School holidays are over...

...so why not study in the UK next year?

Yesterday, Britain's Chevening scholarship scheme opened for applications - including for Serbia. If you're interested in a fully-paid Masters degree in the UK, along with your travel, visa and living expenses covered, then you should follow this link and check it out.

Later today, our Chargé d'Affaires David McFarlane is going to host a reception at the Ambassador's residence to welcome back last year's scholars from their respective years in Brighton, York and Glasgow, and bid farewell to the class of 2013, two of whom are going to prestigious universities in London, and another who will study human rights at the world-leading University of Essex.

We celebrate our scholars with a bit of red carpet treatment because we're proud of the Chevening scheme - which takes future leaders from countries around the world and helps with their education, enabling them to serve their home countries better on return. That's one of the things which makes Chevening special - part of your scholarship is a commitment to return to Serbia and put your new-found knowledge to good use here, instead of contributing to the "brain drain".

When we talk about "future leaders", we don't just mean people with ambitions to climb the party ladder and become Prime Minister or President (although if that is you, we'd love to hear from you). Leadership comes in many forms - and journalists, lawyers, civil servants, NGO activists and businesspeople all have a role to play in developing Serbian society and Serbia's relations with the world. So if your planned course of study fits with our broad range of priorities, it doesn't matter which sector you work in now.

Britain's interest in assisting future leaders isn't entirely unselfish (and I bet you didn't believe it was, either). We're looking for people that share values with the UK, and who will (hopefully) come back from the UK suitably impressed that they'll want to spread those values - whether in promoting the rule of law, championing a stronger role for civil society, creating a fair and competitive climate for business, or something else.

If that sounds like you, then we'd welcome an application from you. As well as having your studies paid for, and a chance to study in Britain alongside high achievers from around the world, you will also become part of a global network of Chevening scholars, and an automatic member of Serbia's Chevening Alumni Association, which brings together former scholars for networking and socialising.

The deadline for applications is 1 November, so you have plenty of time to get prepared. In the meantime, you might like to visit us at the British Embassy on 26 September for our Chevening Open Day, where we'll explain more, and you can meet some previous Chevening scholars - who will be able to prove that the scheme is as great as I say it is... Details of how to attend are available here.

So I look forward to seeing your application (or that of your talented friend, relative or colleague) or meeting you at the Open Day soon. Good luck!

P.S. Znam da su naši blogovi obično na srpskom, ali ovaj sam napisao na engleskom jer svi oni koji se prijavljuju za stipendiju moraju da imaju položen jedan od zvaničnih testova engleskog jezika (ukoliko nisu završili osnovne studije na engleskom).

James Moor
Head of Political Section