BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

ONLINE applications for the Chevening Scholarships for 2016/2017 are now open to Bruneians.

Chevening Scholarships, which are funded by the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, are awarded to outstanding emerging leaders of a nation to pursue a one-year Master’s programme at any UK university.

According to information provided on the Chevening website, fees included as part of the scholarship are university tuition fees, monthly stipends, travel costs to and from the UK, arrival and departure allowances and the cost of one visa application.

Scholars will also receive a thesis grant, a grant for study materials, a study travel allowance and a travel grant to attend Chevening events in the UK.

All prospective scholars should be committed to returning to Brunei for a minimum of two years after their scholarship has ended.

Applicants must have at least two years’ work experience as well as an undergraduate degree that will enable entry into a postgraduate programme at a UK university (generally equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree).

Besides meeting Chevening English language requirements, all applicants must also apply to at least three different eligible UK university courses and have received an unconditional offer from one of them by July 14, 2016.

While information on the website stated that “applicants from Brunei can choose any course of study”, it also mentioned that applications are particularly welcome in business, economic diversification, entrepreneurship, energy, environment, sustainability, defence and security, disaster management, Islamic finance, contemporary Islamic studies, infrastructure development management and urban planning.

According to a previous news reports, over 40 Bruneians have been awarded the Chevening Scholarship to date. Applicants for scholarships can be made at www.chevening.org/apply until November 3, 2015.

The Brunei Times