How I Secured a Fully Funded Master's at Birkbeck, University of London, United Kingdom Through the Chevening Scholarship

My name is Homero Castillo, and I am from the Dominican Republic. My academic background was originally in Law, before receiving the Chevening Scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies in Management with Corporate Governance and Business Ethics at Birkbeck, University of London. After that, I was selected for the Dubai Business Associates programme, which helped me transition into business and consulting in Dubai. I now work in strategy consulting for aviation at dnata, part of the Emirates Group.

Chevening Scholarship Details

Chevening is the UK Government's international scholarship programme, aimed at developing future leaders from around the world and giving them the opportunity to complete a postgraduate degree in the UK.

It is essentially a fully funded scholarship, so there is not one single scholarship amount that applies to everyone. In my case, it covered my university tuition fees and provided financial support for the main costs associated with studying and living in the UK. Chevening typically covers the tuition fees, a monthly living allowance, travel to and from the UK, and other allowances and costs related to studying in the country.

However, I would say one of the biggest benefits of Chevening goes beyond the financial support. You become part of an international network of scholars and alumni from practically every sector and region of the world. That network ended up being very important for me, including in finding other opportunities later in my career.

Were You Offered Any Other Scholarships?

I was also selected for the Dubai Business Associates programme, or DBA.

DBA is not technically a university scholarship, but rather a fully funded nine-month graduate management programme in Dubai designed to help talented young professionals develop practical business and consulting skills and transition from university into the professional world.

The programme covered my flight to Dubai, hotel accommodation for the duration of the programme and a monthly stipend. It also included a placement with a leading company in Dubai, structured education and professional development with partners including PwC Academy Middle East, CAPADEV and Bon Education, as well as networking activities and exposure to Dubai's business community.

For me, it was a great opportunity to gain practical experience after university and understand how business is done in Dubai. It combined education with real-world consulting and business experience, which made it a very different experience from a traditional academic programme.

Like Chevening, there was no single cash amount awarded directly to me. The value came from the fully funded package of accommodation, flights, stipend, education, placement, and professional development.

Educational Background

Before going to the UK, I completed an LLB in the Dominican Republic, graduating with a 3.8 GPA.

I think Law was actually a very strong foundation for the career I eventually pursued in business and consulting.

Thinking like a lawyer can be very useful when you are working in strategy. You are trained to look at a problem from different angles, challenge assumptions, identify risks, understand the implications of different decisions, and think about all the possible ways of solving a problem.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Birkbeck, University of London?

I did a lot of research before applying.

I researched different universities, programmes and modules and looked for a degree that would complement my existing background.

Birkbeck's programme was particularly interesting to me because it combined management with corporate governance and business ethics. Those subjects connected very well with my legal background while also giving me the business knowledge I wanted to develop.

When preparing the application, I focused on showing that studying Management was the next step in developing the type of international business career I wanted.

How Did You Find Information About Chevening Scholarship and Birkbeck, University of London?

I first learned about Chevening because the UK Embassy in the Dominican Republic promoted the scholarship at my university.

I actually found out about Chevening during my second year of Law school, and from that point I knew that it was something I wanted to apply for eventually. That gave me several years to understand the programme and think about the type of profile I wanted to build before I became eligible.

I discovered the Dubai Business Associates programme differently. Someone within one of my Chevening networks shared the opportunity, and I also came across it through websites and social media pages that share international opportunities, such as Opportunities for Youth.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

I did very little preparation for it. In my case, I already felt comfortable with my English level, so I just went for it.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Chevening Scholarship?

For Chevening, I had been preparing for years because I discovered the scholarship early in university. I researched what they looked for and deliberately pursued experiences that demonstrated leadership and networking, such as becoming Vice-President of the Law Students' Committee, creating one of the largest networks of paralegals in the Dominican Republic, and participating in sustainability initiatives.

For Dubai Business Associates, it was different. I did not prepare my profile specifically for the programme over several years. Instead, I focused on showcasing what I had already achieved, including my leadership experience, postgraduate studies and professional experience at EY. I researched the programme, understood what they were looking for and built a clear story around my potential in business and consulting.

For both, I think the key was research, positioning and storytelling: understanding what the programme values and highlighting the parts of your background that best fit that story.

How is Your Experience at Birkbeck, University of London?

Both experiences were excellent and very multicultural.

Birkbeck exposed me to people from many different countries and backgrounds, which was one of the biggest benefits of studying in London.

The Dubai Business Associates experience was even more intense in that sense because the cohort was very small and diverse. In my year, there were only 26 participants representing 21 nationalities.

Because the group was small, we became a very close-knit community, but at the same time almost everyone came from a different cultural background. You were constantly learning from the people around you.

That type of environment teaches you a lot about how to communicate, work and build relationships with people who may think very differently from you.

How Do You Rate Birkbeck, University of London Academically?

I had a very positive experience with Birkbeck.

The university was very accommodating, and one of its biggest advantages is its location in the heart of London. You are surrounded not only by Birkbeck students but also by students from many other universities, which makes it quite easy to build an international community and attend networking events across the city.

For the Dubai Business Associates programme, the education provided by organisations such as PwC Academy Middle East and CAPADEV was particularly useful because it was heavily focused on practical business and consulting skills.

That practical approach is very valuable for young professionals. Rather than learning business only theoretically, you are learning concepts and then applying them to projects, presentations, client situations and real organisations.

How Does Birkbeck, University of London Support International Students?

Birkbeck has several programmes and services designed to support international students, and Chevening also takes very good care of its scholars.

A good example was my year because I arrived in the UK shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were still many travel restrictions. For example, people arriving in the UK had to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel, and both Chevening and Birkbeck offered to cover the full hotel stay and all the associated expenses (which is something not many universities and scholarships did at the time).

Both Birkbeck and Chevening also have dedicated teams that international students could contact when they had questions or needed help adjusting to life and study in the UK.

Are Your Classes Conducted in English or the Country's Native Language?

Yes. Both my master's degree in London and the Dubai Business Associates programme were conducted entirely in English.

What Did You Pursue After the Chevening Scholarship?

After completing my postgraduate degree and later the Dubai Business Associates graduate management programme, I pursued a career in strategy consulting within the aviation industry.

I am currently working for dnata Consulting, part of the Emirates Group, in Dubai.

My work involves international aviation projects and allows me to combine many of the skills I developed through my previous experiences: strategy, problem-solving, research, stakeholder management, project management, and working with people from different countries and cultures.

In many ways, there is a clear connection between the opportunities.

Chevening gave me the opportunity to pursue postgraduate education internationally. Dubai Business Associates helped me transition from university into the business and consulting world. From there, I was able to build a professional career in consulting in Dubai.

Would Potential Students Have Any Problems Not Knowing Arabic?

In the UK, English is the main language.

In the UAE, the official language is Arabic, but not speaking Arabic should not be an obstacle, as English is the main language for business.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I think one of the most important things I did was build my profile around both my own strengths and what the programmes were looking for.

Applicants often have many different interests, experiences and achievements, and that can actually make the application more difficult. You cannot include everything, and if you try to present every single thing you have ever done, the person reading the application might finish it without really understanding who you are.

That is why research is so important.

I looked at successful candidates, researched the programmes, and tried to understand what characteristics they valued.

Then I Asked Myself: 

Which parts of my own background align with those characteristics?

For Chevening, leadership, networking, and having a clear vision for the future were particularly important.

For DBA, I had to adapt the same profile to a more business- and consulting-focused environment.

I think that made the applications stronger because I was not trying to become the candidate I thought they wanted. I was identifying the parts of my real profile that were most relevant to them and making those parts much more visible.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

Nothing! I was selected for both programmes on my first attempt.

I would do the same thing again: research, understand the selection criteria and build a coherent story around the strongest parts of my profile.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

I cannot stress enough the importance of doing the research and having a good story to tell.

The person reading your application should be able to understand who you are, what you care about, what you have already done, and why this particular opportunity makes sense as the next step in your journey.

In my case, my story at the time was clear.

I was a Law student interested in corporate social responsibility and sustainability who had demonstrated leadership by creating and leading a network of young professionals, and who wanted to use those networks to promote sustainability initiatives in his country.

That was the profile I chose to showcase.

Of course, I had many other interests. I had done other activities, and there were many other things I could have written about. But including everything would probably have made my application weaker rather than stronger.

The key is to identify the thread that connects your strongest experiences.

You do not need to invent a perfect candidate. You need to tell the clearest and strongest version of your own story.