Rabat – The British Embassy in Rabat hosted a pre-departure reception on Wednesday for the 2025/26 cohort of Moroccan Chevening Scholars, as students prepare to leave Morocco for their studies in the United Kingdom.
The reception, which took place at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Rabat, marked the departure of this year’s scholars. British Ambassador Alex Pinfield addressed the gathering before certificates were presented to each of the departing scholars.
Chevening is the UK government’s international scholarships and fellowships program, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organizations. The program gives selected individuals the opportunity to study for a UK master’s degree at one of 150 universities across Britain.
Scholars can choose from around 50,000 courses covering almost every field. The program is aimed at people considered capable of inspiring, informing, and influencing positive change, with recipients expected to return to their home countries after completing their studies and join Chevening’s global alumni network of more than 60,000 people.
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Pinfield described Chevening as the British government’s flagship scholarship scheme and said he was pleased to meet and congratulate the Moroccan recipients.
“I really hope that they’re going to have a fantastic adventure in the UK, not just academically, but that they’re going to come back and have a lifelong connection with the UK and become part of our family network here in Morocco,” he told Morocco World News.
“The growth of British education is really remarkable here in Morocco,” Pinfield said about the growing interest in British education in Morocco. He added that more people are speaking English and showing interest in British education.
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Among the scholars preparing to leave is Mohamed Abdelkeddous Belrhazi from Sale, who will study Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at the University of Warwick.
Belrhazi said he had applied for Chevening once before without success before trying again and securing the scholarship. “I’m a Moroccan, so I do have the energy, resistance and the resilience to never give up,” he said.
Chevening alumna Nadia Boukdir, an entrepreneur and content creator who studied tourism marketing at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow through the scholarship, was also present at the event. She later returned to Morocco and launched Dir Avenir, also known as Dir Mustaqbel, with a friend to help Moroccan students choose academic paths and explore opportunities to study abroad.
Boukdir said her own experience in the UK was a life-changing opportunity that allowed her to earn a master’s degree and meet people from around the world. She also began sharing information about education opportunities abroad during her time there.
Speaking to future Chevening applicants, she offered a simple message. “Just be authentic, share your experience, and make sure you highlight your leadership skills, your networking skills,” she said.
The new scholars will now prepare for their departure to the UK, where they will complete their respective master’s programs before returning to Morocco.
