The competition for Chevening scholarships is incredibly tight, as they enable outstanding emerging leaders from all over the world to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the United Kingdom (UK).
The call for scholarship applications, which is open in most African countries until November 5, 2024, offers a chance for prospective candidates to pursue fully-funded postgraduate studies at any UK university. Chevening scholars can focus on achieving their academic goals while enjoying the experience of a lifetime.
In this article, GEORGE TSITATI, who is currently a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, shares some top tips for writing a strong application to give you the best chance of success.
LEVERAGE THE STAR APPROACH
Chevening Essays are just one essay divided into four sub-sections.
One key aspect of writing the Essay is leveraging the STAR Approach.
- ⭐ Leadership and Influence Essay: Employ the STAR approach to vividly depict your leadership prowess. Start by describing the Situation – the context in which you exhibited leadership. Define the Task at hand and the challenge you faced. Then, delve into the Action you took, outlining your strategies, decisions, and the steps you executed. Finally, reveal the Result of your leadership – what changes occurred, how individuals were influenced, and the lasting impact of your actions. It is important to emphasise “I”; I did this, I reached out to, etc.….
- 🌟 Networking Essay: Leverage the STAR approach to showcase your proactive networking abilities. Begin with the Situation – the circumstances that necessitated networking. Define the Task you aimed to accomplish through networking. Then, detail the Action you undertook, illustrating how you started connections, built relationships, fostered collaborations and maintained contact. Conclude with the Result – the positive outcomes that emerged from your networking efforts, such as shared projects, insights gained, or mutual growth.
- 🌟 Studying in the UK Essay: Apply the STAR approach to explain your decision to study in the UK. Set the Situation by introducing your academic and career goals. Outline the Task of selecting a suitable study destination aligned with your aspirations. Describe the Action you took in choosing the UK and the thought process behind it. Lastly, highlight the Result of your decision – how studying in the UK will enhance your skills, provide unique opportunities, and contribute to your personal and professional growth.
- 🌟 Career Plan Essay: Use the STAR approach to outline your career ambitions and how the Chevening Scholarship fits your plans. Start with the Situation – your current career stage and goals. Define the Task of mapping out a clear career trajectory. Discuss the Action you’re taking by pursuing the scholarship, your chosen course, and your development strategy. Conclude with the Result – your envisioned impact on your home country’s development, stemming from your strengthened skills, expanded network, and enriched perspective.
Remember, the STAR approach adds structure and depth to your essays, making your leadership experiences more engaging and impactful for the reader.
SHOWCASE LEADERSHIP ABILITIES, EXPERIENCES, AND GOALS
𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐲 is an important part of your Chevening Scholarship application. It allows you to showcase your leadership abilities, experiences, and goals.
- 🌟 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Give specific examples of times when you’ve demonstrated leadership abilities. This could be from your professional, academic, or community experiences. Consider situations where you took the initiative, motivated others, and achieved positive outcomes.
- 🌟 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: Don’t just list your accomplishments. Weave them into a coherent and engaging story. Use storytelling techniques to make your essay more relatable and memorable.
- 🌟 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: Highlight the impact you’ve had as a leader. How did your actions contribute to positive change? If possible, use quantifiable outcomes. Discuss how your leadership aided the growth of a project, team, or community.
- 🌟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: Describe your leadership style and the qualities that make you an effective leader. Are you collaborative, decisive, empathetic, and innovative? Give specific examples to back up your claims.
- 🌟 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Demonstrate your understanding of global issues and your ability to think beyond local challenges. Discuss how your leadership ambitions extend beyond your immediate community to a global scale.
- Outline your short-term and long-term leadership goals. Explain how the Chevening Scholarship will help you achieve these goals.
- 🌟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬:Demonstrate how your leadership values align with Chevening’s core values, such as leadership, networking, and influencing.
- 🌟 𝐁𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞: Write in your own voice. Be genuine and sincere when sharing your experiences and goals. Avoid using clichés or making general statements.
- 🌟 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: Organise your essay in a logical and clear manner. Use paragraphs to separate different points. Use transitions to ensure a smooth flow of ideas.
- 🌟 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: Share your essay with mentors, teachers, or colleagues who can provide constructive feedback. They can assist you in identifying areas for improvement and ensuring that your essay effectively communicates your message.
- 🌟 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲: Allow yourself enough time to brainstorm, draft, revise, and polish your essay. Rushing through the process may result in a less impactful essay.
Remember that the Chevening Leadership essay allows the selection committee to get to know you better. Use it to demonstrate your leadership potential, passion for positive change, and commitment to contributing to your home country and the global community.
STRUCTURING A CHEVENING LEADERSHIP ESSAY
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
- ⭐ 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸: Begin with a question that prompts thought and immediately piques the reader’s interest. For example, “In a world of constant change, what does it truly mean to lead?” Is leadership static, or does it change with the times?”
- ⭐ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲: Provide a brief but informative context for the Chevening Scholarship, emphasising its critical role in developing the next generation of leaders. Explain that Chevening is more than just a scholarship; it is a transformative opportunity that equips individuals with exceptional leadership potential to drive positive change in their respective countries and globally.
𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆:
- ⭐ 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀: Identify and expand on specific leadership characteristics that define you. Discuss characteristics such as empathy, strategic thinking, and a collaborative mindset that distinguish you as a leader.
- ⭐ 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀: Give specific examples from your experiences demonstrating these characteristics. For example, describe an incident in which your empathy was critical in resolving a team conflict and quantify the positive outcomes. Present three distinct leadership roles you’ve held, emphasising an “I” mindset and quantifying your results using the STAR method:
- 📌 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Set the scene by describing the particular context or scenario where you took on a leadership role, highlighting its significance.
- 📌 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸: Describe the specific task or challenge you faced during your leadership experience, emphasising its significance.
- 📌𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Describe your steps to address the problem and your role in leading the effort. Explain your strategic decision-making procedure.
- 📌𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁: Calculate the impact of your leadership in this situation. Provide measurable metrics, such as team performance improvements or project success, to demonstrate how your leadership positively influenced the situation.
⭐ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Stress the importance of being a member of the Chevening community and participating in its events, workshops, and networking opportunities.
- 📌 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Express your intention to actively seek out and participate in other relevant leadership events, conferences, or initiatives besides Chevening events.
- 📌 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺: Explain how you intend to use your diverse experiences to improve your leadership skills and contribute to your home country. Explain how exposure to different cultures and perspectives will improve your cross-cultural understanding
- 📌 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀:Connect your participation in these events to your leadership goals and how they fit in with larger goals of affecting positive change in your community and globally.
CHEVENING NETWORKING ESSAY
⭐ 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Create a hook that emphasises what networking means to you. Effective networkers stand out as networking leaders because of their unique combination of empathy, strategic thinking, and a collaborative mindset, in addition to highlighting the important qualities of Effective Networkers.
⭐ 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆:
To demonstrate the effectiveness of these characteristics, describe three distinct networking experiences using the STAR method: Example:
- 📌 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: At a global industry conference, I met Mr. X, a well-known climatologist who works for company Z. I wanted to connect with someone to learn about the most recent industry trends and developments.
- 📌 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸: I introduced myself, admired his work, and exchanged contact information. I also expressed an interest in learning from his experiences.
- 📌 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: I stayed in touch with Mr X via email for the next few months. I not only thanked him for his time, but I also shared relevant articles and resources with him. I also went to webinars and conferences Mr X spoke.
- 📌 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁: This effort strengthened my relationship with Mr. X, who introduced me to Dr. Y, CEO of an XYZ company. Dr. Y later became a mentor and donated $xxx to a fundraiser I organised.
Repeat this structure for two more networking experiences, keeping them chronological to highlight your development and networking abilities.
⭐ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Effective networkers are more than just event attendees; they are leaders who model key networking traits.
📌 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Show that you are acutely aware of the enormous value of networking events. These events provide a unique opportunity to connect with fellow scholars and alumni from more than 50 countries, all of whom share a passion for positive change and leadership.
📌 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Emphasise your participation in Chevening’s Welcoming and Farewell events. These gatherings offer invaluable opportunities to establish and strengthen networking connections.
📌 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Besides Chevening events, mention that you will attend events hosted by your academic institution. These events will help you broaden your network and meet people from various backgrounds and fields of expertise.
📌 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Mention that you intend to join the esteemed ranks of Chevening alumni after completing your master’s degree. This step will allow you to contribute to your country’s agenda while establishing connections and partnerships to drive positive global change. Emphasise the importance of participation in the alumni network in shaping your country’s future and fostering meaningful collaborations.
For additional tips on how to help you polish up your Chevening scholarship application, read this article by Benon Herbert Oluka, a Chevening scholarship alumnus, in which he shares some useful tips that could help you polish up your application so it can compete favourably for what could be a life-changing opportunity.
REMINDER: The Chevening Alumni Association of Uganda will host a scholarship application webinar via Zoom on Wednesday, 9 October, 2024. To participate in the webinar, use ID: 965 7987 8464 and Passcode: 816013. For regular updates from the Association, follow them on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and YouTube.
