Part 2: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (Essay Tips) about:reader?url=https://www.mavisbraga.com/post/part-2-applying-for-...

mavisbraga.com

Part 2: Applying for the Chevening

Scholarship (Essay Tips)
Mavis Braga

8-10 minutes

This serves as Part 2 of the Chevening Tips, in the event that you
would like insight in as far as what is Chevening and an overall
insight on what is required to apply, kindly have a look at Part 1:
Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ).

Applying for the Chevening Scholarship Series

Three Years a Charm: Becoming a Chevening Scholar

Part 1: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ)

Part 2: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (Essay Tips)

Disclaimer: Note that the advice given here below is my own

personal opinion and not that of the Chevening Secretariat or the
British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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When applying for the Chevening Scholarship, you will be required

to submit four written essays, each a minimum of 100 words and a
maximum of 500 words.

Quick Tips on how to write your 4 Chevening Essays:

When writing your essays, use the STAR and SMART approach.

Ensure that you cover the bases in each of your essays,

mentioning the most important elements.

Your essays have to be truthful, concise, and well-written.

Ensure that you tell a story when writing your essays, you can add
bullet points to list achievements and highlight career goals
however there should be a flow.

Ensure that any stranger can make out what you are trying to say,
making it clear what you are talking about. When making
references to data or situations from your home country, be sure to
mention the country's name.

Refrain using words like our and their, and opt to name what you
are talking about.

Use Grammarly to spell check your work and ensure that your
grammar is correct.

STAR Approach - Derived from Muse

Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your
example.

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Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.

Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it.

Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved.

SMART Approach - Derived from CFI

Specific: Well defined, clear, and unambiguous.

Measurable: With specific criteria that measure your progress

toward the accomplishment of the goal.

Achievable: Attainable and not impossible to achieve.

Realistic: Within reach, realistic, and relevant to your life purpose.

Timely: With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date

and a target date. The purpose is to create urgency.

Four Essay Topics

Leadership and Influence

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or

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influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this

requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and
influencing skills to support your answer. - Question as per the
Chevening Website

Using the methods explained above (STAR AND SMART

Approach), ensure that you speak on the times you have depicted
leadership traits, the leadership positions you have occupied and
the times you have displayed a position of influence. These can
range from managerial positions, leadership in organizations
(NGO's included), or in your day-to-day life. In addition, you can
touch on what leadership ambitions you have and how this ties
back to your community.

It is important to ensure that the examples are impact-driven and

not only for self-gain.

Networking

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional

relationship-building skills, who will engage with the Chevening
community and influence and lead others in their chosen
profession. Please explain how you build and maintain
relationships in a professional capacity, using clear examples of
how you currently do this, and outline how you hope to use these
skills in the future. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Writing your networking essay is primarily about showing clear

examples of the relationships you have built, how they were
established, and how you have managed to maintain them. In
addition, highlight how these said relationships have been
instrumental in your personal development and the work that you

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do. Ensure that you are able to glean from every example the skill
acquired and how these skills will be useful to you in the future as
a possible Chevening scholar. This essay, in essence, is to show
that you have the ability to use the opportunities given to you in a
tangible and impactful manner.

Career Plan

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study

career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning
home and your longer-term career goals. You may wish to
consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in
your country. - Question as per Chevening Website

This essay provides an opportunity for you to layout an immediate

2-year plan, and a 5 to 10-year plan. Your plans need to be
attainable and should speak to your ambitions as laid out in your
career plan. The most important tip for when writing out your
career plan, is to ensure that when you touch on your professional
experience, it not be written as though it is a Curriculum Vitae but
rather speaking on impact, journey, and career trajectory. You too
are welcome to link your journey thus far, to how this informs your
next career move, namely pursuing a masters degree. You should
depict an understanding of what you want to do in the future, how
this is tangibly attainable, and what your ambitions are long term.

Studying in the UK

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university

courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or
professional experience and your plans for the future. Please do

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not duplicate the information you have entered on the work

experience and education section of this form. - Question as per
the Chevening Website

Do not duplicate your career essay in this essay, however, you can
link the information. You will also be required to list the three
universities you will be applying to, the name of the courses at the
said universities, and why you chose the particular university.

Tip: Depending on which course you intend to study, google the

top-performing universities in the said field to inform your
university choice. Then ensure that the universities you would like
to attend are Chevening partner universities, before finalizing your
list of your three chosen universities.

Bonus: I have asked three scholars who have managed to

successfully be chosen for Chevening before to assist with
proofreading 3 prospective scholars essays before
submission. Kindly note that these will be given on a first-
come, first-serve basis. This available to a total of 9
prospective scholars and no more. Only the 9 successful
prospective scholars will be contacted. If you are not
contacted, unfortunately, the 9 spots were already taken.

To get your essays proofread - please fill in the form at the

link here.

(Available to ONLY the first 9 applicants)

Proofreading volunteer scholars (each reading 3 prospective

scholars essays EACH)

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Rosalia Shiimi - Rosalia holds a BSc Honours Degree in Geology

and a Certificate in Investment Management from the University of
Cape Town. She is currently the Acting Grade Control Geologist at
Vedanta Zinc International’s Gamsberg Operation. She is a part of
the 2021/2022 Chevening cohort, pursuing a Master of Science in
Applied Environment Geology at Cardiff University.

Abel is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and former Head of

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Internal Audit. He holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science and

Postgraduate Diploma in Internal Auditing. In addition, he too is a
Section Chairperson and Branch Executive member in SPYL and
serve on the NCCI Windhoek Trading Committee. He will be
pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations at the
University of Birmingham.

Hilja Eelu - Hilja is a UCT molecular biology graduate and a

previous recipient of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellowship.
Having been awarded both the Chevening and Commonwealth
scholarship, she will be pursuing the MSc Control of Infectious
Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine starting September 2020, thanks to the Commonwealth
scholarship.

To get your essays proofread - please fill in the form at the

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link here.

(Available to ONLY the first 9 applicants)

Additional Reading Material

Essay Tips from the Reading Committee of Chevening

Essay Examples

Writing an effective networking essay

My Application for Chevening Scholarship

Chevening Leadership Essay

How I won the Chevening Scholarship - Part 2: Writing your

Essays

From One Powerhouse to another

With Love,

Mavis

Twitter - @MavisBraga

Instagram - @MavisBraga1

Facebook - Mavis Elias

Website - www.mavisbraga.com

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