A Pakistani Law Student, Recipient of the Chevening Scholarship, Fulfills Her Dream of Pursuing Her Master's in the UK

I am Rafiah Farrukh Rashid from Pakistan. I am a lawyer by profession. I did my LL.B. Honors from the University of London external programme. After graduating I worked for roughly 3 and half years in two different law firms focusing on different areas of law and practicing in Lahore High Court. At that juncture of my career, having had a taste of professional life, I figured it was the right time to pursue further education and streamline by area of practice.

Chevening Scholarship Details

My post-graduate program – LL.M at SOAS University was funded through a Chevening Scholarship, which is a fully-funded scholarship by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organizations. It is a highly prestigious and competitive scholarship. In 2021-2022, there were approximately 65,000 applicants with a 1-2% success rate. The scholarship covers all costs, including visa application fee, any prior medical tests, air tickets, accommodation, tuition fee, and a monthly stipend which varies depending on where you end up within the UK.

Educational Background

I have previously done O levels and A levels (Cambridge Examinations), followed by a three year LL.B. program from the University of London external programme, in which I was able to secure two distinctions and merits. My educational background helped me secure jobs immediately after graduating and the work experience I gained thereon helped me in becoming eligible for the Chevening Scholarship.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Chevening Scholarships and SOAS University?

It is very important to understand the mission of the scholarship and to assess if your goals align with the scholarship’s mission. I believe this is something that is often ignored. Moreover, what helped in my experience was that I researched a lot including scholarship deadlines, university application deadlines, what was required for each individual application, researching modules/clinics at different universities, reaching out to relevant alumni to gain a better understanding of the process and the content required from an applicant. Putting in the effort matters! It eventually shows how well-planned and thought-out your application is. For Chevening especially, it is important to read the blogs on their websites that give you an insight on do’s and don’ts and it tells you exactly what the committee is looking for in terms of your application.

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

Honestly, I would have done the whole process with much more confidence in my ability and I would have focused mainly on my top 3-4 universities rather than a list of them.

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

Do your own research. Do not rely completely on other people’s research. Do it timely as near the application deadline, many portals crash. Reach out to Chevening alumni – many of them would be willing to guide and review your essays. For Chevening, your essays make or break your application so my advice would be to spend ample time on drafting and re-drafting the content. Make sure to actually understand what is being asked of you and avoid giving unnecessary / too much information. See how you can highlight to the reviewing committee that your future goals align with the heart and soul of the Chevening Scholarship itself. Lastly, be authentic in your answers – Chevening community and examination committee look for authenticity so don’t be afraid to show them the real you!