Chevening vs Commonwealth Scholarship: Which Suits You?

Chevening and the Commonwealth Master's Scholarship both pay for a one-year master's in the UK, but they look for different people. Chevening wants professionals with at least two years of work experience and leadership potential. Commonwealth, for Pakistanis, goes through HEC, asks for a HAT score and a first-division degree, and is meant for talented people who could not afford UK study without it.

So the honest answer to "which is better?" is: the one you are eligible for and fit best. This guide puts the two side by side using the official rules for the current rounds, checked on 18 October 2026.

Where each round stands right now

Timing matters this week. The Chevening round for 2027-28 has closed, so if you missed it, your next chance is the 2028-29 round. Chevening's application timeline shows applications normally open in August and close in October.

The Commonwealth Master's Scholarships for 2027-28 are still open, but only just. The CSC Central portal closes at 16:00 UK time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, which is 8 pm in Pakistan. HEC's own online application for its nomination closes on the same day. You must apply on both. If you are reading this before the deadline and you hold a HAT score of 60 or more, see our Commonwealth Master's page and finish your application first. Come back to the comparison later.

Chevening vs Commonwealth at a glance

	Chevening	Commonwealth Master's (via HEC)
Who runs it	UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partners	Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC), with HEC as Pakistan's nominator
Level	One-year master's	One-year taught master's (a separate scheme funds PhDs)
Work experience	At least two years (2,800 hours) after your bachelor's	Not required by the CSC or HEC rules
Degree	A bachelor's that gets you into a UK master's, finished at least two years before the deadline	HEC: first-division bachelor's of 16 years. CSC: at least a 2:1 or equivalent
Test	None of its own	HAT score of 60 or more (HAT-I to HAT-IV, taken on or after 25 October 2024)
Financial need	Not a condition	You must be unable to afford UK study without it
Courses	Apply to three; you need an unconditional offer by 8 July 2027 (current round)	List three; the CSC makes the final placement
MBA	Allowed, but Chevening pays up to £22,000 of MBA tuition	MBAs not funded
After the course	Return to Pakistan for at least two years	Commit to return home; switching to a Graduate or other visa is not allowed
Age limit	None	None

Neither scheme sets an English test of its own. You still have to meet your university's English requirement, which is usually an IELTS or similar score, so plan for it. Our English test guide explains the options.

What each scholarship pays

Both are fully funded, but they publish their figures differently.

Commonwealth publishes its rates. A Commonwealth Master's Scholarship pays full tuition, an approved return airfare, a study travel grant and a monthly stipend of £1,712, or £2,000 at universities in the London area. Widowed, divorced or single-parent scholars can get a child allowance.

Chevening's terms and conditions list full tuition (except the £22,000 cap on MBAs), a monthly stipend that differs inside and outside London, arrival and departure allowances, economy return flights, the cost of one visa application, and up to £75 towards a TB test. The stipend amount is set each year and is not given in those terms, so we don't quote a figure.

Neither award pays for a spouse or children to come with you. If your family is planning around that, budget for it separately with our cost calculator.

Who fits Chevening better

Chevening is a leadership scholarship. Its essays and interview ask what you have done, who you know and what you will change when you return. It tends to suit you if:

You have been working for two years or more, in a job, your own business or substantial volunteering you can evidence.
You can point to times you led people or changed how something was done.
You want an MBA (with a plan for the fees above £22,000), or a course that is hard to link to development impact in Pakistan.
Your bachelor's grades are good but not first division, because Chevening has no HEC-style division rule.

You will need three course choices and, by the July offer deadline, an unconditional offer from at least one. Our Chevening essay samples show the kind of evidence that works.

Who fits Commonwealth better

Commonwealth is a development scholarship. The CSC selects on three things: your academic merit, the quality of your study plan and the impact it could have on Pakistan. It tends to suit you if:

You are a recent graduate with a first-division degree and not much work experience yet.
You are strong on tests and can score 60 or more on the HAT.
Your subject links clearly to a problem Pakistan faces, such as health, water, energy, governance or education.
Your family could not pay for a UK master's otherwise. This is a condition, not a nice extra.

Read our Commonwealth essay samples to see how to write the development impact sections, which carry real weight.

For a doctorate, only Commonwealth is an option of the two. Pakistanis apply for the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship through HEC too, with a first-division master's, MS or MPhil and the same HAT rule.

Can you apply for both?

Neither scheme's rules that we checked bar you from applying to both in the same year. But you cannot hold both. Chevening scholars must not accept other UK government funding during the award, and the CSC does not let you hold another award that covers the same costs.

There is a longer-term catch too. Chevening rules out anyone who has already studied in the UK on a UK government-funded scholarship, and the CSC rules out anyone who has already done a master's in the UK. So taking one now usually closes the other for good. If you are eligible for both, choose the one whose return rules, stipend and course options suit your plans.

The return rule is real

Both schemes expect you to come home. Chevening's terms say you must live in your home country for at least two years after the award, and that not doing so can mean repaying all the money you received. Both schemes say you may not switch to another UK visa when your course ends. If your plan is to stay and work in the UK on the Graduate route, neither scholarship is for you. A self-funded or university scholarship route may suit you better; see our Study in the UK guide.

A rough way to decide

Two or more years of work, leadership examples, any division: start with Chevening, and add Commonwealth if you also have a first division and HAT 60.
Fresh graduate, first division, HAT 60, real financial need: Commonwealth is your main route. Chevening opens to you after two years of work.
Want a PhD: Commonwealth PhD via HEC, plus university-funded PhDs.
Want an MBA: Chevening (with the fee cap) or the MBA scholarships we have rounded up.

Chevening interviews shortlisted candidates in March and April. If HEC calls you for a Commonwealth interview, the same preparation helps, so read our interview guide once you apply.

Your next step

If the Commonwealth deadline on 20 October 2026 is still ahead of you and you qualify, finish both the HEC and CSC Central applications today. If not, mark August 2027 for the next Chevening round and check our eligibility tool and deadline calendar for what you can apply to this winter.

Rules and dates change every round. Always confirm them on the official Chevening, CSC and HEC pages before you apply. The CSC charges no application fee, and you never need an agent for either scheme. Never pay anyone who offers to get you a place.