KATHMANDU, Sept 18: A total of 13 Nepali students, comprising six men and seven women, have been selected to study in the United Kingdom (UK) this year under the prestigious Chevening scholarship. 

The Embassy of the UK in Nepal organized a pre-departure event for scholars on Tuesday evening to familiarize them with various aspects of life in the UK. In addition to seeing-off the newly selected scholars, the program hosted by the Ambassador of the UK to Nepal Rob Fenn at his residence also welcomed back the scholars from last year. 

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Fenn expressed his enthrallment at the act of returning scholars from the program shaping the leadership landscape of Nepal. “Chevening Scholars represent some of Nepal’s finest, and the UK is proud to support them in building important links - as Ambassadors between our countries,” he said, “It is also a delight to see so many of our alumni, who all return to Nepal, driving change here with the skills, knowledge and friendships built from their time at British Universities.”  

As a representative of past chevening scholars, Menuka Gurung, of Chevening cohort of 2021, advised the new batch of scholars to focus on their mental well-being while studying abroad. “The change in teaching-learning process can be overwhelming at first,” she said, “But you can thrive academically if you focus on your mental well-being.”

Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partners, the international scholarship offers the selected students an opportunity to study a one-year fully-funded master’s degree at universities in the UK. The scholars selected for this year's program will be pursuing graduate degrees in a variety of subjects including International Human Rights Law, Aviation Digital Technology, Global Health Policy, Children Youth and International Development.  

The Chevening program started in Nepal in 1983, with the first scholars being Gyanendra Dhar Pradhananga (University of Manchester) and Ram Krishna Prasai (University of Reading).  Including this year’s cohort, 262 Nepalis have received the prestigious scholarship so far, and alumni serve in various sectors including politics, business, academia, diplomacy. The current Nepal’s Ambassador-designate to the UK was also a Chevening scholar.  

The prestigious scholarship sets a condition on the scholars whereby they have to return to their home country after their studies. Over 50,000 people from around the world have studied in the UK through this scholarship, named after the British Foreign Secretary’s official residence.