Interviews
Chevening references: who can be a referee, what the letter needs and when it is due
Checked against official sources
Chevening asks for two reference letters, but only from applicants who move forward, and the deadline is tied to your own interview date rather than to a fixed day. This guide explains who can act as a referee, what each letter must contain, how and when to upload them, and what to do if a referee lets you down. With shortlisting results for 2027/28 awards due in mid-February 2027 and interviews from March to April, this is the stage where most applicants start chasing their referees.
Two referees, named in your application
You name two referees when you apply. Chevening's references guidance allows any combination:
- two professional referees;
- two academic referees;
- one professional and one academic referee.
The rule on who qualifies is short: a referee should be someone who knows you in a professional or personal capacity, but not a friend or relative. In practice, a line manager, a former supervisor, a senior colleague you worked with closely or a lecturer who taught or supervised you will usually be able to speak to the points Chevening asks about.
You collect the letters, not Chevening
Chevening does not contact your referees. If you advance in the process, you must obtain the two letters yourself and upload them. The guidance adds that the British embassy or high commission in your country may contact your referees later to verify the letters, so each referee should be ready to confirm what they wrote.
What each letter must contain
Chevening's references guidance says each letter must be in English (or come with a notarised translation), must be addressed to the British embassy or high commission in your country or territory, and must include the referee's details. It should also give a brief endorsement:
| Element | What to ask your referee for |
|---|---|
| Addressee | The British embassy or high commission in your country or territory |
| Contact details | Address, email address and phone number |
| How they know you | How long they have known you and in what capacity |
| Recent contact | When they last had regular contact with you |
| Endorsement | A brief endorsement of your leadership and networking skills, your personal and interpersonal qualities, and your ability to complete a demanding academic programme in the UK |
The endorsement mirrors the selection criteria: leadership and influencing skills, and building professional relationships, are two of the areas Chevening assesses in your application. A referee who saw you lead a project or build a working relationship can describe that from their own point of view, which is exactly what the panel cannot get from your essays.
Language and format
References must be in English. A letter written in another language must be uploaded as one file together with a notarised English translation; Chevening says references without a notarised translation will not be accepted. Each reference is uploaded as a separate file to the online system, or you can submit them directly to your local Chevening team.
If the British embassy in your country has suspended operations, Chevening asks for the letter to be addressed to "Chevening Officer" followed by the name of your country or territory.
The deadline: seven working days before your interview
If you are invited to interview, the two letters must be uploaded no later than seven working days before your interview date. Chevening's interview page words it slightly differently, as at least one week (seven days) before the interview, and lists the references alongside two other tasks due by then: your passport or national ID and your undergraduate certificate or diploma. Planning for seven working days is the safer reading.
Missing it has a clear consequence: the references guidance says your application will no longer be considered for an award. If you have trouble with the online system, contact your local Chevening team at the email address given in your interview invitation.
A simple back-planning schedule helps:
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| Now, before shortlisting | Confirm both referees are still willing and reachable |
| Mid-February 2027 | Shortlisting results; book your interview slot before the booking deadline |
| As soon as you have a date | Count back seven working days and set that as the upload deadline |
| Two to three weeks before the upload deadline | Ask each referee for the letter, with Chevening's requirements |
| Upload deadline | Both letters uploaded as separate files, translations attached |
If a referee cannot write the letter
People change jobs, travel or stop answering. Chevening allows you to approach alternative referees after you are invited to interview, as long as the two new letters meet the same requirements and arrive before the deadline. You should be prepared to explain at interview why your letters are not from the referees named in your application. Keep that explanation short and factual.
Rules on accuracy and outside help
A reference is your referee's own assessment. The possibility that the embassy contacts referees to verify their letters is a strong reason to keep every detail accurate: dates, job titles and the work they saw. Chevening's wider rules prohibit plagiarism, fraud and AI-generated application answers, which it checks with detection tools, and it states that it neither endorses nor works with third parties that charge for application support.
What you can legitimately do is make your referee's job easier: share the elements Chevening lists, remind them of the period and projects you worked on together, and give them your interview date and the upload deadline. The Interview Kit for Chevening includes a Reference Letter Checklist for each referee listing what Chevening requires in a reference letter and the upload deadline, with reminders of the work they saw, and a countdown planned back from your interview date. Scholar Dossier is independent of Chevening, and you do not need any paid product to apply.
Timing for the 2027/28 round
Chevening's timeline gives mid-February 2027 for shortlisting, March to April 2027 for interviews, final results from mid-June 2027, and 8 July 2027 at 17:00 BST as the deadline to submit at least one unconditional offer from a UK university. Ask your referees early: the letter itself is short, but finding the right moment in a busy manager's schedule often is not.
General information: this article is general information, not admissions advice. Requirements, deadlines and dates change between cycles, so always check Chevening's own pages and your interview invitation before you act.