Information Session: How best to apply for the Chevening Scholarship 2024/25 is a presentation by Dr. Leju Benjamin Modi a Chevening Scholar for interested South Sudanese applicants organised by Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS) on Sunday, 03rd September 2023 from 1PM to 3PM Juba Time

1. Chevening Scholarship
Information Session
DR. LEJU BENJAMIN MODI, CHEVENING SCHOLAR (2023/4)
3RD SEPTEMBER, 2023, VIA ZOOM

2. Who registered for this call?
 347 of you!! 313 Males; 34 Females
 14/347 responded “No” for Bachelor’s degree; 333 responded “Yes”
 At least 2 years’ work experience? 308/347 responded “Yes”, 39
responded “No”
 Ever applied for Chevening Scholarship before?
 No = 292
 Yes, once = 46
 Yes, twice = 8
 Yes, three or more times = 1

3. DISCLAIMER
This Information sharing Session on Chevening
Scholarship is simply to enlighten prospective
applicants on the said scholarship. It does not
guarantee anyone selection for the scholarship. The
views expressed in this session are not all necessarily
those of Chevening Scholarship or Excellence
Foundation for South Sudan, but are those of the
presenter/commenter based on his/their experience of
the scholarship.

4. Why this session?
 Paying it forward!
 A rising tide lifts up all boats!
 “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of
giants.” – Sir Isaac Newton

5. OUTLINE
 What Chevening Scholarship is
 Eligibility
 Application Timeline
 How to apply
 Writing competitive essays
 General tips and resource links
 Q&A

6. What is Chevening Scholarship/Fellowship?
 Fully-funded (flights, accommodation, and course fees are all included)UK
government scholarships for international students from all over the world to
undertake 1 year full time Master’s course in a UK university.
 Established 1983 – 40th anniversary! Offers about 1500 scholarships annually.
 Free online application, DO NOT PAY ANY MONEY!
 Over 55,000 alumni from over 160 countries and territories across the world
 Various courses and universities, check the Chevening website for more.
 The Chevening Secretariat, under the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office (FCDO; moved from British Embassy to British Council as of Sept 1, 2023)
 Can apply as many times as you wish, until you ace it!
 Total of about 1,400 students offered scholarships in 2023 from about 70,000
applications received (~ 2% selection rate)

7. Eligibility – who can apply for the scholarship?
 “Outstanding emerging leaders from all over the world.” [not necessarily politicians!]
To be eligible for a Chevening Scholarship you must:
 Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory – check website!
 Return to your country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after your award has
ended.
 Have completed all components of an undergraduate degree that will enable you to
gain entry onto a postgraduate programme at a UK university by the time you submit
your application. This is typically equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree
in the UK but may be different depending on your course and university choice.
 Have at least two years (equivalent to 2,800 hours) of work experience.
 Apply to three different eligible UK university courses and have received an unconditional
offer from one of these choices by the deadline listed on the application timeline.

8. Application Timelines (2024/5 Year)
CHEVENING
SCHOLARSHIP,
2024/5
SEPT 12 – NOV 8, 2023:
• Applications open & close
• Start preparations EARLY!
MID NOV - DEC, 2023:
• Applications are sifted against eligibility
• Readers then assess eligible
applications, score, and rank them
• Ranked applications passed back to
local British Embassy
EARLY TO MID FEB, 2024:
• Local Emb. Shortlisting for
interviews
• Upload academic and
reference documents
LATE FEB – LATE APRIL, 2024:
• Interviews
EARLY SEPT - OCT, 2024:
• FLY TO THE UK!!
• Studies begin!
EARLY JUNE, 2024:
• Interview results
• Conditional Award Letters (CALs)
JULY 11, 2024:
• Deadline for unconditional offer
• Receive Final Award Letters
(FALs)
MID JUL – EARLY SEPT, 2024:
• Receive CAS
• Take TB Test, apply for visa
• Book flight to the UK

9. Can’t Keep Calm – 2nd time lucky!!
You,
too,
can
do it!

10. Parts of the Application Form (5 Parts)
 (1) Applicant information
 Personal details
 Contact details
 Education
 Work experience (calculates hours
automatically)
 (2) Essay Questions – four questions
 Leadership and influence
 Relationship building and shared learning
 Studying in the UK
 Career plan
 (3) Application information
 University application details (ranked
1st to 3rd course/university choice)
 Immigration
 (4) Terms and conditions (during your
award, after your award)
 (5) Upload documents and submit
 Where did you hear about Chevening
 Referee names (2 persons)
 Final Submission
 Feedback on the application process

11. How to apply?
 Do your homework early and thoroughly!
 Read the Chevening website (Eligibility; Application Guidance; How to find a course; Why study in the
UK; FAQs, etc.)
 Decide on your course(s)/Universit(y)ies of choice to study; read about the course and its requirements
from the university webpages.
 Find your referees, inform them early!
 Prepare your academic documents, CV, etc.
 Start your online application – country specific URL (will show you now).
 Write your essays in time; let other people review – professional colleagues, Chevening alumni,
language experts, etc.!
 Revise your application/essays again and again, before submitting
 Aim to submit a week to the deadline; then work on university applications; English language
tests, etc.

12. The essays…. How to ace it!
 S – situation (problem/challenge)
 T – task (need to be undertaken)
 A – action (you took)
 R – results (quantifiable)
 Each essay is NOT more than 500 words; don’t
bother giving definitions, quotes, etc.!!
 The STAR method is particularly applicable to the
Leadership and Influence and Relationship
Building and Shared Learning essays
 Try to give three – four examples of your relevant
experience in the STAR format; be succinct and to
the point – remember the word limits – write more
with less!
 Studying in the UK essay: show how well you have
researched you course/university of choice
(mention faculty, course modules, published
articles, etc.) and education, culture and life in UK
 Career plan essay: signposting language; SMART
career plan/goals
 S – specific
 M – measurable
 A – achievable/attainable
 R – realistic
 T – time-bound

13. Leadership and Influence Essay
Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or 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. (minimum word count: 100 words,
maximum word count: 500 words)
 Future leaders or influencers in their home countries
 How you meet this requirement
 Examples (aim at 3 – 4!) of your own leadership and influencing skills
 NOT more than 500 words!
 STAR Method – measurable results!

14. E.g. (1)
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I was a medical doctor and facility in-charge in
Maban County, Upper Nile State of South Sudan, serving Sudanese refugees in large camps
there. Apart from facing COVID-19 challenges, I also had intercommunity conflicts to deal with.
For two days in July that year, the Engasana and Urduk refugee communities had heightened
tensions that led to confinement of relocatable facility staff at our base. This paralyzed medical
services at the facility. I engaged our security officer and project manager to engage the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Maban. In a meeting with the
UNHCR, it was resolved to involve all stakeholders to bring peace. This resulted in the host-
community and County government leaders bringing the refugee communities to a roundtable
to end the conflict and normal medical services resumed. I learnt that taking a step as a leader in
times of difficulties, and involving stakeholders brings success.

15. E.g. (2)
In 2021, I worked as Ministry of Health (MOH) as HIV/TB Field Officer in Western Equatoria
State, South Sudan. We were seven field officers in the region with various competence levels
under a single supervisor based in Juba. To improve our performances, I created a WhatsApp
group for our interactions as colleagues, sharing of experiences, and providing peer-mentorship
to each other. Through these interactions, I initiated monthly meetings on Zoom for experience
sharing and learning, took notes of such meetings, and shared with our supervisor in Juba who
dearly appreciated my leadership role among my peers. Through this team mobilization, I
spearheaded the resumption of the State HIV/TB Technical Working Group (TWG) monthly
meetings and strengthened the State Ministry of Health’s supervision of the HIV program. This
resulted in a 5% state program growth through stronger facility staff mentorship and
supervision of the implementing partner.

16. Relationship-building and Shared
Learning (aka Networking) Essay
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. (minimum word count: 100 words; maximum word
count: 500 words)
 Strong professional relationship-building skills
 Engage community and influence and lead others – Chevening alumni community = > 55,000!!
 How you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity
 Clear examples of how you currently do this
 How you hope to use these skills in the future
 STAR Method – measurable results!

17. E.g. (1)
In 2017, at Kiryandongo District Hospital, I identified lack of glucometers on
the ward as a challenge to emergency care of patients, such as the
unconscious and those with diabetic emergencies. To celebrate the 60th
Leos Day on December 5, 2017, I mobilized five Leo Club members to raise
funds from the local community, the Local Council V Chairperson, and the
Resident District Commissioner, to buy four glucometers and ten packets of
strips. We delivered these glucometers, one each to the Medical, Surgical,
Paediatric, and Maternity Wards of the hospital, in a ceremony graced by
the District Police Commander. For these and other achievements, I was
presented the Distinguished Service Award (2017).

18. E.g. (2)
At Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH), HIV testing often faces a challenge of staff going on strike
because of non-payment of their incentives by supporting partners. In September 2022, the
government staff went on strike because their incentive that used to be paid by Cordaid, a Global
Fund (GF) implementing partner supporting TB services at JTH, was removed. Since the Center for
International Programs (ICAP) supports the HIV program at JTH, and HIV testing services (HTS) fall
in my portfolio at ICAP, I had to intervene. In October, I escalated this matter to our ICAP top
management and the Director of HIV/TB, Hepatitis and STIs at the MOH. Through the Director, a
meeting was organized between ICAP, Cordaid, the JTH staff, and the MOH to address the staff
grievances. Clear explanation of the issue of incentives was given by the MOH leadership to the
staff, and that it was to be discussed at the donors’ level – GF for Cordaid and PEPFAR for ICAP.
The JTH staff understood the matter and resumed offering HTS while the donors continue their
high-level engagements on the matter. This intervention resulted in service continuity and prompt
data reporting.

19. Studying in the UK Essay
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 enter new information
and examples here and not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and
education section of this form (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)
 Why the three courses/universities?
 Relationship with your previous academic or professional experience?
 Relationship with you future plans?
 New information!!
Personal tip: Consider same/similar course in three different varsities; talk of the faculty; course
modules/publications; alumni networking; employability, etc.; tie them to your experience/future
plans. More details on your first choice, and lesser down the ranks. Don’t forget to “praise” UK
education quality over other countries’. Where possible, quantify the benefits of studying in the
UK!

20. E.g. (1)
At Imperial College London, studying Epidemiology under the guidance of renowned researchers, Dr
Amanda Cross and Dr Filippos Filippidis, promises a fulfilling learning experience as they teach the
Principles and Methods of Epidemiology core module. Dr Amanda’s research work on cancer
epidemiology is remarkable, considering the increasing cancer trends in the world. On the other hand,
Dr Filippos’ works in social and economic determinants of health, health services and health-related
behaviors, have a direct relationship with the health situation in South Sudan, a country grappling with
basic public health challenges mostly due to low socio-economic status or related to behavior and deep-
rooted cultures. The optional courses, Outbreaks and Emerging and Neglected Tropical Diseases, will
give me handy knowledge and skills for growing my epidemiologist career in South Sudan where many
outbreaks and tropical diseases are found. The various learning methods, including tutorials, group work
sessions, seminars and practicals, will provide knowledge sharing and network building among students.
Assessment through articles and case study reviews, reports and paper reviews, and mini research
project, will build me into a refined epidemiologist that will help save lives beyond the borders of South
Sudan.

21. E.g. (2)
Studying a Master of Science in Global Health Science and Epidemiology at University
of Oxford presents me with a world-class mentorship by renowned faculty members
such as Dr. Jane Armitage, a professor of Clinical Trials and Epidemiology with vast
experience in studying cardiovascular diseases, alongside Dr Colin Baigent who is well-
known for his studies on renal diseases.
Finally, graduating from any of these universities will guarantee my ability to contribute
to improving and safeguarding the health of the communities. Additionally,
involvement in the many Chevening and University co-curricular activities will help me
learn different cultures, expand my networks, and enable me to build a pool of
expertise that will contribute to improving the public health system in my country.

22. Career Plan Essay
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. (minimum word count: 100 words,
maximum word count: 500 words)
 A clear post-study career plan
 Immediate career goals – low hanging fruits!
 Mid/long-term career goals
 Relationship with UK government activities in your country?
 How will you put knowledge/skills/experience from UK to use?
 Relationship with the SDGs?
 Consistency!!!
 SMART!!!

23. E.g. (1)
Upon my return to South Sudan, for the short term, I will serve in the South Sudan Ministry of
Health (MOH), at the Directorate of Policy, Planning, Budget, and Research. My goal in six
months is to strengthen the directorate through updating its policies and tools on research, and
capacity-build the Ethics and Research Board (ERB) through on-site mentorship on
epidemiological and other studies. I will also learn a lot from the directorate on how the
government operates. On achieving my goal, I will use my prestigious Chevening Alumnus tag
and other professional networks created to collaborate with large international health initiatives
and leverage their expertise, finances and logistical outreach to extend health services and
awareness to hard to reach parts of my country. I will serve the country in such a position for at
least three – five years. While doing so, I will also rejoin my research colleagues and contribute
my knowledge and expertise to building a formidable research institution. This institution will
provide excellent and affordable research training for interested local researchers, and
contribute to filling the information gap on communicable and non-communicable diseases in
South Sudan through publications. I will author and co-author research papers with select teams
and tutor at the Research and Epidemiology research institute.

24. E.g. (2)
The long-term plan, is that, in 10 years, the training institute will own a teaching
hospital which will provide excellent and cost-effective health services as well as
internship for medical graduates from the national universities. The management
of this institute will be independent of its founders. I would have returned to
government work then, to continue mentorship and influence better health
policy-making for the vulnerable population specially women and children.
Therefore, my post-study career plan prioritizes evidence-informed policy-making
through research and HRH development in South Sudan. Through this plan, and
continuous partnership with Chevening Alumni, and other networks, I hope the
improve the public health outlook in the South Sudan.

25. General Tips
 Be original – do not plagiarize! Correct English grammar is important!
 Give the application its due diligence – allow no room for errors!
 First research widely before applying – research on Chevening, the course you want to
study, the university you want to study at, life in the UK, UK Government projects in your
country, etc. – demonstrate wide knowledge!
 Select three different courses from one university or the same/similar course in three
different universities
 Stick to the word counts
 Use as different examples as possible, avoid repetitions
 After submitting your Chevening Scholarship application, apply to as many
universities/courses as possible to improve chances of offer of admission.
 Watch YouTube videos! A lot of them on how to write your essays best.
Remember the 5Ps: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance! Plan Properly!

26. Important Resources/Links – use them!
 FAQs (for different audiences, including applicants) -
https://www.chevening.org/faqs/?chevening_audience=applicants
 The Scholarships (eligibility, timelines, guidance, etc.) -
https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/
 Eligibility for Chevening Fellowship – https://www.chevening.org/fellowships/who-can-apply/
 Applying (choose country and appropriate award (scholarship or fellowship), etc.) -
https://www.chevening.org/apply/
 Reference guide - https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/guidance/references/
 Chevening 2022 Report - https://www.chevening.org/wp-
content/uploads/2022/12/Chevening-Annual-Report-2022.pdf
 Common application errors - https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/guidance/common-
errors/

27. My offer for you….
Is to review essays of the first 20 applicants
to send me theirs!
Please send via my email in the chatbox….

28. Thanks for Listening!
 Additions/comments from Cheveners
 Questions from audience
 Over to EFSS!
 Best of luck with your application for 2024/5!!