2. Be Authentic

 We all have a story to tell. Be unique and tell you own story. There is no need to copy the work or ideas of other alumni. Be yourself always. Don't lie or exaggerate. It will definetely work against you! For your Leadership question for instance what it seeks  to establish is  how one have overtime deployed transferable problem solving and change making  skills in addressing a societal challenge either locally ,regionally or even globally.
So here your real  leadership experience comes through by demonstrating Passion ,Vision and Impact from your story.

3. Structure

When you are writing your essays and even when you have been  shortlisted for an interview, it is important to be organised with your thoughts.
The concept of S.T.A.R. comes in handy
S- Situation
T- Task
A-Action
R- Result
This  helps to outline each of your stories with lots of depth and identify any lapses .
It is also very good to include figures which may not be limited to percentage, reach or traction .

4. Proof Read your essays

Be thorough with your application and ask other people to look at it too. Go through your essays again and again. The first few lines are extremely important and serve as the key determinants of whether your application will be processed further.
Look well at the spelling and grammar.

5. Pray

This always worked to help calm my mind when life becomes overwhelming. The Chevening application process can be extremely tiresome and therefore one has to be extremely patient and prayerful

6. Choose your courses and universities wisely and make sure it aligns with your career plans

I will advise to apply to your schools of choice as soon as possible as having a conditional offer from your dream school can be  a bonus to your application.

7. Demonstrate Passion For your Country

This scholarship its not all about you but also about the development and benefit  to your country. If you are looking for opportunity to relocate then this scholarship is not for you.

Therefore ask yourself
Why are you applying for Chevening?
What can you do for your country?
What the multiplier effect of UK investment in you?

If you can answer these questions honestly then please proceed and demonstrate it in your career plans .
Finally I would just add that it is extremely competitive award therefore you do need to put your best effort .

Here are some helpful links.
Enjoy reading them all.. Hope you will find them helpful.

Leadership essay tips:
a. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/leadership-infl…/
b. https://scholarsmap.wordpress.com/…/be-a-true-star-in-your…/

Networking essay tips:
a. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/the-power-of-co…/
b. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/your-network-is…/
c. https://scholarsmap.wordpress.com/…/writing-an-effective-n…/

Course and university choice tips:
a. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/universities-pa…/
b. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/universities-pa…/
c. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/defining-your-c…/
d. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/what-do-you-wan…/
e. https://scholarsmap.wordpress.com/…/yes-you-can-study-in-t…/

Career plan essay tips:
a. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/writing-s-m-a-r…/
b. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/much-more-than-…/
c. https://scholarsmap.wordpress.com/…/a-road-map-to-acing-yo…/

Overall application/essay advice:
a. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/08/30/essay-err…/
b. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/conquering-the-…/
c. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/help-tips-for-y…/
d. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/how-to-be-a-che…/

Scholars sharing their experience:
a. https://thescholarsjourney.wordpress.com/…/to-be-a-chevener/
b. http://www.chevening.org/…/my-chevening-journey-one-year-th…
c. http://www.chevening.org/…/my-journey-to-antarctica-part-one
d. https://wanderingpaws.me/chevening-year-spent-living-study…/
e. https://khaoulajourney.wordpress.com/…/07/12/about-my-jour…/
f. https://www.facebook.com/A.M.Nageeb/posts/10217417326569497…
g. https://translationinmongolia.blogspot.com/…/chevening-scho…


Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are mine and do not reflect that of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO),its partner organizations or any scholarship awarding institution .

Connect with me via
Instagram - @cassieakinde
Twitter - @AkindeCassandra
Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-akinde-9266a294

All the best guys !!!!!

Yours truly ,
Dr Cassandra Akinde

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