Chevening Eligible Courses: How to Choose Three UK Master's Programmes

Number of choices

Three different master's courses

Course level

Taught master's degree

Location

Based in the UK

Study mode

Full-time

Start date

Autumn term, usually September or October

Duration

Normally nine to twelve months

University applications

Separate from Chevening application

Offer requirement

At least one unconditional offer by the official offer deadline if selected

Course choice is one of the most important parts of the Chevening application. Chevening asks applicants to submit three UK master's degree choices in order of preference. These choices help assessors understand your career direction and give you alternative options if you are not offered a place on your first choice.

The course choices should not be random. They should show a clear connection between your past experience, the skills you need, your future career plan and the impact you want to create after returning home.

Chevening recommends selecting three similar courses at three different universities to increase the likelihood of gaining entry into one of them. Course titles do not need to match exactly, but the content should be similar and connected to your goals.

Chevening's official course guidance says eligible courses must meet several basic requirements. Applicants should check the Chevening course finder and then verify details directly on university websites because course information can change.

A course must normally be full-time, start in the autumn term, be a taught master's course, lead to a master's degree qualification and be based in the UK. It should also fit within Chevening's duration rules.

Do not rely only on an old blog post or course list. The official Chevening course finder and the university's own course page are the safest sources.

• Full-time
• Autumn start, usually September or October
• Taught master's course
• Leads to a master's degree qualification
• Based in the United Kingdom
• Usually between nine and twelve months in duration

Chevening's course guidance also lists courses that are not eligible. This matters because a course may look attractive but still fail Chevening's rules.

Part-time courses, distance-learning courses, courses shorter than nine months or longer than twelve months, PhD or DPhil programmes, and courses taught with more than one month of study outside the UK are not normally eligible.

Research-focused MRes programmes are also not the standard Chevening route because Chevening requires taught master's courses. Always check exact course type before selecting it.

• Part-time courses
• Distance-learning courses
• Courses shorter than nine months
• Courses longer than twelve months
• PhD or DPhil programmes
• Research-focused MRes programmes
• Courses with more than one month of study outside the UK

Chevening says applicants need to select three different master's courses. These can be three different courses at the same institution or three similar courses at up to three different universities.

Even though one university is possible, many applicants are safer choosing similar courses at different universities. This spreads admission risk. If one university rejects you or closes the course, the other choices may still remain available.

The best strategy depends on your field. If one university has three genuinely suitable courses, it can work. But if the choices look forced, choose a clearer set across different universities.

Chevening provides a course finder to help applicants search for eligible master's degree programmes across UK universities. Use it as a starting point, not the only source.

The course finder can help identify eligible options, but Chevening notes that course data is supplied externally and may not always be perfectly current because universities change course offerings. After finding a course, open the university page and check entry requirements, deadlines, fees, modules and delivery mode.

If a course seems eligible but does not appear in the database, Chevening has a missing-course route. Applicants should first confirm that the course meets eligibility requirements before asking about a missing listing.

Start with your career plan, not the university ranking. Ask what skill gap you need to fill. Do you need policy analysis, public health methods, data science, education leadership, finance, climate governance, human rights law, development economics or another specific area?

Then search for courses that teach those skills. Compare compulsory modules, optional modules, practical projects, dissertations, placements, professional accreditation, teaching style, faculty expertise and alumni outcomes.

Your three choices should support one coherent career argument. They can have different names, but they should solve the same professional problem. If your first course is public policy, second is marketing and third is cybersecurity, reviewers may struggle to understand your direction unless your career plan clearly connects them.

1. Define your post-Chevening career goal.
2. Identify the skill or knowledge gap.
3. Search the Chevening course finder.
4. Open each university's official course page.
5. Check eligibility, duration, start date and study mode.
6. Compare modules and career relevance.
7. Choose three similar courses that support one plan.

Your course choices are not just a form field. They directly affect the course-choice essay and career-plan essay. Chevening's application criteria ask applicants to explain why their selected course and university fit their background, career aspirations and intended impact.

A strong course-choice essay mentions specific course content, not just university reputation. For example, name modules, methods, laboratories, research centres, clinics, policy projects, industry links or professional learning that directly support your goals.

The main Chevening essay guide on Scholarships Central explains this in more detail: /chevening-scholarship-essay-questions

Before finalising the three choices, create a simple comparison table. This helps you avoid choosing courses based only on names or rankings. It also gives you real material for the course-choice essay.

Your table should compare the course title, university, duration, start date, eligibility, compulsory modules, optional modules, dissertation or project structure, English requirement, application deadline, documents and connection to your career plan.

When you compare courses this way, weak choices become obvious. If one course has no relevant modules, no clear connection to your career goal or an unrealistic admission requirement, remove it before submitting the Chevening form.

• Course title and university
• Duration and start date
• Chevening eligibility check
• Compulsory and optional modules
• Admission requirements
• English-language requirement
• University application deadline
• Connection to career plan

Chevening selection is competitive, but university admission is also competitive. A candidate can write a strong scholarship application and still lose the award if they cannot secure an unconditional offer from one of the confirmed course choices.

Check whether your undergraduate subject, grades, work experience, English evidence and documents match the university requirements. Some UK courses require a specific academic background, quantitative modules, professional experience, portfolio, writing sample or references.

A smart list usually includes courses that are strong, relevant and realistic. Three dream choices with weak admission fit can become a problem later. Three realistic but poorly connected courses can weaken the application story. Balance both.

Chevening scholarship rules and university English rules are separate. Even if Chevening does not require a central IELTS score for the scholarship form, your selected universities may require IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, previous English-medium study evidence or another accepted route.

Check all three course pages. If one university requires IELTS 7.0 and another accepts previous English-medium study, write that down. Do not wait until after interview results to discover that your first-choice university needs a test score.

English conditions can delay an unconditional offer. Since selected candidates must submit an unconditional offer by the official deadline, English evidence should be planned early.

A course can be academically eligible but still weak for your Chevening application if it does not connect to your country impact plan. Chevening is interested in future leaders who can use UK study to create positive change after returning home.

When comparing courses, ask whether the skills match a real need in your country or sector. A public health applicant may need epidemiology, health systems, implementation science or policy evaluation. An education applicant may need curriculum policy, leadership, assessment or inclusion. A climate applicant may need energy policy, adaptation planning, finance or environmental governance.

The stronger the country-specific connection, the easier it becomes to write the course-choice and career-plan answers. The course should feel like a bridge between your previous work and your future role.

This is one of the most important rules. Selecting three courses in the Chevening application does not submit applications to those universities. You must apply separately to each university through its own application system.

University deadlines vary. Some courses close early, some close when full, and some require documents, references, English evidence, portfolios, writing samples or application fees. A Chevening application cannot rescue a late university application.

Chevening says applicants must receive an unconditional offer from at least one of their course choices by the deadline listed in the application timeline. For the 2027-2028 cycle, the official timeline lists July 8, 2027 at 17:00 BST as the offer deadline.

Chevening FAQs make this risk very clear: if you do not get an offer from any of the courses confirmed at interview, you will not be eligible for a Chevening Award. That is why course choices need to be ambitious but realistic.

Do not choose only three extremely competitive courses if your academic record or prerequisites are not a strong match. Balance aspiration with admission probability.

Apply to universities early and track responses. If a course is discontinued or unavailable, follow official Chevening guidance and contact the appropriate route rather than making silent changes on your own.

Chevening's course guidance notes that MBA programmes have a fee cap. If your MBA tuition is above the cap, you may need to cover the additional cost yourself.

This does not mean MBAs are impossible, but applicants should understand the financial rule before selecting an MBA. A fully funded scholarship can still leave a personal cost if the chosen MBA exceeds the allowed funding cap.

Always check the current Chevening course guidance and university tuition page before selecting an MBA programme.

• Choosing courses only because the university is famous
• Selecting unrelated courses that weaken the career story
• Choosing a distance-learning or part-time course
• Choosing a research MRes, PhD or DPhil route
• Ignoring university admission deadlines
• Assuming Chevening applies to universities automatically
• Not checking English requirements for each university
• Selecting courses with unrealistic entry requirements
• Waiting too long to apply to universities
• Missing the unconditional-offer deadline

• Each course is full-time.
• Each course starts in autumn.
• Each course is a taught master's degree.
• Each course is based in the UK.
• Each course is normally nine to twelve months long.
• The three choices support one career plan.
• I checked university entry requirements and deadlines.
• I understand that university applications are separate.
• I can explain my first-choice course in the Chevening essay.
• I have a plan to secure at least one unconditional offer by the deadline.

Main Chevening guide: /chevening-scholarship

Chevening essay guide: /chevening-scholarship-essay-questions

Chevening work experience guide: /chevening-work-experience-requirement

Chevening courses guidance: https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/guidance/courses/

Chevening course finder: https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/find-a-course/

Chevening university applications guidance: https://www.chevening.org/resource-hub/guidance/university-applications/

Chevening application timeline: https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/application-timeline/

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