Chevening  Clore Leadership Fellowship 2026/2027

Omran Aburayya
Aug 6
3 min read

If you’re a mid-career professional in the arts, culture or heritage sector in Jordan—or one of the eligible countries—this is your moment: applications for the Chevening  Clore Leadership Fellowship 2026/2027 are now open, with deadlines and key dates just around the corner.

🎯 Fellowship Summary

Location: United Kingdom
Host: Clore Leadership, in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Format: Mid-career leadership fellowship (non‑accredited professional development)
Target group: Cultural sector professionals (visual & performing arts; museums, archives & heritage; film, digital media; cultural policy and practice); citizens of Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, or South Africa
Fields of focus: Arts, culture, heritage, media, libraries, archives, policy
Award coverage: Fully funded training budget covering travel (two return flights), UK accommodation, living costs, UK workshops & conferences, secondment, travel within UK, development budget, mentor & coaching
Duration: Approximately 8–9 months (September 2026 – May 2027)
Application deadline: 7 October 2025 (UTC) at 12:00
Programme start: Residential 1 in mid‑September 2026
Eligible to: Citizens of Jordan and other listed countries, currently residing in your country, with at least five years of experience and not holding British citizenship

🔍 Fellowship Overview

This is not a taught qualification but an individually tailored, experiential leadership journey grounded in self-reflection, peer collaboration, and practical learning. Over the course of the programme, fellows engage in:

Two intensive residential leadership courses
Three non-residential skills workshops
A one-day Online Climate Assembly, sector networking and cohort learning sessions
A 360° leadership profile assessment for self-awareness and growth
Six-week secondment at a UK-based cultural institution, working on a live project in a different sector or field from your own practice
Tailored learning opportunities including conferences, study visits, training courses and peer networking
Mentor or coach support throughout the fellowship
A provocation paper—a short written thought leadership piece on a leadership topic of your choice

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

Flights & travel: Two return economy-class flights + UK travel for workshops, secondment and visits
Accommodation & living expenses: While in the UK for residentials, workshops and secondment
Programme fees: All course, conference and training fees covered
Development budget: Funding for supplementary professional development (e.g. conferences, training, study visits)
360° leadership profile, mentorship/coaching, and thought leadership opportunity
Peer cohort experience: Collaboration with approximately 20 fellows from the UK and international community
Accessibility support: Additional budget for D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent fellows or those with care responsibilities

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

Be citizen and resident in one of the eligible countries (including Jordan) at the time of application
Intend to return to their home country after the programme
Hold a degree equivalent to a good UK 2:2 or equivalent professional training/experience
Have completed minimum five years of professional experience by the end of 2024
Meet Chevening core eligibility (English proficiency, no British citizenship, not employed by or relative of HMG in last two years)
Not currently or recently (within two years) be employed by, or a relative of, employees of FCDO, UK government, British Council, sponsoring UK university or Association of Commonwealth Universities
If previously received another HMG-funded scholarship/fellowship, wait at least five years before reapplying and show career progression since

✨ Applicants are also encouraged to refer to Clore Leadership’s key attributes (open-minded, strategic, emotionally intelligent, collaborative and impact-driven) in their application.

📝 Application Procedure

Application is online via the official Chevening portal

Documents required typically include:

Online application form responding to leadership, networking, impact and vision essays
CV / résumé
University/degree certificate or equivalent professional evidence
English language proficiency evidence (if required)
Two references
Proof of citizenship & residence in eligible country