Chevening Scholarship Handbook

2013/14

Contents
Foreword 5 The Chevening Scholarships Secretariat 6

Administration 7 Data protection policy Placement procedure Pre-departure advice Travel to the United Kingdom Arrival in the United Kingdom 8 9 13 15 16

Accommodation 19 Studies 21 Allowances and stipends Scholar engagement Health and medical services Homeward travel Contact address 25 28 30 33 34

CHEVENING HANDBOOK

Foreword
Since 1984 the Foreign and Commonwealth Ofce has brought thousands of bright and ambitious scholars to the United Kingdom under the Chevening Scholarships programme to study at some of the worlds nest universities. Chevening is a programme in which we take great pride and allows the UK to help young men and women gain extra knowledge, an additional qualication, and more insight into the English language and British values. Competition for the prestige of being a Chevening Scholar is erce, with an average of 35 applicants for every Scholarship awarded. So receiving an award is a signicant achievement of which you should be proud. The Chevening programme will continue to provide the best possible UK educational opportunities for young people and professionals from overseas. And it will develop so that we build long-term relationships with alumni just as the best universities do. In a networked world we mean to sustain this unique and personal network and we hope that your time spent in the UK as a Chevening Scholar is but the beginning of your relationship with the United Kingdom and its people.

Rt Hon William Hague MP First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

CHEVENING HANDBOOK

The Chevening Scholarships Secretariat:

KEY CONTACTS

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Dr John Kirkland

SENIOR PROGRAMME OFFICER

Ms Nyssa Lee-Woolf nyssa.lee-woolf@chevening.org 0207 380 6766

SENIOR WELFARE AND IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Ms Laura Dyson laura.dyson@chevening.org 0207 380 6781

PROGRAMME OFFICERS
Mrs Ceri Waddington Ms Laura Bulmer Mr James Farren
Programme Officer TBC

ceri.waddington@chevening.org laura.bulmer@chevening.org james.farren@chevening.org

0207 380 6763 0207 380 6776 0207 380 6773

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

Ms Sarah Walker sarah.walker@chevening.org 0207 380 6790

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Ms Anna Phillips anna.phillips@chevening.org 0207 380 6739

*Correct as at 15 January 2013; you will be notied of any change

CHEVENING HANDBOOK

Administration
Chevening Scholarships are the UK governments global Scholarship programme. Established in 1983, these Scholarships support study at UK universities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Ofce (FCO) provides the majority of the funding for Chevening Scholarships, with contributions from universities and other partners both in the UK and overseas including governmental and private sector contributors. The FCO maintains oversight of the Chevening Scholarships programme but has delegated the day to day administration to the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat, housed at the address below. The Chevening Scholarships Secretariat is responsible for supporting Embassies and High Commissions throughout the selection and budgeting processes and supporting Scholars from the point of selection until the end of their award. The regulations in this handbook apply to all holders of Chevening Scholarships and supersede those in previous editions. All Scholars should therefore read this handbook, however long they may have held their Scholarships. Regulations may be changed without notice during the term of a Chevening Scholarship. This handbook explains the regulations for the administration of Chevening Scholarships in the United Kingdom. The handbook provides general guidelines only and is not exhaustive. You should always check specic details with your Programme Ofcer after consulting the handbook on general issues. Your award letter will detail any conditions applicable specically in your case.

FOR ALL MATTERS, YOU SHOULD REFER TO:

Your Programme Ofcer The Chevening Scholarships Secretariat c/o ACU Woburn House 2024 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9HF Telephone: +44 (0)20 7380 6700 Fax: Web: +44 (0)20 7387 2666 www.chevening.org

PROGRAMME OFFICER
Once the British Embassy or High Commission has provided details of their provisional selections to the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat, the Secretariat will inform you of the name and contact details of your Programme Ofcer. Your Programme Ofcer will be your main point of contact both prior to your departure and throughout your time in the UK. Your Programme Ofcer is responsible for assisting with your placement at a university and progressing your Scholarship from provisional selection to conrmation.

Please note that this handbook is intended as a general guide for all Scholarships. While the majority will also apply to short courses and Fellowships, you should always contact your Programme Ofcer if in doubt.

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Data protection policy

The United Kingdom Data Protection Act 1998 governs the use (or processing) of personal data held on an individual by an organisation and it states that the rules of good information handling (the data protection principles) must be observed. These principles state that information held about you will be: fairly and lawfully processed; processed only for the purpose of your award administration; adequate, relevant and not excessive; accurate; not kept longer than necessary; processed in accordance with your rights; secure; and not transferred to any third party without your permission nor without adequate protection. The FCO is the Data Controller for your award and is declaring its intention to handle all information you provide according to the Data Protection Principles stated above. The FCO has asked the ACU, which hosts the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat, to act as Data Processor and to manage this information on its behalf under the terms of our contract with you; the ACU will also abide by the Data Protection Principles. In order for the ACU to administer your award effectively and efciently, it will be necessary for your details to be kept on le. We will require you to indicate on your award acceptance form whether you consent to provide information to the FCO and whether you consent to the ACU handling this information on their behalf. The FCO wishes to encourage contact between award holders but, in accordance with the above principles, is obliged to seek your permission before passing any information about you to another party. You are therefore asked to tick the boxes on your award acceptance form (please see later section) as appropriate (note: no information will be passed on to any other individual until your award is conrmed).

SHARING YOUR DATA WITH THE FCO AND THE SECRETARIAT

There are several reasons why we would need access to, and the ability to share, your personal data throughout your Scholarship. In giving us permission to share your details with universities, we are better able to administer your award effectively. This information is restricted to only that which is necessary, please be assured that sensitive information would never be shared without your consent. By giving us permission to share your details with other Chevening Scholars we are able to ensure that you have access to the best networking and engagement opportunities we can offer while you are in the UK, allowing you to forge connections you will keep beyond your Scholarship. By allowing us to retain your details on record after your Scholarship has ended, we are able to keep in contact with you so you can continue to engage with the future of Chevening Scholarships; be invited to Chevening networking events; and receive updates on the experiences of Chevening Scholars from your year of study and future Chevening Scholars.

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Placement procedure
Stage one
Once the British Embassy or High Commission has conrmed your provisional selection, your application will be passed to the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat. You will then be allocated a Programme Ofcer who will be looking after all Chevening Scholars at your proposed university. You will receive a next steps letter which will contain your Programme Ofcers contact details. It will also ask for conrmation of your rst choice university and degree. As long as you are successful with your application to your rst choice university, this Programme Ofcer will remain your primary point of contact at the Secretariat until the end of your award. If your rst choice placement is unsuccessful then your Programme Ofcer may change. The next steps letter will be accompanied by the following documentation: Checklist: the next steps and documents you will need to provide. Chevening Scholarship handbook (the regulations for Chevening Scholarships). Medical form. Note for provisionally selected Chevening Scholars. Note on English language requirements. Outline of the process between now and the confirmation of your Scholarship. Frequently asked questions. All the necessary documentation must be returned before proceeding to the next stage. rules and

DOCUMENTATION TO RETURN
Medical form Evidence of meeting English language requirement Copy of photo page of your passport Copy of your degree certificates Copy of your university offer letter

COURSE CHANGES
If you are applying to study for a Masters course, it is assumed that you have researched both universities and courses thoroughly and have identied three universities and courses, which you should have listed in order of preference on your application form. The Secretariat will proceed with the administration for your rst choice university and course. You will not be able to change your rst choice unless you are declined by the university; another choice is indicated by the Embassy/ High Commission during selection; or there is some other unforeseen circumstance, such as the course being cancelled for your year. If you are not accepted by your rst choice university, you will be expected to accept your second or third choice in that order. The only exception will be if the Chevening Scholarships interview panel decide to offer you a Scholarship that is contingent on acceptance at a particular university (which may or may not be one of your preferred choices). Different arrangements will apply for short courses which may be advertised in certain countries as these are normally for study at a particular university. If you have already received an offer (either unconditional or conditional) from your rst choice institution, or received conrmation of a rejection, please forward it to your Programme Ofcer without delay. An offer can be treated as unconditional if the only condition outstanding is nancial.

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WHEN DOES YOUR PROGRAMME OFFICER CONTACT YOUR FIRST CHOICE UNIVERSITY?
When the next steps letter is sent to you, your Programme Ofcer will also send a placement form to your rst choice university. The placement form will ask the university to conrm dates, fees, contact details, and all other requirements and arrangements for your course.

Your notication of award will contain the following information:

OUTSTANDING CONDITIONS
In order to progress the administration of your Scholarship as quickly as possible your Programme Ofcer will need to receive ALL of the outstanding documentation before the FCO can conrm your award. All of the outstanding conditions will be listed in the notication of award and may include any or all of the following: Medical form - This must be signed and have a photograph afxed and will be approved by the Chevening Medical Ofcer. This information will be kept completely condential. Copy of your passport - This is required to enable us to give you accurate advice when you are applying for your visa. Copy of your degree certicates. Copy of the client care letter. Unconditional offer from the university. Original or certified copies of your degree transcripts. Signed acceptance form (attached to your offer letter). This list is not exhaustive. Please note that the cost of sending any documents to the Secretariat via post or courier cannot be reimbursed to you.

Stage two
As soon as the placement form has been returned to the Secretariat by the university, your Programme Ofcer will draft your notication of award letter (NOA). Your NOA is not an offer of Scholarship but will lay out the nancial, administrative and academic arrangements for your award. This letter will be split into four parts: 1. A covering letter conrming your university and course. 2. A notication of award setting out all the details of your course and Scholarship as well as outstanding conditions. 3. An acceptance form, which also includes a data protection statement, which should be signed and returned to your Programme Ofcer as soon as possible. 4. The terms and conditions of a Chevening Scholarship. If there is any part of your NOA you are unsure about or wish to clarify, please contact your Programme Ofcer as soon as possible. Please note that your NOA cannot be drafted until you have provided proof that you have met the Chevening English language requirement to your Programme Ofcer.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
Your NOA will outline the nancial arrangements for your Scholarship. You may be entitled to certain allowances and a monthly stipend from which you are expected to meet your day to day living expenses. More details on funding and allowances are contained in later sections. You will need this information in order to complete Part 6 of the Appendix 8 form required for your Tier 4 visa application.

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Copies of your NOA will also be sent to the British Embassy or High Commission in your home country as well as to your university.

BEFORE ARRIVAL IN THE UK

You may incur certain expenditure when applying for your Scholarship and making arrangements to come to the UK. Application fees, medical and English language testing fees are NOT covered by your Scholarship and cannot be reimbursed to you.

CLIENT CARE LETTER

You will also be sent a client care letter. This contains details of the immigration advice service offered by the Secretariat. You MUST sign and return this to the Secretariat in order to receive assistance with visa and immigration queries. This authorises the Secretariat to give you visa advice: it is a legal requirement. The Secretariat will be unable to give advice unless this is received. This form can be returned to your Programme Ofcer by email. No visa advice can be given to you unless this form has been returned.

COURSE DEPOSITS
In certain circumstances universities will request a course deposit to secure your place. You should not make any payment before contacting your Programme Ofcer. In most cases, once you have provided the university with conrmation of nances (your notication of award should sufce), they will waive the deposit. However, if this is not the case the payment of the deposit can be arranged on your behalf in certain circumstances. Where your award is fully funded (i.e. you have not been asked to make a contribution to the fees) your Programme Ofcer can arrange to make this payment on your behalf. Please contact them for further information. Where you are contributing part of the tuition fee, the Secretariat is unable to make this payment for you. In this case, you should make the payment and obtain written conrmation from the university that they will offset this amount against the proportion of the tuition fee you have to pay. You should let your Programme Ofcer know about this so that they can follow up with the university for you if necessary.

Stage three
FINAL AWARD LETTER
Once you have fullled all outstanding conditions, you will be sent a nal award letter by the British Embassy or High Commission in your home country. You should retain some copies of this document as you may need one for visa purposes (as evidence that you meet the nancial requirements for entry clearance) and one to keep with you when travelling to the UK and to show your university at registration (you may also need to scan and email a copy to your university in order to get a CAS see below).

CAS
Once you have your award letter you may apply for your CAS from the university from which you received your unconditional offer. You need this to apply for your entry clearance (visa).

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SUMMARY
STAGE ONE: Provisional selection letter sent by Embassy Next steps letter sent by Secretariat Placement form sent to university Scholar to send documents listed in next steps checklist

STAGE TWO: University offer letter/placement form sent to Programme Ofcer NOA sent to Scholar Client care letter sent to Scholar Acceptance form returned by Scholar, all other outstanding conditions fullled

STAGE THREE: Final award letter sent by FCO Scholar may apply for CAS Scholar may apply for visa upon receipt of CAS and final award letter

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Pre-departure advice
The Chevening Scholarships Secretariat will provide detailed pre-departure advice to ensure that the transition from your home country to the UK is as easy as possible for you. The pre-departure advice is held on a USB stick, which you receive from your Embassy or High Commission. They normally give you the USB stick either at the pre-departure event or they will ask you to pick it up from the Embassy or High Commission. Embassies and High Commissions with a larger number of Scholars normally hold a pre-departure brieng event, whereas those with a smaller number of Scholars may host a more informal event. This information is also available from our website at the following link: www.chevening.org/current_scholars. To apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa, you will need: Your original passport, a passport size photograph, the Chevening Scholarship award letter, a CAS from your university (which you will need to ll in Appendix 8), original proof of all qualications stated on the CAS, a completed VAF9 Tier 4 application and a completed Appendix 8 form (available from: www.ukba. homeofce.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/ visas/vaf9-app81.pdf). Depending on your circumstances, you may need other documents and translations so you will need to check the guidance at: www.ukba.homeofce.gov.uk/ sitecontent/documents/out-of-country/documentst4-gen.pdf. Some courses have special restrictions that apply and need what is known as an ATAS clearance. If you want to nd out whether ATAS clearance is required for your course, please contact your university. To nd out more about ATAS, please see: www.fco.gov.uk/en/aboutus/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/atas/. In accordance with UKBA guidance, the Secretariat recommends that you also submit the medical clearance form you used for your Chevening Scholarship. As a Chevening Scholar, you can get your Tier 4 (General) student visa issued for free. At the start of the online VAF9 application form (at www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/ApplyNow. aspx) in the visa type drop down box you should select Tier 4 (Scholarship) student. This will ensure that you are not required to provide payment in order to continue with your application. You may need to pay for postage and other additional fees associated with your visa application. Please note that these cannot normally be covered by your Scholarship.

VISA INFORMATION
Unless you have existing permission to study in the UK (about which you must inform your Programme Ofcer and your Embassy or High Commission) you will need to apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa. If you have been instructed to apply for another visa type (such as Tier 5 or Student Visitor Visa) please contact the Secretariat. These visas are normally reserved for those undertaking short courses or Fellowships. To nd out how to apply for a visa from your country, please select your country from the list on the UKBA website at: www.ukba.homeofce.gov.uk/countries/ Your countrys page will tell you if tuberculosis screening is required as part of your visa application, about booking a biometrics appointment, and also give an indication of recent visa processing times. If you contact your Embassy or High Commission, they will be able to tell you if they have additional arrangements for Chevening Scholars regarding the visa application process.

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Before you apply for your visa, take two photocopies of all of your original supporting documents; one copy to submit with your application and original supporting documents (to ensure that the original supporting documents are returned to you), and one copy for your own records. If you have any questions about applying for your visa, you can contact Laura Dyson (the Senior Welfare and Immigration Ofcer) provided that you have signed and returned your client care letter.

Please note that only one visa application will be paid for on your behalf. The FCO strongly advises you not to bring dependents to the UK. If you propose to bring dependents then you will need to arrange and pay for their visas yourself.

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Travel to the United Kingdom

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Where your award covers travel costs, there is an arrangement in place with STA Travel. This is the travel agent nominated by the Secretariat. Upon receiving your award letter your Programme Ofcer will provide you with the procedure for booking ights and the contact details for this agent. STA Travel will then arrange your ight and invoice the Secretariat directly so you do not have to make a payment yourself. The agent will arrange your travel within the following guidelines: Single economy class fare; nearest airport in your home country to nearest airport to your UK university; most economical flight available with reputable airline; to arrive no earlier than one month before your course start date. Scholars should note that the above guidelines mean that it will not always be possible for the agency to procure a direct ight. Please note that your Chevening Scholarship will not agree to any stopovers en route to the UK. Where you decide to cancel or change a ight, you will be responsible for meeting the associated costs. You will not be able to purchase a return ight unless you are unable to enter the UK otherwise. In this instance you should contact your Programme Ofcer as soon as possible and they can provide the appropriate authorisation to the travel agent. If you must purchase a return ight for visa purposes, please contact your Programme Ofcer immediately for further instructions. Scholars must not make travel arrangements through any other agency. If you do so you should be aware that you may not be reimbursed for the full amount of the fare. In these circumstances you should contact your Programme Ofcer directly for further instructions.

TRAVEL EXPENSES
Scholars should expect to meet any baggage costs independently. Charges for excess baggage can be extremely high and you are advised to travel within airline limits where possible. You should check all charges, baggage allowances and carry on regulations with your airline prior to departure as these may be subject to change. Please note that the FCO and Chevening Scholarships Secretariat are unable to take responsibility for accidents that occur on the journey, or for any loss of luggage suffered. We strongly advise that you take out appropriate insurance to cover your travel to the UK.

DEPENDANTS FARES
The Secretariat will not reimburse you for the costs incurred in bringing your dependents to the UK. You may use this agent to book ights for dependents; however you must make the payment separately. You are reminded that the FCO strongly recommends that you do not bring your dependents with you on award.

IN FLIGHT COSTS
Costs such as accommodation during a layover or costs incurred in staying in a hotel the night before your ight will not normally be reimbursed to you.

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Arrival in the United Kingdom

DOCUMENTATION AND IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES
When travelling to the UK, the Secretariat recommends that you carry the following items in your hand luggage (in addition to your passport and visa) so that you can show them to UK immigration ofcers at the airport if necessary: Your Chevening Scholarship award letter; Your university unconditional offer letter; A print out of the CAS email from your university; Original proof of the entry qualifications stated on your CAS (and also your English language qualication); Your medical clearance report; Any other document used to apply for your UK visa (such as an ATAS certicate); Details of where you will be staying in the UK (such as emails from your university if you have applied for their accommodation); Contact details of somebody at your university and the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat. The ight attendant will give you a landing card before you land in the UK. It is very important that you complete it and keep it with your passport because you must hand it in at the airport. You are required to ll in details on the landing card which include your name, date of birth, gender, nationality, occupation, contact address in the UK and your signature. For information about landing cards, please see: www.ukba. homeoffice.gov.uk/customs-travel/Enteringtheuk/ arrivingatukborder/noteeaorswiss/. When you arrive in the UK and enter the airport, you will go through immigration control before you collect your luggage. There may be two separate queues; one for EU nationals and one for non-EU nationals so please ensure that you join the correct queue. You may be arriving in the UK at a very busy time of year which means that there are likely to be queues at immigration control. The UKBA aim to see people within 45 minutes but at peak times, the queues can be over an hour. When you reach an Immigration Control desk, you must show your valid passport, your valid visa and the landing card that you lled in during your ight so please make sure that you have the documents out ready. The Immigration Ofcer will scan your passport, and check your visa and landing card to make sure that you have permission to come to the UK. If you had a biometrics appointment as part of your visa application, your ngerprints may be scanned by an ofcer to verify that you are the same person who applied for the visa. The ofcer will take an electronic scan of your thumb and rst nger of your right hand and then check this against the ngerprints held on your visa. Your ngerprint scans taken at the border will only be held for two working days before they are destroyed. The ofcer may ask you for more information about what you will be doing in the UK. This is to satisfy them that you are a genuine student and that you can speak English to the required level. The ofcer will not give you a test but they may ask basic questions such as which university you will attend, what subject you will be studying and when you plan to leave the UK. Please do not panic if you are questioned, just answer the questions honestly and in English and be prepared to show documentary evidence (such as your unconditional offer letter, your Chevening Scholarship award letter and any other relevant documents that you have in your hand luggage) if necessary. If the ofcer wants further verication of your status in the UK, give them the contact details for your university because they are the sponsor for your Tier 4 visa. Once the ofcer has completed their checks, they will put a date stamp in your passport and you can proceed to collect your luggage. At large airports, there may be many luggage carousels so you will have to check (usually on screens) what number carousel the luggage for your ight is on. Look out for your luggage coming round on the carousel; hopefully you will be able to recognise yours easily.

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If any of your luggage does not arrive, you must notify a member of staff from the airline you travelled with at the airport. You will need to ll in a lost baggage form so that your luggage can be delivered to your address in the UK. If your accommodation in the UK has a staffed reception, remember to let them know that your luggage will be delivered there soon. The nal step to entering the UK is Customs control. There will usually be three channels green, red and blue. If you have travelled from a country outside the EU and have no banned or restricted goods and are carrying no more than the customs allowances stated on the UKBA website please go through the green channel. If you have goods to declare, you will need to go through the red channel. If you are carrying more than 10,000 euros (or equivalent amount in any other currency) worth of cash, bankers draft or cheque, you must declare it and ll in a form. If you do this, you will be given a copy of it which you must keep as proof that you made the declaration. You should only go down the blue channel if you came from an EU airport where you already went through customs control. Please be aware that customs ofcers carry out spot checks on travellers to check that the correct declarations are being made so it is vital that you are honest and go down the correct channel. Speak to one of the ofcers if you have any concerns. The UKBA have also published some information for students travelling to the UK on their website at: www.ukba. homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/ july/46-student-arrival. Please ensure that you do not bring any banned goods (or go over the limit for restricted goods) into the UK. For further information about what you can bring with you to the UK, please see: www.ukba.homeofce.gov.uk/customstravel/customs/.

Here are some other websites that you might nd helpful: For information from the UKBA about entering the UK please see: www.ukba.homeofce.gov.uk/customstravel/Enteringtheuk/ You can print a helpful UKBA booklet about entering the UK at: www.ukba.homeofce.gov.uk/sitecontent/ documents/travel-customs/your-stay-in-uk/ The UKBA have some tips for travelling to the UK at: www.ukba.homeofce.gov.uk/customs-travel/tips/

ARRIVAL EXPENSES
You should carry with you sufcient United Kingdom currency to meet the expenses arising immediately on arrival. A sum of 200 is normally sufcient.

REGISTERING WITH THE POLICE

You may be required to register with the police upon your arrival in the UK. There is a charge for registration and you should meet the cost from your arrival allowance.

ARRIVAL ALLOWANCE AND OTHER INITIAL PAYMENTS

Prior to your arrival in the UK you will have received a cashcard. If you have activated this before travelling to the UK an arrival allowance will have been charged to the card prior to your arrival in the UK. The following allowances and reimbursements will also be charged to your card: Living allowance (stipend) for the period up until 31 October 2013.

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If you have not informed your Programme Ofcer of the date you will be arriving in the UK you must do so as soon as you are able so that they can arrange for your arrival payments to be credited to your card.

Your Programme Ofcer will send you a BACS transfer authority form which you should complete and return to them as soon as possible. The form will ask for the following details: The name of the bank;

TRAVEL EXPENSES FROM THE AIRPORT TO YOUR PLACE OF RESIDENCE

Some universities offer meet and greet services for international students upon their arrival in the UK. You must check with your host university prior to departure as to whether this service is available for you. If a university is able to meet you at the airport, we strongly advise that you make use of this service as it is often offered gratis and will be the easiest way for you to get to your nal destination. Where this service is not offered and you are travelling to a different city to reach your place of residence, you are advised to travel by either coach or rail and should use your arrival allowance to meet these costs.

the account number; the sort code; your name as it appears on the bank account. Your living allowance and any reimbursements that you claim from the Secretariat will be paid directly into your UK bank account.

SCHOLARSHIP REGISTRATION
Towards the end of October you will be sent a Welcome Pack by your Programme Ofcer. This pack will contain the following documentation: Registration form - This form will ask for conrmation of your address and contact details while you are in the UK. It will also ask you to conrm the date you arrived in the UK and the date to which your visa has been granted. There will also be space on this form for you to indicate your course end date. You should return this form to your Programme Ofcer as soon as possible and keep them updated throughout the duration of your award with any changes in this information.

BANKING
In order to continue receiving allowances throughout the time of your award, you must open a UK bank account as soon as possible following your arrival to the UK. As it can take up to four weeks, if not longer, to open a bank account in the UK you should ensure that you have access to money to cover living expenses during this period by making nancial arrangements similar to those you might make if you were a tourist.

First Term Report Form This form should be returned to your Programme Ofcer in the January following the start of your award. It is an opportunity to draw anything to the attention of your Programme Ofcer or the FCO. This form can also be downloaded online from the Current Scholars section of the website. Events Information Sheet this will contain information about events coming up before Christmas.

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Accommodation
Before your arrival in the United Kingdom you should seek advice about accommodation from the Accommodation Ofcer at the university where you are to study. The predeparture information provided to you by the Secretariat is comprehensive and you should read this carefully when considering accommodation. The Secretariat is unable to provide assistance to Scholars in their search for accommodation; however we strongly advise that all Scholars take advantage of university/college housing whenever this is available. If you must, or choose to, take private accommodation, you should read any contract very carefully and not sign an agreement until you have had an opportunity to view the property. At collegiate universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, it is customary for the colleges to offer accommodation for a students rst year. However, this is often extremely competitive and you should make an application as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance of a place. In London-based universities it cannot be assumed that there will be sufcient places for all those seeking university accommodation, although the larger colleges or schools which have their own halls of residence do their best to satisfy the demand. You must reply without delay to all communications from universities regarding accommodation. If you accept university residential accommodation (e.g. college hall of residence or hostel), you will normally be required to remain there for one academic year.

MARRIED SCHOLARS
Please note that the FCO advises that you do not bring dependants to the UK. Accommodation may not be easy to nd in the UK and universities are not always able to provide university housing for married persons. A university will, however, usually help in the nding of accommodation and a married Scholar would be wise to write to seek assistance immediately following completion of placement procedures. It should be noted that, because of the general pressure on accommodation at universities, unmarried students might also have to live off-campus. In a number of university centres it is very difcult to nd child care facilities. If you think you may need them it is important for you to ask your host university as early as possible whether any facilities are available. Please be aware that childcare costs in the UK are very expensive. Before taking accommodation at any distance from your place of study you must establish that it is within any limits set by your university, and discuss with your supervisor any likely effects upon your attendance in your department. Please be aware that in some cities, such as London, where the public transport system is so efcient, it is not unreasonable for you to live further away from campus than you might in other cities. The Secretariat cannot act as guarantor for Scholars under any circumstances. You should immediately notify the Secretariat of any change of address, whether temporary or permanent.

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DEPOSITS AND SHORT-TERM LOANS

The Secretariat accommodation. cannot normally pay deposits for

year to allow you to meet the payment schedule. Your monthly stipend will then be adjusted accordingly to recover these payments. Such an arrangement will be viewed as a short-term loan. You will be asked to sign a short-term loan agreement with the Secretariat conrming that you agree to the new stipend schedule, as laid out in the agreement, and agree to have returned all prepayments before the last month of your stipend is due to be paid. Failure to ensure that the repayments are made by this time may result in your nal month of stipend being withheld.

SHORT-TERM LOAN AGREEMENTS

The Secretariat provides you with a monthly living allowance from which we would expect you to meet your costs of living, including your rent. However, some university and private residences will require payment of rent in three or four instalments. In this case the Secretariat can arrange for you to receive three or four pre-payments at the appropriate times in the

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Studies

TENURE OF AWARD

WITHDRAWAL FROM AWARD/TRANSFER OF Chevening will provide funding for the duration of your COURSE
studies as laid out in your nal award letter. Your Scholarship is tenable for no longer than one academic year but may terminate sooner in circumstances where your course is less than one year in length. Stipend payments will only be made for the duration of your course. You should provide your Programme Ofcer with your course end date as soon as this is available to you. Failure to inform your Programme Ofcer of this date may result in the immediate cessation of stipend and you having to repay any allowances to which you were previously entitled. It is a condition of your award that you return home after the completion of your studies and before your visa expires. Your Scholarship cannot be extended beyond 12 months.
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If you believe you are unable, for any reason, to pursue the course of study for which you have been selected, you must, without delay, inform the Secretariat of the circumstances. If any change of registration is proposed, you should apply to the Secretariat in writing for prior approval of the change. You should not assume that such permission will automatically be granted. Such applications should be sent to your Programme Ofcer who will arrange for your request to be considered by the FCO. Should you experience any difculties with arrangements for registration or supervision during your award, you must contact your Programme Ofcer or the Senior Welfare and Immigration Ofcer.

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Please note that university procedures and regulations are independent from those of the FCO and Secretariat and you must observe the regulations of the university in which you are placed.

REPORTS ON PROGRESS
You will be required to submit two reports throughout the duration of your Scholarship to the Secretariat.

Where your award includes an element of partnership funding this may also have to be taken into account as well. Should you nd yourself in such a situation, please contact your Programme Ofcer who will make you aware of the relevant policy and the documents you will need to submit. Please note that an application does not guarantee that an extension will be granted.

UNAVOIDABLE DEFERRAL OF AWARD

There may be certain specic circumstances which result in a deferral of your award until the following academic year. If you nd yourself in a situation where you wish to defer your award you should contact your Programme Ofcer as soon as possible. Please note that you should not assume that permission to defer will be granted.

FIRST TERM REPORT

This report should be submitted in January and you will be sent a reminder by your Programme Ofcer. This is an opportunity to bring to the attention of the FCO and your Programme Ofcer anything of note or concern that has occurred within your rst term.

DURATION AND TERMINATION OF AWARD ANNUAL REPORT

This report will be sent to you in June and should include a report on your work as well as feedback as to how you have enjoyed your time in the UK. This report is a further opportunity for you to alert the FCO and your Programme Ofcer to any achievements or any concerns that you have had. Your supervisor or tutor will also be asked to report on your progress. Although your Programme Ofcer will ask for these reports at xed times in the year, please do not hesitate to contact your Programme Ofcer with news or queries at any point during your award. In particular, news stories can be sent to the following address: news@chevening.org Your Scholarship will commence on the date stated on your award letter or on the date, if later, of your arrival in the UK. It will continue for the period specied in your letter or until the date, if earlier, when you complete or discontinue your studies. Your Scholarship may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, attendance, ill health or if it is discovered that any documentation you have submitted is fraudulent. If for any reason you are worried or have problems during your award, you can talk to or write to your Programme Ofcer at any time. Please be aware that waiting to tell your Programme Ofcer of difculties may limit the amount they can do to help you. Should you wish to talk to someone in condence about any issues you may have the details of our Senior Welfare Ofcer and Medical Ofcer are at the front of this handbook.

EXTENSIONS OF SCHOLARSHIPS
Chevening Scholarships may not be extended beyond 12 months unless there are exceptional circumstances. Exceptions will only be granted by the FCO if there are strong academic or welfare reasons to support this and are subject to the availability of funds.

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INTERNSHIPS AND EMPLOYMENT

The FCO expects you to study full-time throughout the tenure of your award. However, we are aware that your visa may make some allowance for you to undertake parttime paid work. Employment must normally be approved by the FCO and you are expected to inform your Programme Ofcer if you are considering this. Internships must normally have some relevance to the course of study being undertaken and should not impact upon your ability to meet your course requirements. You should apply to your Programme Ofcer for approval.

You should not assume that permission to travel will be granted. If approval is required, you must notify the Secretariat in advance of any trip you intend to make and provide contact details through which you can be reached in an emergency. You should ensure that your passport and visa are valid for a reasonable time period following your return to the UK and ensure that you take your award letter with you in case you are required to produce this on your return to the UK. If you wish to be absent from the UK for longer than the agreed period then you must secure permission from the FCO. You should make an application to your Programme Ofcer who will let you know what evidence you will need to provide and lodge the application with the FCO on your behalf. If permission is given by the Secretariat to exceed this limit, you will generally be subject to a loss of living allowance for that period. Please ensure that all applications are made well in advance of your trip; we are unable to guarantee administration of requests at short notice.

HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENT ON AWARD

Chevening Scholars must be registered at a UK-based university for the full tenure of their award. A Chevening Scholarship is intended to give you an opportunity to see as much as possible of the UK, meet its people and observe its universities. Chevening Scholarships are for study in the UK and we would normally expect you to remain in the UK for the duration of your award with the exception of any course related eldwork, which must be approved by FCO. You are expected to spend a large proportion of your vacation time in the UK and are not expected to be absent from the UK for non-course related reasons for more than 30 days throughout the duration of your award. This holiday should normally be taken within set university vacations. Visits requiring approval from the Secretariat: All academic visits overseas All non-academic visits longer than 14 days

ACADEMIC TRAVEL
You must alert your Programme Ofcer to any travel for academic purposes, which is a required part of your course, as soon as possible. Failure to notify your Programme Ofcer of this immediately may result in any subsequent request being refused. These requests will require a positive declaration from your supervisor or course tutor that such travel is a required element of your degree and that it will add substantial value to your studies. These requests will be considered by the FCO on a case by case basis and your Programme Ofcer will inform you of the procedure should you wish to make an application. Travel which is not essential to your course will not be funded.

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Where such a request is granted, standard provision for study travel requests will be: To maintain your monthly stipend for a period of up to one month, this will continue to be paid into your UK bank account on a monthly basis. You may claim your study travel grant (see next section) towards the costs of academic travel. The Secretariat will expect all other course related costs to be met from the tuition fee and you must keep your Programme Ofcer informed of any changes to your itinerary and conrm your return to the UK in writing.

GRADUATION
The FCO has no objection to you remaining in the UK for your graduation providing that your visa is already valid for this period. No visa extension will be funded and no allowances will be paid to you during this time. The FCO will not provide funding for you to re-enter the UK following the end of your award for the purpose of attending graduation.

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Allowances and stipends

OTHER AWARDS
A Chevening Scholarship may, in certain circumstances, be held concurrently with another Scholarship or award. If you are offered or hold funding from another Scholarship or award you must notify your Programme Ofcer immediately. The FCO reserves the right to reduce a Chevening award or withdraw a Scholarship in instances where Scholars are beneciaries of other signicant awards, prizes or earned income.

DATES OF PAYMENT
Your stipend will be paid into your account in advance, by the 21st of every month or, if this is a weekend, by the rst working day after that. It is likely that it will take a few days to reach your account and you may therefore wish to take this into account when setting up any direct debits. If you have not received a stipend payment due to you by the 1st of the month, you should contact your Programme Ofcer immediately, who will look into the matter on your behalf.

ARRIVAL ALLOWANCE
Your arrival allowance covers any expenses incurred on your arrival in the UK. You will receive this allowance on to your Travelex MasterCard cash passport.

ADVANCES OF STIPEND
Advances of stipend are not generally permitted on award. You receive a living allowance each month and are expected to manage your expenses accordingly. However, in exceptional situations an advance of stipend may be organised for you. Where you feel that you require an advance of stipend you should send a request to your Programme Ofcer. Advances will only be granted where there is justication on welfare grounds to do so and your Programme Ofcer will generally require notice of one week to put this in place for you. Your Programme Ofcer will ask for further information about your request to help them assess your need. Failing to provide this information will delay the process. Where a stipend advance is agreed, your Programme Ofcer will conrm this to you in writing. No more than three advances can be granted throughout the tenure of your award. Please note that your nal month of stipend may be withheld where you have not repaid any advances in stipend.

STIPEND (LIVING/MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE)

Your monthly living/maintenance allowance (called a stipend) will be higher where the place of study is within the London metropolitan area or where your university is a member of the University of London. Maintenance allowance is calculated to cover your own basic expenses only, such as accommodation, meals, personal expenses, daily travel and an element for books. Your stipend will begin from the start date of your course, or the date upon which you arrive in the UK (if later), and will end on the nal day of your studies. Your rst stipend payment will be made onto your cashcard. All following payments will be made directly into your UK bank account. You MUST open a bank account as soon as possible following your arrival in the UK.

SUSPENSION OF STIPEND
In some instances the Secretariat may suspend your stipend. Your stipend may be suspended when you are absent from the UK for longer than an agreed period. If you do not notify your Programme Ofcer of your return, it will be assumed that you are still out of the UK. Your stipend may also be stopped early where you elect to return home early and submit your dissertation from overseas.

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THESIS GRANT
You may also be entitled to receive a thesis allowance as a contribution towards the cost of producing a thesis/ dissertation in cases where such a document is required for your degree. The thesis grant is intended to help defray such costs as printing, copying, binding, etc. Where you are entitled to a thesis grant, this will be included in your award letter and the amount will be listed there. Where you are entitled to this allowance, it will be paid directly into your bank account with your April stipend payment at the end of March. This allowance cannot be advanced to you.

STUDY TRAVEL GRANT

You may apply for a grant to help meet the cost of expenses incurred during conference attendance or academic travel, either in the UK or overseas. A sum of 200 is available to you and you should note that no claim for expenses beyond this amount will be accepted. Applications for approval of a study travel grant should be submitted on a copy of the study travel grant form, available on the website. The form must be countersigned by your supervisor for UK travel, or accompanied by a letter of support from your supervisor for overseas travel. The forms should be submitted to your Programme Ofcer who will assess and authorise the sum payable, and will keep a record of your expenditure over the duration of your award.

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This grant is not payable automatically, and all applications should be made promptly and during the tenure of the Scholarship. Scholars may not request grants for study travel in respect of journeys to be undertaken following the expiry of the award.

APPROVAL OF TUITION AND EXAMINATION FEES

Approved fees will normally include fees for tuition, examination and use of a laboratory. All invoices should be made out to the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat and marked for the attention of your Programme Ofcer at the address below. Chevening Scholarships Secretariat c/o Association of Commonwealth Universities Woburn House 20-24 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9HF If you receive a request for these fees yourself, you should forward originals of the invoice to the Secretariat. You must pay the subscriptions to any university or college clubs that you join, including the Oxford and Cambridge Union Societies. Fees for accommodation, battels, or maintenance are also your own responsibility.

If you choose to live in a private accommodation with people who are not students, you may need to contribute towards council tax. You will need to discuss this with your landlord and other tenants in the property prior to moving in to ensure that you can afford it. You may be entitled to a discount of 25% on council tax for the property using the aforementioned council tax letter from your university. Please note that if you are eligible for council tax exemption or reduction, the Secretariat cannot provide any nancial contribution or reimbursement for council tax paid or owed. If you are not eligible for council tax exemption or reduction because you are a Fellow on a Tier 5 visa, please contact your Programme Ofcer for further instruction upon receipt of a bill. You must never ignore any bills you receive for council tax, even if you believe that the amount is incorrect or that you should not be paying the charge. If you are in any doubt, you must contact your local council immediately. You may nd the following information on Council Tax helpful: www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/council_tax. php

COUNCIL TAX
The council tax is an annual charge for the services provided by local councils. As a registered student it is possible that you may be exempt from paying council tax. You should contact your local council to see what proof they require. In most instances the university will produce a letter for you, which conrms that you are registered as a student on a full-time course, which you may then submit to the council.

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Scholar engagement

We would like to welcome you to the Chevening family and we encourage you as Scholars to make the most of your Chevening experience by getting involved with Chevening activities. There will be several Chevening events including formal events throughout the year for all Chevening Scholars. You will be invited to one of our formal Welcome Receptions following your arrival in the UK and a Farewell Reception in London at the end of your Scholarship. There will be other regional Chevening events that you will be invited to throughout the year, including the Topical Talks Series given by high-prole speakers, plus events organised by you, the Scholars! Your Student Engagement Ofcer will provide you with information about these events throughout your year in the UK. You should also check www.chevening.org and the 2013-14 Facebook Group for further updates.

Some travel costs incurred in attending these events will be reimbursable. These costs will be agreed for each event by the FCO. Normal procedure would be for you to complete a travel claim form and submit this along with your receipts to your Programme Ofcer, who will authorise the payment. Please remember that some events are oversubscribed and we will do our best to ensure that as many people as possible are given the chance to attend events throughout the year. If you conrm your attendance and for some reason nd that you are unable to attend, you should make every effort to inform your Student Engagement Ofcer and your Programme Ofcer prior to the event so that your place can be offered to another Scholar.

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You will also have the opportunity to attend non-Chevening events that may be organised by your university or clubs to which you belong. The FCO encourages you to attend these events and make the most of your time in the UK. However, further funding will not be granted for these events and any costs should be met from your stipend.

www.chevening.org/current_scholars/chevening_ scholar_network/social_media. Chevening 2013-14 Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/ cheveningscholars2013 Chevening Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ cheveningcommunity Ofcial Chevening Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/ofcialchevening Chevening Twitter: http://twitter.com/cheveningfco Chevening Community Ning site: http://chevening.ning.com Chevening LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Official-CheveningScholars-Alumni-group-3369583/about

CHEVENING NETWORKING
You will have lots of opportunities to network with your fellow Scholars at formal receptions and after Topical Talks. There will also be opportunities for you to organise your own events such as workshops, day trips to local areas of interest, visits to restaurants or sporting activities. If you are a keen networker, you can apply to become a Regional Chevening Ambassador. You will take responsibility for arranging some regional events and play a key role in your regional Chevening network to create opportunities for your fellow Scholars and to establish relationships which could shape your future! Please contact your Student Engagement Ofcer if you are interested in becoming a Regional Chevening Ambassador. We are always keen to receive your ideas on how to make your Chevening experience fantastic, so please do contact your Student Engagement Ofcer with your ideas. For further information on Scholar engagement, please visit: www.chevening.org/current_scholars.

ONLINE CHEVENING NETWORKS

New Scholars are invited to join our social networking sites as soon as their Scholarship is conrmed, allowing them to join the Chevening community and begin networking from the very start of their Chevening experience. There are groups on Facebook, Twitter, Ning and LinkedIn. The Chevening 2013-14 Facebook page is a platform for current Scholars to share information about Chevening. The Chevening Community site also enables current and former Chevening Scholars to interact online. You should make yourself aware and be mindful of the social media policy of both Chevening and your university when using these online platforms:

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Health and medical services

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE (NHS)
The National Health Service (NHS) provides emergency treatment to all. You will receive emergency medical attention similar to that which a UK resident receives under the NHS. Not all treatments are free of charge, for instance you will have to pay for emergency dental and optical treatment. Check the NHS website: www.nhs.uk for further information. NHS regulations vary slightly in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You are advised to check the relevant website: Scotland www.show.scot.nhs.uk Wales www.wales.nhs.uk Northern Ireland www.hscni.net Even if you are entitled to free NHS treatment while in the UK, we strongly recommend that you take out insurance which covers other medical-related and personal costs. One of the rst things you should do at your place of study is to register with a doctor. Ensure you choose an NHS doctor. At many universities there is a student health service on campus. The NHS runs a 24-hour, nurse-led telephone advice service free of charge called NHS Direct. It provides information on diagnosis and treatment of common conditions. NHS Direct can be contacted on 0845 4647, or you can visit the website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk. In Scotland call 08454 242424 or you can visit the website: www.nhs24.com. You may be eligible to be given medicines on the same basis as UK residents. This means that you will have to pay a sum (around 7.65 per item) towards the cost of prescription medicines, which you must meet from your stipend. There is no charge for prescriptions if you are based in Wales. Lists of doctors and dentists providing services under the NHS are available at public libraries, post ofces or from the NHS website. The rules governing access to the British National Health Service are complicated and are not the same for everyone. If you have any queries you can contact your university student health service or the Welfare and Immigration Ofcer. If your NHS doctor refers you to an NHS hospital for a consultation for a condition that has arisen during your stay in the UK, you should not be asked to pay any charges, other than for prescriptions. The cost of private consultation and treatment are not covered by Chevening Scholarships. This applies also to any treatment or hospitalisation that you decide to have done privately in order to have the operation or treatment carried out more quickly than can be arranged under the NHS.

DENTAL AND OPTICAL TREATMENT

If you are registered with an NHS doctor, you are entitled to the services of an NHS dentist, although you will have to make a contribution as dental treatment is never free. Non-emergency optical treatment (such as eye tests and prescriptions for spectacles and contact lenses) are not free either. You should use your monthly living allowance (stipend) to pay for any dental and optical treatment you have in the UK. Although you may be entitled to use the NHS dental service, please be aware that not all dental practices accept NHS patients and you may nd that registration with an NHS dentist is difcult. However your university may have a list of local dentists accepting NHS patients so please do check.

NOTIFICATION OF ILLNESS
If you fall ill for more than 14 days, please ensure that your Programme Ofcer or the Senior Welfare and Immigration Ofcer is informed as soon as possible. If you are away for more than 28 consecutive days you should arrange for a medical report to be sent as soon as practical to the Chevening Medical Adviser. The report should state when the illness began and contain details of the diagnosis and the management of the illness together with an estimate of the likelihood of recurrence of the illness during the remainder of the award (0-10%, 11-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 76-100%).
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You must also ensure that your university is aware of your illness to ensure that your absence does not affect your immigration status in the UK.

PAYMENTS WHILE IN HOSPITAL

If you are admitted to hospital you will receive maintenance allowance in full for the rst 14 days. After that, your maintenance allowance will cease and you will receive a special daily allowance for incidental expenses, including retention of lodging allowance, if applicable. If it is necessary for you to stay in hospital for more than 28 days, your allowances will be reviewed.

Where, because of illness or welfare issues, extra time is needed for you to complete your studies, the Chevening Medical Adviser and/or the Senior Welfare and Immigration Ofcer will liaise with your university and attempt to negotiate an appropriate extension which in normal circumstances will not exceed four weeks. In the event that the university does not agree to extra time being given, or if that time exceeds four weeks, the Scholarship will be cancelled and you will be asked to return home when well enough. You will be invited to re-apply the following year although no guarantee can be given that a Scholarship will be awarded.

PREGNANCY
If you become pregnant before starting your award and your expected date of delivery is before 31 March 2014, you should be aware that it is likely you will miss some of the crucial rst two terms of a taught Masters course around the time of the delivery of the baby. You may either continue with your award or you may apply to defer it till the following academic year. If you wish to continue with the Scholarship, you need to be aware that if you take any extended period of leave, it is possible that your visa will be cancelled and, if so, you will have to return home and apply for another visa before being able to resume your studies. Should you wish to apply for a deferral, you should contact your Programme Ofcer who will provide you with further information. If you choose not to defer but to come to the UK when you are pregnant, please note that you may be charged for medical treatment relating to your pregnancy as it will be considered to be a pre-existing condition. If you cannot cover those costs, it may affect your immigration status. Please be aware that the Secretariat cannot make any nancial contribution towards NHS charges for pre-existing conditions so please ensure that you are able to meet those costs yourself.

SERIOUS HEALTH OR WELFARE ISSUES AFTER ARRIVAL IN THE UK

In the event of serious health or welfare issues that occur after your arrival in the UK, the Chevening Medical Adviser and/or the Senior Welfare and Immigration Ofcer will liaise with you, with your universitys medical services and with the academic adviser to consider whether withdrawal from the programme and possible re-application at a future date would be more appropriate than attempting to complete the course when you are fully recovered. For periods of illness of less than four weeks duration, you will not normally be required to formally interrupt your studies. It is expected that you will make up this time during the programme or at the end of the programme. If the period of illness exceeds four weeks or where completion of studies is considered unlikely by the academic adviser and the Medical Adviser, the Scholarship will be cancelled and you will be asked to return home when well enough. Your stipend will be paid till you are well enough to return home. You will be invited to re-apply the following year although no guarantee can be given that a Scholarship will be awarded.

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DISABILITY
Universities may provide some assistance to award holders with special needs. You should ensure that you inform your university of your disability and associated requirements so that they can let you know what they are able to provide. Please be aware that your university may ask you to have a disability assessment upon arrival to ensure that they can make provisions and arrange support where appropriate. The Chevening Scholarships Secretariat may also provide some nancial contribution towards reasonable adjustments. This will be considered on a case by case basis so you should contact the Senior Welfare and Immigration Ofcer for further information. A person who has been offered an award and who declares on the medical report form that he/she is disabled and has special needs will be asked if the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat can discuss his/her needs with the university.

COMPASSIONATE JOURNEYS
(in the event of the death or life-threatening illness of a close relative) If informed in advance, the Chevening Scholarships Secretariat can fund an economy class return air ticket in the event of the death or life-threatening illness of a close relative of a Scholar. A close relative is dened as: spouse, civil partner or registered partner, child or step-child, parent, sibling, step-parent, legal guardian, other legally recognised next-of-kin (where none of the relatives above are alive). STA Travel www.statravel.co.uk must be used to obtain the tickets. Reasonable transport costs to the UK airport on departure and from the UK airport to your residence on return can be paid. No other costs will be covered. You must contact your Programme Ofcer to gain approval for a compassionate journey before contacting STA Travel.

CLAIMS
When making a claim for expenses you must provide evidence that the journey and expenses claimed have been actually and necessarily incurred and that the costs are reasonable. If you submit a claim that has the intent to mislead or to defraud, you will be liable to disciplinary action and/or prosecution and /or withdrawal of your award.

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Homeward travel
COMPLETION OF TENURE
The tenure for your Scholarship is conrmed in your award letter. It will normally be one year after the start date of your course or in accordance with the course end date stated on your unconditional offer from your university. Please remember that it is a condition of your award that you return home at the end of your Scholarship. The only exceptions to this policy would be where you have obtained approval for leave to remain in the UK from the FCO. Please contact your Programme Ofcer for further information regarding this. Please note that this is extremely rare and the presumption would be to refuse unless there is compelling support for your application. You must have booked your return ight at least two weeks before the start of the nal month of your Scholarship and conrm your departure date to your Programme Ofcer. If you fail to do this your nal stipend payment may be withheld. You will also receive a xed amount of 150 as a contribution to charges for excess baggage. This will be paid to you with your June stipend (unless your course ends earlier).

ALUMNI
Once you have completed your Scholarship you must complete an alumni questionnaire, indicating whether you wish to become a member of the alumni - if so you should include your current contact details. We hope that you will want to stay connected with Chevening Scholarships and that you will be happy to be involved in sharing your experiences with future Chevening Scholars.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
You should contact STA Travel via email who will arrange for your return ight in the same way as they arranged for your ight to the UK at the beginning of your Scholarship. Your Programme Ofcer will send an email to you in June reminding you to start this process (unless your course ends earlier).

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Contact address
Chevening Scholarships Secretariat c/o ACU Woburn House 2024 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9HF

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Chevening Scholarship Handbook 2013/14

Chevening Scholarships Secretariat c/o ACU Woburn House 2024 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9HF http://www.chevening.org/