6 Essay Writing Methods for Chevening Scholarship: STAR, CAR, PAR, SOAR, PPF and PSIF Explained

There is no single compulsory formula for writing a Chevening essay.

Many applicants hear about the STAR method and assume that every answer must follow it exactly. That is not the case. STAR is useful because it helps turn vague claims into evidence, but other structures can work just as well if they help you explain your experience, decisions, impact and future direction clearly.

For Chevening, I would choose the method according to the type of essay rather than forcing every answer into the same template.

Quick Comparison of the Best Essay Methods

1# STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result

STAR is probably the safest structure for a leadership or relationship-building example.

Start by briefly explaining the situation, then identify your responsibility. Most of the essay should focus on what you personally did and what happened afterward.

A useful flow is: Situation → Task → Action → Result

For example, if participation in a community programme was declining, explain the problem, your responsibility, the strategy you introduced and the measurable improvement that followed.

The biggest mistake is spending half the essay describing the situation. Your Action and Result should do most of the work.

2# CAR: Challenge, Action, Result

CAR is essentially a more compact version of STAR.

Use it when you have limited words and the responsibility is already obvious.

Challenge → Action → Result

This method works well when you need to quickly demonstrate leadership, negotiation or problem-solving. Instead of explaining every background detail, identify the challenge, show your response and finish with evidence of impact.

3# PAR: Problem, Action, Result

PAR works particularly well when your story begins with a clear problem.

Problem → Action → Result

I would use this for examples involving policy gaps, workplace inefficiencies, community problems or organizational challenges.

The “problem” gives your leadership a reason to exist. The “action” shows initiative, while the “result” demonstrates whether your intervention actually worked.

For Chevening, avoid ending with “the project was successful.” Give the reader something concrete: increased participation, reduced costs, a new policy, expanded services or another measurable outcome.

4# SOAR: Situation, Obstacles, Actions, Results

SOAR is useful when the difficulty of achieving the result matters.

Situation → Obstacles → Actions → Results

Perhaps stakeholders resisted your idea, funding was unavailable or different organisations had conflicting priorities. Showing the obstacle can make a leadership example stronger because it demonstrates that the result did not happen automatically.

However, keep the obstacle relevant. The essay should still be about how you responded, not about how difficult everything was.

5# PPF: Past, Present, Future

PPF is one of the strongest structures for the course-choice and career-plan sections.

Past → Present → Future

Explain what you have already done, what skills or knowledge you currently lack, and how studying in the UK connects with your next professional step. For example:

Past: I have worked on renewable-energy policy.
Present: I now need advanced expertise in energy economics.
Future: I will use that expertise to develop national-level policy solutions.

This creates a clear reason for choosing your course instead of simply praising the university.

6# PSIF: Problem, Solution, Impact, Future

PSIF works especially well for applicants focused on a specific development challenge.

Problem → Solution → Impact → Future

Begin with the issue you want to solve, explain what you have already done, show the impact achieved so far and then explain how Chevening will help you expand that work. I particularly like this method for applicants in areas such as education, healthcare, climate policy, governance, technology or social development.

Which Method Should You Choose?

You do not need to use one framework across every essay.

• For leadership and networking, I would generally favour STAR, CAR, PAR or SOAR.
• For course choice and career planning, PPF or PSIF usually reads more naturally.

The method itself will not win the scholarship. What matters is whether the essay gives the assessor clear evidence of your actions, your impact and your future direction.

And one final point: do not write headings such as “Situation,” “Action” or “Result” inside the actual Chevening application. These frameworks should guide your thinking quietly in the background.

A strong Chevening essay should read like a convincing personal argument—not like a worksheet.