Scheme C - Long-term (Shared or Joint) Scholarships: These scholarships are applicable for a one-year postgraduate study (Master's) at specific UK universities. These scholarships are funded by the FCO and one or two co-sponsor(s). The FCO's co-sponsors include UK universities, British and foreign companies (including AXA and Prudential), foundations and trusts, and other institutions. Last Date: March.

Number of scholarships: Over 120 awards annually comprising of about 60 long-term scholarships for academic courses and about 60 short-term scholarships for courses tailor - made for targeted professional groups.

Value: Chevening scholarships cover the tuition fee (up to a maximum of £ 12,000) and the living expenses for the scholar for the duration of the award, which normally varies from 4 weeks to 12 months. International airfares are normally not covered. (For courses with tuition fee of over £ 12,000 the excess amount should be borne by the candidates.)

General eligibility: You are eligible for a British Chevening Scholarship under the India programme if you are an Indian national with a valid Indian passport, resident in India at the time of application, under 35 years of age at the time of application, unless otherwise specified, of outstanding academic ability with a good (as minimum of upper second class, preferably a first class) first degree (Bachelor's) or equivalent from a recognised Indian university, normally interested in pursuing a course of not more than 12 months duration in the UK and fluent in spoken and written English.

Note: You may check age limits for each programme before applying. Any Master's course of more than /2 months duration is generally not eligible. PhD and other research courses are NOT eligible. if English is neither your first language nor the medium of academic instruction, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in the language e.g. a satisfactory score in IELTS or similar international English language proficiency tests. A list of acceptable tests can be obtained directly from the UK institutions you are applying to.

Important Note: As Chevening awards are highly competitive, preference is given to those applicants who have some work experience and hold a PG qualification accepted as sufficient for the career he/she is following

Who is NOT eligible?
You are not eligible to apply for a British Chevening Scholarship if you have already started a course of study in the UK at the time of application and have received funding for a study programme from the UK govt. in the past or are in the final year of graduation not having completed your first degree at the time of application.

Note: The only exception to this clause is programme COI-Indian friends of London School of Economics Shared Scholarship, where students in their final year of graduation are eligible to apply.

Subjects: Any subject (except medicine and related subjects like pharmacy and physiotherapy). There are a number of programmes available and an attempt is made to represent all subjects in one or the other programme(s). Some programmes offer scholarships for specific subjects and/ or specific courses. The candidates need to check the applicable subjects and courses under each of these programmes before applying.

Levels and duration of award Master's such as MA, MSc, MBA, M.Phil, LLM of up to 12 months duration. Short Courses of up to 3 months duration. Any master's course of more than 12 months duration is generally not eligible. PhD and other research courses are NOT eligible.

Universities: Any UK university. There are a number of programmes available. The programmes under Scheme A give a wider choice to the candidates to apply to any UK university of their choice. And, the programmes under Scheme Band C offer scholarships for specific universities. The candidates need to check the applicable universities under each of these programmes in this prospectus before applying.

Application: Prospectus and application forms are available from August at the British Council offices in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi and the British Libraries in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram. They can also be downloaded from the website: www.britishcouncil.org.in/scholarships. Applications should reach your nearest British Council office in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai or New Delhi by the stipulated deadline. Applicants for Scheme A and C are advised to apply to the universities before making their scholarship application.

Selection: Candidates for the Chevening programme are selected through a process of shortlisting from the applications received by the British Council, followed by personal interviews, which are generally held in New Delhi. Subsequent to the interviews the selection committee identifies the required number of candidates for the awards. The decision of the selection committee is final.