RWANDAN students who were supposed to benefit from the Chevening scholarships programme have been left stranded after their scholarships were cancelled following major reductions in spending by the UK government.

The Chevening Scholarships programme is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) through the British High Commission, and administered by the British Council.
The programme offers outstanding graduates and young professionals the opportunity to study in UK universities.

The awards are for one year’s formal study for a postgraduate qualification or for a shorter period of not less than three months to pursue private study or research at a university or similar institution in the UK.

In an e-mail to The New Times, the Political Officer of the British High Commission Kigali, Samuel Paice, said that the funds allocated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for this year’s Chevening Scholarships for Rwanda was less than they had expected at the beginning of this year.
Only one person was able to be sponsored.

Paice, however, said that they have made it clear to the candidates who were left out that they are free to re-apply next year, so that they are eligible for scholarships in 2011-12, provided the office has sufficient funding.

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