How an Indian Lawyer Secured Fully Funded Chevening and SBSF Scholarships to Study Gender and Development at the University of Sussex and an MBA at Oxford

I’m Pallavi Mahajan from India. My journey has been anything but conventional - I started as a lawyer primarily working in public policy, ESG, and responsible business practices, but soon felt the urge to address deeper systemic challenges affecting the public sector, especially women, marginalised communities, and development outcomes. This led me to pursue my first Master’s in Gender and Development Studies from IDS, UK, where I explored the intersection of social justice, public policy, and institutional transformation. Over the years, I’ve worked with organisations like the United Nations, the Prime Minister’s Office - the Government of India, and Business Councils, designing strategies at the nexus of policy, inclusion, and impact. Today, I’m pursuing an MBA at the University of Oxford to enhance my strategy and leadership capabilities to scale inclusive and sustainable public sector transformations.

Chevening Scholarship Details

I received the coveted Chevening Scholarship, a prestigious award funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The scholarship award is given to about 1500 global leaders from 65000+ applicants from 165 countries, with a conversion rate of less than 2%. It fully covered tuition, living expenses, and travel for my MA in Gender and Development Studies at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), UK (2020-21). Currently, I am also a recipient of the Saïd Business School Foundation Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship funded by the Saïd Business School Foundation (SBSF). The scholarship in pursuit of excellence is awarded to future leaders and ambassadors, with a conversion rate of less than 5%. The scholarship covered 40% of my tuition for my Oxford MBA.

I also received the Sussex India Scholarship for my MA in Gender and Development Studies at IDS, UK, which I had to decline because of receiving the fully funded Chevening Scholarship.

Educational Background

My educational path has spanned law, governance, gender and development studies, and business.

I earned my Bachelor’s in Law, which grounded me in justice frameworks and public institutions. I earned a distinction in my overall degree, ranking in the top 1% of the class.

I qualified as a Company Secretary, a rigorous program in corporate law, governance, and compliance, which built my skills in legal strategy and institutional accountability. I qualified for all the stages of the Company Secretary in the first attempt, ranking me in the top 5% of the all-India class.

I pursued a Master’s in Gender and Development Studies, deepening my understanding of structural inequalities and inclusive policy design. I earned a first-class merit, ranking me in the top 5% of the class.

I am now pursuing an MBA at Oxford, which allows me to integrate strategy, leadership, and systems thinking to drive social change at scale.

This blend of social, legal, and financial education has given me a 360-degree perspective to tackle complex problem-solving and tackle systemic challenges with credibility across the public and private sectors.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Oxford?

My application journey was guided by a clear purpose: to work at the intersection of policy, equity, and institutional reform. I wasn’t applying just for degrees - I was applying to ecosystems that would shape me as a systems thinker and practitioner.

For my MA in Gender and Development Studies, I applied to the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, one of the world’s most respected institutions in gender and development. I was drawn to its emphasis on fieldwork, applied research, and its feminist and participatory pedagogy. I researched the course structure, read faculty publications, and connected with alumni working in policy and development sectors. My application focused on how my legal background and grassroots experience would contribute to and benefit from IDS’s learning environment.

4 years later, I knew I needed to strengthen my strategic and operational toolkit to scale public policy and public sector transformation across functions. That’s when I began preparing for an MBA. I targeted schools where public purpose and innovation coexisted—Oxford Saïd Business School was the top of that list. Its Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, coupled with Oxford’s rich policy and governance ecosystem, made it an ideal place for someone with my trajectory. I prepared for the GRE while balancing consulting assignments, carving out early mornings and weekends for focused study. I also attended info sessions, reached out to alumni, and refined my narrative to emphasise the link between social impact, leadership, and business strategy.

Overall, preparing for both admission applications and the GRE was a multi-month process that demanded strategic alignment, honest storytelling, and a deep understanding of the values that each institution stood for.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Chevening Scholarship?

Applying for the Chevening Scholarship and Saïd Business School Foundation (SBSF) was both a strategic and deeply personal process. I treated it not just as a funding application, but as an opportunity to reflect on my journey- from starting out as a lawyer, transitioning into gender and development work, and eventually driving strategy for public institutions.

For Chevening, the application required me to articulate four key essays: leadership, networking, career plan, and why study in the UK. I began by mapping pivotal moments across my career - leading women’s policy dialogues, working with the UN on housing rights, and influencing national skill policies in India. I ensured that each essay wasn’t just a list of achievements but a narrative that showed growth, resilience, and clear purpose. What helped most was treating the application as a theory of change - connecting where I came from, what shaped me, and how I intend to lead in the future. I was intentional about linking my past education (law, gender studies, company secretary qualification) and professional experience with my long-term goal: building inclusive policy ecosystems across the Global South. I sought early feedback from Chevening alumni and mentors, refined multiple drafts, and was careful to make my application uniquely mine, anchored in values, not jargon. My references were also thoughtfully chosen—each recommender had seen me lead under pressure and could speak credibly about my collaborative and strategic approach to change. Looking back, the Chevening application helped me crystallise not only what I had done, but why it mattered and what’s next.

For the Saïd Business School Foundation (SBSF) Scholarship, I began by understanding the foundation’s ethos, supporting individuals who demonstrate both academic excellence and a commitment to shaping meaningful impact. Knowing that SBSF focuses on leadership potential and global contribution, I crafted my Oxford MBA application to highlight how my unconventional path—from law to gender and development, to UN policy work and now strategic consulting—represented both intellectual curiosity and a sustained commitment to systems transformation. I highlighted my work with multilateral organisations like UN-Habitat and the UN Human Rights Council, where I contributed to policies on inclusive urban governance and gender rights. I also emphasised my leadership in authoring a book on gender and social impact, and in advising India’s Skill India Mission and the Asian Society of Disaster Management. I drew clear connections between this work and my long-term goal: to scale inclusive development models through a public-private strategy across the Global South. The SBSF application did not involve separate essays but required a strong, values-aligned MBA application. I paid special attention to how I articulated my purpose, community involvement, and vision of contributing to Oxford’s learning environment and beyond. I also made sure my references highlighted not just my achievements, but my collaborative ethos, resilience, and long-term vision.

Receiving both the Chevening and the SBSF scholarship was a strong affirmation, not only of my leadership journey but also of the power of aligning purpose with preparation.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

What made my applications for both the Chevening Scholarship and the Saïd Business School Foundation (SBSF) Scholarship stand out was the intentionality, interdisciplinary strength, and evidence of impact that underpinned my journey. I wasn’t applying with a conventional profile, but with a coherent narrative that connected diverse experiences- from law and gender studies to UN policy work and strategic consulting - into a unified vision of systems-level change.

For Chevening, I demonstrated how my leadership was not defined by formal titles but by the tangible influence I had in designing policies, publishing on gender inclusion, and convening multi-stakeholder collaborations across sectors. I framed my essays as a personal theory of change, showing how each career pivot was rooted in public purpose and how a UK education would act as a force multiplier for impact in the Global South.

For SBSF, my Oxford MBA application emphasised not just academic readiness, but how I would contribute meaningfully to the classroom, the Oxford ecosystem, and beyond. I articulated a vision of scaling inclusive development through strategy and innovation, rooted in real-world experience. My diverse academic credentials—law, gender, corporate governance, and now business - showed my ability to synthesise across disciplines and lead with nuance.

In both applications, I avoided generic statements and leaned into authenticity, clarity, and specificity. I showed not only that I had delivered results, but that I had the resilience and strategic foresight to drive change at scale. That combination of proven impact and purpose-driven leadership made the difference.

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

If I were to go through the process again, I would start earlier and more systematically. While I was deeply reflective and intentional in my approach, managing full-time consulting work alongside scholarship and university applications was intense. Building in more structured time for writing, reviewing, and refining would have made the process smoother.

For Chevening, I would have connected with more past scholars sooner, not just for feedback but to understand the nuances of the interview stage and post-selection opportunities. I also would have allocated more time to assist my referees with timelines and context, ensuring they weren’t rushed.

For the SBSF scholarship, since it is embedded in the Oxford MBA application, I would have paid closer attention to strategically positioning my contributions to the school community throughout all parts of the application, from essays to the interview. I also would have worked earlier on articulating my long-term vision through a more entrepreneurial lens, knowing SBSF appreciates candidates with potential to drive scalable impact.

Most importantly, I would remind myself earlier in the journey to trust my story. It’s easy to compare yourself to others, but the process is ultimately about authenticity, clarity, and alignment, and starting from that place sooner would have given me more confidence throughout.

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

1. Start with your 'why': Don’t just write about what you’ve done - articulate why it matters. Ground your application in a clear sense of purpose and long-term vision.
2. Be specific, not generic: Avoid vague statements like ‘I want to make a difference.’ Use real examples, measurable outcomes, and concrete goals to show impact and potential.
3. Show growth, not perfection: Selection panels aren’t looking for flawless candidates, but for resilient and reflective ones. Show how you've evolved through challenges and what you've learned along the way.