- A Kenyan beneficiary of the Chevening Scholarship has opened up about the lesser-known challenges of fully-funded scholarships, urging applicants to prepare beyond the excitement of winning
- Sally explained that despite covering major expenses, fully-funded scholarships do not guarantee financial freedom, as beneficiaries must carefully manage monthly stipends without the safety net of family or friends
- Among others, she revealed that many scholarships come with strict contractual obligations, including mandatory return-to-home-country clauses
A Kenyan lady who is a beneficiary of the United Kingdom’s prestigious Chevening scholarship has listed some of the downsides of fully-funded education scholarships that many Kenyans desire.
Source: Getty Images
Sally explained that through her experience, she had learned that some fully-funded education scholarships had some cons, adding that it was important for any applicant to know about them to prepare adequately.
Chevening alumnae shares challenges of studying abroad
In a video shared on TikTok, the Chevening scholarship alumna explained that to start with, winning a fully-funded scholarship is not necessarily a path of financial freedom, and one needs to be financially responsible to survive.
Read also
Lady returning from abroad after 15 years disappointed by shabby house family built with her savings
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner 😉
“Though most of the scholarships will cater for all of your needs when you move to another country, you have to be financially responsible. Normally, the stipend will come once a month. You need to spend it wisely, as there is no on friend of family to bail you out like if you are in your home country, if you go broke,” she said.
Secondly, Sally mentioned that most of the scholarships have strict contracts that limit the beneficiaries’ flexibility.
“For most of the scholarships, they have clauses that indicate that you must return to your country for at least two years, to apply the knowledge that you have learnt. So if you are someone like me who has integrated themselves into the UK system, it is hard to re-integrate yourself at home. I faced reverse culture shock,” she noted.
The Kenyan lady said there is also the pressure to perform, as a fully-funded scholar, with some programs even demanding payback of tuition money if one gets poor grades.
Read also
42-year-old man pleads with women to marry him in emotional video: “I’m getting old”
“This means you need to attend classes, study and not be a troublemaker for your university. This means the pressure to perform is often very high. And also being a scholar for these programs means that there are expectations for you to be a high-performing individual,” she said.
Sally mentioned dealing with seasonal distress due to the changes in the weather, specifically the cold and dark winters of the United Kingdom
“As a Kenyan who is used to daylight lasting from 6am to 6pm, it was hard adjusting to dusk falling at 3pm during the winter. It really messed up mind and also my emotions. So prepare for that,” she said.
Lastly, another downside from Sally’s experience is the high expectations from everyone, including family and friends. She noted it is not uncommon for society to put scholars on a pedestal, which adds to the pressure.
Kenyan lady helps ex-boyfriend relocate abroad
In another story, a Kenyan woman narrated how she helped her ex-boyfriend relocate to the United States after she moved to the states.
Quietly and without credit, the caring woman helped her ex-boyfriend secure a full scholarship and a visa to America.
She reiterated that the move was not meant to prove a point, but a reminder that sometimes belief outlives love.
Source: NgGossips
