Letter of Reference

Who can be a referee?

Please select your referees carefully; they should be people who can comment on
your general suitability to receive a Chevening Scholarship. Referees should be
known to you, either in an academic or professional capacity. They should not be a
relative or close personal friend.

When approaching your referees, please direct them to the guidance section below
as it contains important information about what they should include in their reference.
We also recommend that you ask them to be a referee as early as possible in order
to ensure that they have enough time to complete their reference.

Instructions for referees

Since references will be reviewed by the British embassy/high commission during

the latter stages of the selection process, it is important to provide as much relevant
detail as possible to support the applicant.

References must be written in English. If your reference is not written in English, the
applicant will not be considered for a Chevening Scholarship.

Your reference should cover the following:

a) How long have you known the applicant?

b) In what capacity do you know the applicant? (e.g. professional, educational,
supervisory, voluntary, religious, etc…)
c) When did you last have regular contact with the applicant?
d) A brief overall endorsement of the applicant, including their:
e) Skills in leadership and networking.
f) Personal, intellectual, and interpersonal qualities.
g) Ability to complete a demanding academic programme in the UK.

References must be:

a) in English
b) addressed to the British Embassy or High Commission in your country
c) in letter format
d) as current and up-to-date as possible
e) uploaded in a Word or PDF format
References do not have to be:

a) on letterheaded paper
b) officially stamped
c) officially translated (but they must be in English)
d) written by someone who is still working at the organisation where you first met
your referee

The content of a good reference should cover:

a) how long the referee has known you

b) how the referee knows you (professional, educational, voluntary, supervisory
capacity)
c) when the referee last had regular contact with you
d) your suitability for the scholarship (covering leadership and networking skills,
personal, intellectual and interpersonal qualities, academic ability for master’s
level study)

We hope you found Q&A useful. If you still have questions on references, here are a
few things that you can do:

Consult the references guidance on the Chevening website

Visit our FAQ page for answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Ask the Chevening Secretariat directly by submitting an enquiry.