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Chevening Scholarship - Has someone not come back to your home country?

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username2320815

A friend on my master's course was a Chevening scholar and she had to go home at the end - she said they were "cracking down" on people staying, but I'm afraid I don't know much more than that. But one of her friends got an offer for a funded PhD and then wasn't able to accept it, so I think if you did get this scholarship, you might have to accept it means two years back in your home country. A two-year wait before a PhD isn't so bad though - perhaps try to see it as an opportunity to get some relevant experience and publish some papers? Then you'll be really competitive by the time you can apply again!

Reply 21

Confusedgirl88

Thanks for the feedback. By chance do you know if chevening gave her an option to pay off the scholarship if she took up the PhD program? If so, what kind of payment plan was it?

Reply 22

username2320815

Original post by Confusedgirl88

Thanks for the feedback. By chance do you know if chevening gave her an option to pay off the scholarship if she took up the PhD program? If so, what kind of payment plan was it?

No, I don't think there was anything like that. I know it says on the website you are liable to pay the whole thing back if you break the conditions, but I don't think it's an option you can choose so much as a consequence of getting caught. I think the main issue is that to get another UK visa, you need to provide a letter of support from your last sponsor - which is the Chevening people - and I guess they've "cracked down" by refusing to do that any more, in line with the contract. But I'm not really sure - you'd have to look into it the application process to confirm.

Reply 23

Delicia77

Original post by Ibude

I am a chevening Scholar from Nigeria. During the application process, you must have filled a form that requires you to return back to your home country because the whole idea about the chevening scholarship is to benefit your home country. If you are looking at not returning immediately and proceeding to PHD, maybe you should look at commonwealth scholarship or commonwealth shared scholarships.

hi there- i'm a south african , currently living and working in dubai but Southern African markets. i frequently travel to South Africa for work, and hence contributing back to my country. The role is only based in Dubai. However, I am based in Dubai as i have family and other commitments here over the last 7 years. I do not plan on staying in the UK after the scholarship - but i do intend to return to Dubai to work in the same capacity, whereby my role is based in dubai but focuses on southern african markets. Hence my question is - do you have to return to you country of citizenship or where you currently reside (outside the UK) is ok?

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 24

tarana88

Original post by polarko

Hey there, I am in the exact same shoes (research, contribution-wise etc.) trying to renew my visa but I'm really not sure if it will happen. I actually do know of several people who have managed to continue into PhD but haven't managed to reach them yet.... :/

Hi, did you reach out anyone? I am planning to apply for my PhD in another country after the MSc (if I get the scholarship). Please let me know if you could reach out someone and share your experience.

Reply 25

Confusedguy87

Hey! I'm in the same situation you were. I finished my program and now I have the opportunity to be sponsored in the UK. I told my possible sponsor that I was required to go back to my country but they told me to enquire further with Chevening.What happened with you? Did you get the wavier from Chevening?

Reply 26

S.Akbar

Oh wow. What happened then, did you get the job?

Reply 27

Confusedguy87

I did. And I'm working from my country, but it would be way simpler to be in London. I wish I had the opportunity to contribute to my country in a different way, rather to having to be here.

Reply 28

PPK3000

Hi Confusedguy87,Did your student visa to the UK say something about your Chevening scholarship? I mean some remarks like: Chevening scholar, recipient of public funds or anything like that?Have you been sponsored to switch from a Tier 4 to a Tier 2 to work for that UK company or you are completely based in your home country and did not get a UK working visa?

Reply 29

Cruise gal

Hey dear, is the commonwealth scholarship different from the common wealth shared scholarship. Also I am applying for the chevening 2021 scholarship and have already applied for the Canada immigration express which I believe will be successful. However the agreement says you would have to return to your home country for a period of at least 2years. What if my Canadian immigration works out within the two years framework, what do I do? I am so confused.

Reply 30

sasquatch178

Hi, just wondering if anyone actually decided to stay in the UK after their chevening term? How did you go about informing chevening about your decision?

Reply 31

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by sasquatch178

Hi, just wondering if anyone actually decided to stay in the UK after their chevening term? How did you go about informing chevening about your decision?

Did you read through this whole thread? It's not a 'decision' you make and if you inform Chevening I suspect you'd find the immigration service knocking on your door and deporting you.

We get threads every year on staying in the UK after being awarded a Chevening Scholarship. I don't recall any incidence of anyone successfully doing it. The reasons are all made clear by previous posts in this thread

Reply 32

olaimad13

Can I travel to another country thank UK?

Reply 33

PPK3000

Original post by NNENNAA

Has anyone ever received a form of "release letter" from Chevening to stay and work in the UK? I've returned to my home country for 6 months but still couldn't find a job which is really stressful. I recently received a job offer from the UK and I really don't want to miss it. Please share your experience. Thank you!

I think this question has been responded many times here.

Some conditions of the Chevening scholarship are:

a) You must return home for a period of at least two years following the completion of your scholarship. The Secretariat is unable to provide any letter of support which might be required to enable a Scholar to stay on to work or study in the UK.

b) If you do not remain resident in your home country for two years following completion of your Scholarship, this will be treated as a breach of a scholarship condition and you will be liable to pay back all monies paid to you during the course of your scholarship.

As you said, to apply for a Skilled Worker visa you need to provide a consent letter from Chevening where they give you authorization to work in the UK. It seems that nobody has got this letter, and makes sense as they will be breaching their own policies and could trigger a chain reaction (every scholar will ask for the same treatment).

If I was you, I even would not try or you will be breaching these conditions. The attempt can trigger them asking you for the money spent on your studies or could have other implications if you have plans to come back to the UK in the future.

There is one option though:

c) Applications to return to third countries for the two-year period may be considered in exceptional circumstances if returning to the home country is impossible due to conflict in that country.

Some people from my country have found jobs, another master or a PhD in another country and they have recalled this clause of 'exceptional circumstances' to avoid returning to home country. But it doesn't apply to stay in the UK. You already are in your home country, so it means it was safe for you to return after studies.

Eveyone needs to be fully aware of the conditions of these scholarships before applying.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 34

Hrc_20

Hi, I am really curious to know how it went with your job application in the UK? I recently finished my Chevening program as well and came back to my country. I'm currently applying to many overseas jobs including the ones from the UK.

Reply 35

PPK3000

You will not be able to get a job in the UK in the next two years after you finished your programme, the Home Office will ask you for a release letter from Chevening to approve your work visa. It seems impossible to have that letter without having implications, like being asked for the money back.

You can apply for jobs somewhere else though.

Reply 36

workingstudent88

Hey what did you end up doing seeing this post is 3 years old?

Reply 37

Phdgrad2018

Has anyone had the experience of applying for a dependent UK visa after the end of scholarship? would that also be a breach of Cheveneing conditions?

Reply 38

PPK3000

You would need to double check this directly with Chevening or in your contract, I understand this is stated in the clauses.

I suspect the same applies as if you were the main applicant.

Reply 39

abd1212

Original post by Mr. Ve

I am also trying to see if i can do my PhD here ( University of Birmingham ) and i am also a chevening scholar as well. I want to do my PhD here but the good ones are already taken and trying to see if i can work and raise the cash on my own ( 15,000 ). But i really hope Chevening is ok with this, i really can't return to my country and miss an opportunity like this. :/

Any thoughts?

Original post by Mr. Ve