I received messages from a lot of people wanting to understand my experience and thoughts on the Chevening India Cybersecurity fellowship, and decided to pen down some thoughts.
What is Chevening?
Chevening fellowship is a thoughtfully crafted short-term program sponsored by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office of the UK government. It is offered in domains like Arts, Sciences, Cybersecurity, Journalism and more.
How do I apply?
You have to first take the eligibility test, answer a few questions and once you are eligible , you can fill in the online application form – Chevening India Cyber Security Fellowship | Chevening.
Where do I check my eligibility?
Eligibility requirements are mentioned here- Chevening India Cyber Security Fellowship | Chevening.
What is the application process?
The Application process consists of two parts :
- Online Application Form
- Interview (if shortlisted)
On a high-level, the online application form asks for information including: educational qualifications, personal details, employment history , essays and letters of reference.
If shortlisted, you will be selected for an interview which will be taken by Chevening Program Officials. My interview was for 30 minutes and was taken by three officials.
How to prepare?
- Understand the program/process
- Speak to Chevening Alumni from different backgrounds, understand their experience.
- Be clear about your purpose/passion and see that it reflects in your application and interview
- Be authentic
How does the selection process look like?
Please note that the dates are subject to change , however on a high level this is the process as published by Chevening.
Applications open at 12:00 BST | 6 August 2024 |
Applications close at 12:00 GMT | 10 October 2024 |
Applications are sifted against eligibility criteria | From 6 November 2024 |
Reading Committee assessments Independent reading committees assess all eligible applications. Their scores and rankings are then passed back to local British embassies/high commissions. | October to November 2024 |
Applicants shortlisted for interviews Once the embassy/high commission has reviewed the applications, they produce a shortlist of those who they will invite to interview. Notifications will then follow. | November 2024 |
References and education documents deadline | 26 November 2024 |
Interviews take place Candidates from all over the world are interviewed by panels at British embassies and high commissions. | December 2024 |
Results announced | December 2024 |
2025/26 Chevening India Cyber Security Fellowship runs. | March – May 2025 |
Please note this timeline is subject to change. – Chevening India Cyber Security Fellowship | Chevening.
Why Chevening?
If you are a mid-career professional (7+ years’ work exp) looking to enhance your leadership capabilities and engage with a huge network to give back to the community then Chevening is for you.
How does a Chevening Cybersecurity Fellowship cohort look like?
A diverse cohort where you get to interact and spend time with people from different facets of Cybersecurity like journalism, cyberlaw, cybercrime, governance, compliance and event management. The cohort includes government officials to entrepreneurs to industry experts from different sectors like fintech, healthcare, legal firms etc.
Where do I see the current fellows’ profiles?
Current Fellows profile can be accessed here – Chevening India Cyber Security Fellowship | Chevening.
Is this a sponsored fellowship?
Chevening is sponsored by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office. This includes :
- Roundtrip tickets to London and accommodation.
- Living expenses for duration of the fellowship
- Visa fees
What does the fellowship comprise of?
The experience is holistic, it ranges from classroom sessions to industry & university visits along with a unique opportunity to research on a topic of your choice and publish the same.
Classroom sessions include a wide variety of topics like Cybercrime, Cyber resilience, AI, Cyber operations, policies, frameworks, regulations from a global perspective.
Engagements include visits to renowned Academic institutions like Oxford University, Industrial visits to companies working on cyber defence strategies and conferences with networking opportunities and panel discussions.
The last piece being the most integral one, is ability to research on a topic of your choice, publish a paper and present it at the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office.
Detailed program structure can be accessed here – Chevening India Cyber Security Fellowship | Chevening
Where does the fellowship take place?
The Cybersecurity fellowship is offered at Cranfield University, Shrivenham campus, in United Kingdom.
The sessions/activities take place at the University, typically from 9 30 am to 4 pm. If visits are planned then it would be typically from 8 am to 6 pm depending on where the visit is to, be it a company or a University or a conference.
How do I plan my research?
You can choose your research topic in advance or after your arrival in UK once you interact with the other fellows and get some guidance from professors. You also get access to the library on campus as well as a plethora of online resources in the form of journals, research articles and books. The professors are extremely helpful in guiding you not only in your research but also suggestions on books to read, places to visit and so on. You can choose a mentor from the University to guide you on the research and for the paper publication. You can also get your research peer reviewed by the other fellows.
What do I gain out of this?
Apart from the insightful experience, you get to be a part of the alumni association of Cranfield University and Chevening Alumni which comprises of over 60,000 people across the globe. You get to take part in Chevening events and even continue your research post the fellowship if your proposal gets selected.
What not to expect?
The fellowship may not help you in enhancing technical/IT skills, especially if you are from technology/engineering background though you may find inspiration to apply skills and learnings in different domain.
What to be aware of/prepared for?
You will need leave/sabbatical/permission from your organization as you will not be able to work during this time. Few people however worked on some weekends, these can be aligned with the Program Director/ your organization/Chevening.
What did I learn?
I was exposed to Cybersecurity only from a private sector perspective, focused on healthcare, however Chevening gave me an insight into other domains of Cyber like Cybercrime and Journalism. It helped me interact with police officers and policy makers to understand how Cybersecurity works in a public sector and from a government perspective. It helped me realise what I am interested in terms of research , which I am still pursing post the program on Human Dimension of Cybersecurity. It helped me attend International Conferences on Cybersecurity and pursue my passion of including more Women in this domain. I met many Women leaders, spoke to them about their journey, requested mentorship and attended Women in Cyber events and panel discussions. I got an insight into India-UK Cyber program , an opportunity to visit World class Educational Institutions like Kings College London, Oxford University, Cambridge University and renowned libraries like the Maughan Library in London. I thoroughly enjoyed travelling across the picturesque cities and towns of UK , visiting the rich cultural heritage sites and trying the local cuisine.