Blog › Chevening vs Commonwealth vs Fulbright
Scholarship ComparisonsAugust 6, 2026 · 7 min read
Chevening, Commonwealth, and Fulbright are the three scholarships that come up most often when students ask about fully-funded Master's study in the UK or US. They overlap in generosity, but differ meaningfully in eligibility, structure, and what they're actually looking for — so the "best" one depends entirely on your profile.
Chevening funds a one-year taught Master's in the United Kingdom, at any UK university, in almost any field. Commonwealth Scholarships also fund UK study, but split across Master's and PhD tracks, and are only open to citizens of Commonwealth countries. Fulbright funds Master's and PhD study in the United States, placing candidates into a matched university through the Institute of International Education rather than letting them choose freely upfront.
Chevening requires at least two years of work experience and is open to almost any nationality outside the UK and US. Commonwealth Scholarships require Commonwealth citizenship and, for the Master's track, are aimed specifically at candidates from developing Commonwealth countries. Fulbright has no work-experience requirement in most tracks, but usually expects strong academic records and, depending on the field, standardized test scores like the GRE.
All three are genuinely full-funding — tuition, a living stipend, and flights — but the numbers differ. Chevening covers tuition plus a monthly stipend and one return flight. Commonwealth covers tuition, a stipend of roughly £1,378/month (or £1,690 in London), and approved return airfare. Fulbright's stipend and coverage vary by host university and program, since it operates through individual U.S. institutions rather than a single fixed award structure.
All three are highly competitive, but the actual bar differs by field and country cohort each year. Chevening and Commonwealth publish country-specific numbers of scholars, so competition varies significantly depending on where you're applying from. Fulbright's process is arguably the most drawn-out because of the two-stage country-then-placement structure, which filters candidates at multiple points rather than one committee decision.
If you already have two-plus years of work experience and want maximum flexibility in choosing your UK university and course, Chevening is usually the best fit. If you're from a developing Commonwealth country and want either a Master's or PhD in the UK, Commonwealth is worth prioritizing. If your goal is specifically the United States and you're comfortable with a longer, more structured placement process, Fulbright is the strongest fully-funded route. None of these are mutually exclusive — many strong candidates apply to more than one in the same cycle.
These three scholarships aren't really competing with each other so much as covering different profiles and countries. Matching your eligibility and goals to the right one — rather than applying to whichever is most famous — is usually the better strategy.