The Marshall Scholarships
DescriptionUp to forty Marshall Scholarships are awarded annually to U.S. citizens for post-graduate study in any discipline leading to the award of a British university degree. Traditional Marshall Scholarships are for two years of study; third-year extensions are granted on a limited basis for strong academic reasons. Eight One Year Scholarships are also available (these are tenable for 12 months, and cannot be extended). Founded by a 1953 Act of Parliament and named in honor of US Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the Marshall Scholarships commemorate the humane ideals of the European Recovery Programme (Marshall Plan) instituted in 1947, and they express the continuing gratitude of the British people to their American counterparts. It is hoped that as future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars will strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments, and their institutions. The scholarships are mainly funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and are overseen by the Marshall Commission. |
Important Documents
Resources |
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
Candidates must be US citizens at the time of application. For the awards tenable from October 2010, eligible candidates must have graduated from their undergraduate institution after April 2007. The qualities that selection committees seek in Marshall Scholars are described in the Rules for Candidates as follow:
In appointing Scholars the selectors will look for distinction of intellect and character as evidenced both by their scholastic attainments and by their other activities and achievements. Preference will be given to candidates who display a potential to make a significant contribution to their own society. Selectors will also look for strong motivation and seriousness of purpose, including the presentation of a specific and realistic academic program. In addition, particularly for the One Year Scholarships: Selectors will also be looking for a strong post-scholarship plan.
Applicants must normally receive endorsement from their undergraduate academic institution, though in exceptional circumstances graduates may receive permission to be endorsed by their graduate school or employer. Yale endorsement is given by the Yale Committee for the Marshall Scholarship and coordinated by the Office of Fellowship Programs (OFP). Following institutional endorsement, candidates apply to the region in which they have their legal residence, or in which they are full-time students (Yale is in the Boston region). After examining the applications, Regional Committees invite selected finalists for personal interviews in mid-November, and winners are announced shortly thereafter.
Make an Appointment
Interested applicants should schedule an appointment with Kate Dailinger, Associate Director for UK Fellowships.
Application Information and Instructions
All applicants seeking Yale's endorsement for the Marshall should follow these steps:
1. Refer to the Application Timetable (.doc) for further instructions about the campus application process.
2. Review the official Marshall application materials, register as an applicant on the Marshall website, and prepare your application, including all essays. (Please do NOT submit your application electronically until asked to do so by OFP.) Request that four letters of recommendation and a Dean’s Report be submitted on your behalf to the campus committee via OFP (see the appropriate Yale Request for Reference form). For advice on the application process, from asking for letters of recommendation to writing essays, interviewing, and more, click here.
3. Register for the Marshall Scholarship on the Yale Student Grants Database; complete this registration by noon Tuesday, August 18, 2009.
4. Submit hardcopy application materials by the Campus Deadline, noon Tuesday, August 25, 2009. Earlier applications are very welcome!
• What needs to be submitted? See the campus Marshall application checklist or, if applicable, see Applying for Multiple UK Scholarships.
• Where? All application materials should be sent to the Yale Committee for the Marshall Scholarships, care of the Office of Fellowship Programs [click here for directions/mailing address].
In addition, by the campus application deadline, the Yale Committee for the Marshall Scholarships will require your
• Dean’s Report (.doc)
• Four (4) letters of recommendation; see the Yale Marshall Request for Reference form (.doc)
The Dean’s Report and letters may be sent as signed originals on letterhead to OFP, or emailed to Katherine Dailinger. Be sure to give your Dean and recommenders plenty of time before the deadline! (See Requesting Letters of Recommendation (.doc)).
