Chevening Eligibility Checker – Check Your 2,800-Hour Work Experience and Eligibility

Last Updated: October 2026
Written by LearnViaHub Editorial Team · Reviewed by Christian Chinonso

Quick Answer

Use the free checker below to find out whether you qualify for a Chevening Scholarship in about three minutes. It tests the main requirements — citizenship, the exclusions, the two-year gap since you graduated and the 2,800-hour work experience rule — and, if you are short on hours, it shows the date you could reach 2,800. Nothing you enter is sent to us.

You can apply only if all of these are true:

  • You are a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory.
  • You have at least 2,800 hours of work experience (roughly two years of full-time work) gained after finishing your undergraduate degree.
  • You finished your undergraduate studies at least two years before the application deadline.
  • You will return to your home country for at least two years after your scholarship ends.
  • None of Chevening’s exclusions apply to you, such as holding British or dual British citizenship or living in the UK when you apply.

📅 Timing note (October 2026): Chevening’s 2027–28 application round closed on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC. You can still use the checker now to see whether you will be ready for the next round. Enter your deadline when Chevening publishes it on your country page.

👉 Start with the checker below, then use the sections underneath to understand your result.

✅ Free Chevening Eligibility Checker

Chevening eligibility checker

Check the main Chevening Scholarship requirements and track your 2,800 work hours. Your entries stay in this browser.

1. Eligibility questions

2. Dates

The finish date counts even if you have not received your certificate yet. Deadlines are set per country, at 11:00 UTC. Copy yours from your country page at chevening.org/apply.

3. Work experience

Only work done after you finished your undergraduate studies counts. Full-time, part-time, voluntary work and paid or unpaid internships all count. You can enter up to 15 periods. Do not enter the same work twice.

Chevening describes a typical working year as 40 to 50 weeks, so the tool does not count all 52. Lower this number if you took unpaid leave or worked seasonally.

    Also required, but not checked here

    • Your country or territory has an open Chevening award, and you apply from your country of citizenship.
    • If you apply for an award from an ODA-eligible country, you live in an ODA-eligible country.
    • You apply to three different, eligible UK courses and get at least one unconditional offer by Chevening's offer deadline.
    • You complete the application in English and submit your own original work.

    Unofficial tool. It is not run by Chevening or the UK Government, and it cannot confirm that you are eligible. Chevening makes the final decision. Rules last checked against chevening.org on . Read the official eligibility criteria and take Chevening's own eligibility quiz before you apply.

    🧭 How to Use This Chevening Eligibility Checker

    The checker works through your answers in the order below. Here is what each field does:

    1. Eligibility questions: Answer all eight yes or no questions. They cover your citizenship, the exclusions Chevening lists, your two-year return commitment and whether your degree qualifies you for a UK master’s programme.
    2. Graduation date: Enter the date you finished your undergraduate studies. This date counts even if you have not received your certificate yet. Work you did before it is ignored, because only post-graduation work counts.
    3. Application deadline: Copy your deadline from your country page at chevening.org/apply. Deadlines are set per country and close at 11:00 UTC. The tool does not guess it for you.
    4. Weeks you work in a typical year: This starts at 50. Chevening describes a working year as 40 to 50 weeks, so the tool does not count all 52. Lower the number if you took unpaid leave or worked seasonally.
    5. Work periods: For each job, volunteering role or internship, enter the start date, the end date (or tick “Still doing this work”) and your hours per week. You can add up to 15 periods.

    Your answers update the result instantly. Everything is saved only in your own browser so you can come back and update it. Use Clear everything to delete it.

    📊 Understanding Your Results

    The result box gives you a verdict, a progress bar and a list of what is met and what is missing.

    A requirement is not met (red): one of your answers rules you out, such as holding British citizenship. The list underneath tells you which requirement and whether Chevening makes an exception.
    Not there yet (amber): nothing rules you out, but something is missing. This is usually unanswered questions, a missing deadline, fewer than 2,800 hours or a graduation gap shorter than two years.
    You appear to meet the requirements checked here (green): every check in the tool passes. This is not a guarantee. Chevening makes the final decision.

    Your hours and projected date: the progress bar shows how many of your 2,800 hours are counted so far. If you are still doing a job, the tool also estimates the date you reach 2,800 if you keep your current hours. Treat that date as a plan, not a promise: only hours you have actually worked by the time you submit are safe to count.

    What the Checker Tests What It Means
    Citizenship and exclusions Eight questions based on Chevening’s published eligibility criteria.
    Two-year gap You must have finished your undergraduate studies at least two years before the deadline.
    2,800 hours Weeks worked multiplied by hours per week, counted only after graduation. The tool uses whole weeks and your weeks-per-year setting.
    Overlaps and long weeks A warning appears if work periods overlap or an entry goes above 60 hours a week, because Chevening lists duplicate entries and unrealistic hours as common errors.

    🧮 Three Examples, Worked Out

    These are illustrations, not real applicants. They show how the hours add up under Chevening’s weeks-times-hours method.

    1. Full-time from the start

    Someone working 40 hours a week needs 70 weeks to reach 2,800 hours (40 × 70). That is roughly 16 to 17 months of full-time work after graduating, once holidays are allowed for.

    2. Part-time, then full-time

    A graduate works 20 hours a week for 60 weeks (1,200 hours), then moves to 35 hours a week for 46 weeks (1,610 hours). The total is 2,810 hours, just over the line.

    3. The pre-graduation trap

    Amara worked 25 hours a week for 120 weeks, which is 3,000 hours. But 60 of those weeks were before she finished her degree. Only the other 60 weeks count: 60 × 25 = 1,500 hours. She is 1,300 hours short, which is another 52 weeks at 25 hours a week.

    ⚖️ Two Tests, Not One

    Many applicants treat the 2,800 hours as the whole requirement. Chevening sets two separate tests, and you must pass both:

    1. At least 2,800 hours of work experience gained after your undergraduate degree.
    2. You finished your undergraduate studies at least two years before the application deadline.

    Someone who finished their studies 18 months before the deadline and worked full-time ever since could have about 3,100 hours and still fail the two-year test. The checker runs both tests and tells you which one is holding you back.

    🤔 Situations That Confuse Applicants

    • Your certificate has not arrived. Your finish date still counts. You will need the certificate by the time of your interview.
    • You are still in the job. You do not need to resign to apply. Chevening advises talking to your employer, because it is your responsibility to make sure they will release you if you are selected.
    • Hours you have not worked yet. The tool can estimate when you reach 2,800 hours if you keep your current schedule. Applications without the required experience are rejected, so do not rely on hours you have not yet worked.
    • Overlapping or repeated entries. Chevening lists entering the same work twice as a common error. If two roles ran at the same time, make sure each is separate work and your combined weekly hours are believable.
    • Unusual work arrangements. If your situation does not fit full-time work, part-time work, voluntary work or a paid or unpaid internship, check Chevening’s FAQs or contact them before relying on the result.

    🚫 What This Checker Does Not Check

    The checker covers citizenship, the exclusions, the two-year gap and your work hours. It does not check that your country has an open Chevening award, that you live in an eligible country if you apply for an ODA-eligible award, that you have chosen three different eligible UK courses and secured an unconditional offer by the offer deadline, or that your application is in English and your own original work.

    For a second opinion, take Chevening’s own eligibility quiz.

    ❓ Frequently Asked Questions

    Is this Chevening eligibility checker official?
    ▼
    No. It is not run by Chevening or the UK Government, and it cannot confirm that you are eligible. Chevening makes the final decision on every application.
    When is the next Chevening deadline?
    ▼
    As of October 2026, the 2027–28 round has closed (6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC) and the next round’s dates have not been published. Chevening publishes deadlines per country on its application pages, so check your country page at chevening.org/apply and enter that date in the checker.
    How accurate is the checker?
    ▼
    It is built from Chevening’s published eligibility, work experience and common errors pages, last checked on 7 October 2026. Chevening can change its rules between application cycles, so always confirm on chevening.org before you apply.
    Does volunteering count as work experience?
    ▼
    Yes. Chevening accepts full-time work, part-time work, voluntary work and paid or unpaid internships. All of it must be gained after you finish your undergraduate degree.
    Can I apply while I am still working?
    ▼
    Yes. You do not need to leave your job to apply. Chevening advises discussing your application with your employer, because it is your responsibility to make sure they will release you if you are selected.
    Can I apply if I already have a master’s degree?
    ▼
    Yes. Having a master’s degree does not stop you applying for a second master’s in the UK.
    Do I need an English test score?
    ▼
    Chevening does not require one, but you must complete the application in English, and strong English is needed for the interview and your UK university application.
    Does this tool save or send my information anywhere?
    ▼
    No. The calculations run in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Your entries are saved only in your own browser so you can return later. Use the Clear everything button to delete them.
    Is the checker free?
    ▼
    Yes. It is free, with no sign-up or account required.

    Related guides and tools:

    Disclaimer: This checker is an unofficial planning tool based on Chevening’s published pages as of 7 October 2026: eligibility criteria, work experience requirements, common application errors and application timeline. Eligibility rules, deadlines and application systems are subject to change, and the result is not advice or a guarantee of eligibility. Always verify the latest requirements on the official Chevening website and confirm your own country’s deadline on your country page before applying. LearnViaHub is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with Chevening, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office or the British Council.