Roadtown, Tortola - The Office of the Governor invites BV Islanders interested in postgraduate study in Britain to apply for a prestigious Foreign & Commonwealth Office Chevening Scholarship Award. The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, March 5, 2010.
The British Government programme offers funding to outstanding graduates to study at one of the many British Universities that subscribe to the Chevening Programme. Awards are normally given for one-year Masters programmes, but may also be considered for other courses of a minimum of three months duration. Part time courses are not eligible. The Governor’s Office particularly welcomes the following areas of study: climate change, renewable energy, sustainable development, environmental management and good governance.
The Chevening Programme is intended for future leaders and decision-makers. Applicants must therefore have the potential to rise to positions of leadership and influence. Successful candidates will need to demonstrate that they possess the personal, intellectual and interpersonal attributes. Chevening Scholarships are prestigious awards and highly sought after by people from all over the world who want to make a difference. There were over 17,000 applications for approximately 1000 awards in 2009/10.
A typical successful applicant would be:
-A citizen of the British Virgin Islands and intend to return to the BVI at the end of the period of study;
-Already hold a degree of an equivalent standard to at least a good UK second-class Honours degree and meet the academic requirements for their course of study;
- A graduate who can demonstrate the personal, intellectual and interpersonal qualities necessary for leadership. These include:
- Influencing and communications skills, leadership track record, networking ability, ambition, plans for the future;
- Intelligence, academic potential, drive, self management, strength of character, integrity, interests outside work.
- Motivated to pursue a career to positions of leadership in their own country within 10 years of their scholarship;
- Committed to networking to find global solutions;
- Able to use their studies and experience in the UK to benefit themselves, their country and the UK;
- No record of having received, or currently receiving, financial benefit from a previous HM Government-funded Scholarship
Candidates applying from another country must be able to return to the BVI for interview and demonstrate their intention to become a future leader there.
Please note that some universities require course applications to be presented early in the year, so applicants who are applying for a place at a British university but do not already have one for the academic year 2010-2011 should begin the application process in parallel with their scholarship application.
Candidates seeking advice on courses in the United Kingdom which might best suit their needs should consult: www.educationuk.org. Please note that acceptance for a course does not in itself make a candidate more eligible for a scholarship. Further information about the Chevening programme is available at www.chevening.com.
The Chevening programme is administered locally by the Governor’s and Deputy Governor’s Office. Interested persons may request an application form either by emailing Mrs Helen Seymour at the Deputy Governor’s Office.
(HDurante@gov.vg) or by calling 468-0346. Forms may also be obtained from Claire Hunter at the Governor’s Office (Claire.Hunter@fco.gov.uk) or by calling 494-2345. Details can also be downloaded from the Governor’s Office website http://ukinbvi.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/uk-in-bvi/scholarships. Forms must be returned to Helen Seymour at the Deputy Governor’s Office by the 5 March 2010 deadline.
