MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP*

DEADLINES

UW-Madison deadline: August 1, 2023
Foundation deadline:  September  26, 2023 (5:00 p.m. CDT)

*Candidates must be nominated by UW–Madison and may not apply directly. Students interested in applying should contact the Undergraduate Academic Awards Office for more information about the application process. Contact: 608-265-2428, awards@provost.wisc.edu

DESCRIPTION

Established in 1953, the Marshall Scholarship Program gives high achieving young Americans the opportunity for graduate study at any university in the United Kingdom. The Program was created to honor the ideals of the Marshall Plan, and foster appreciation of the U.K. among future American leaders. Up to 50 scholarships are awarded each year.

AWARD

The scholarship covers tuition and fees, cost of living expenses, annual book grant, thesis grant, research and daily travel grants, fares to and from the United States and, where applicable, a contribution towards the support of a dependent spouse.

The Marshall Commission offers one year scholarships or two year scholarships. Third-year extensions for scholars pursuing a doctoral degree are granted by the Commission on a limited basis. The commission does not fund second BA degrees, MBA degrees, or some specific courses. See “Degrees not funded under the Marshall Scholarship” here.

ELIGIBILITY

  • U.S. citizen at the time of application
  • Cumulative undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.7
  • Senior undergraduate or recent graduate at time of application (may apply up to two years after receiving first bachelor’s degree)
  • Attain a bachelor’s degree from accredited four year U.S. college or university before the scholarship term begins
  • Not have studied for, or hold a degree or degree-equivalent qualification from a British University or GCSE or A Levels taken at school in the UK

SELECTION CRITERIA

Seeking candidates who have the potential to excel as scholars, as leaders and as contributors to improved UK-US understanding. Assessment will be based on:

APPLICATION PROCESS

To be considered for nomination, submit a complete campus application to the UAA Office by the campus deadline (see section below). The campus committee reviews applications and selects nominees. Nominees complete and submit the official Marshall online application by the national deadline in late September. Applications are reviewed by one of eight regional selection committees which interview finalists and select scholars in November.

CAMPUS NOMINATION PROCESS

Please submit the following materials by 11:59 p.m. on the campus deadline. Items 2-5 below will be submitted via the online campus application form (link below). Letters of recommendation are to be submitted separately via email to the Undergraduate Academic Awards Office, awards@provost.wisc.edu.

  1. Campus Application Form
    This is the campus application to be considered for nomination for the Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, and/or Churchill scholarships. You can apply to be nominated for more than one scholarship. Please note: You should be able to leave the online application and re-enter to finish it later from the same computer. Or you can plan your responses using the 2023 campus application PDF  and then complete the online application in one sitting. Email awards@provost.wisc.edu with any technical difficulties.
  2. Personal Statement (no more than 750 words) describing your academic and other interests.  Help the reader understand who you are and how your academic passions and future goals have evolved.  Reflect on and analyze some of the significant activities/experiences that have shaped you.  Read over Professor Caroline Levine’s “Advice for Writing a Personal Statement.” (Professor Levine was a Marshall Scholar and served on the campus nominating committee.)
  3. A “Résumé” or CV (two pages, no smaller than 11 pt font) Organize your résumé/CV to showcase your strengths. Common headings include:education (universities attended, majors, degrees earned); research; presentations and publications; awards, scholarships, and honors; service/volunteerism; employment and internships; other activities/interests. Emphasize your leadership experiences. Please do not include a photograph in your resume. Don’t assume the reader will be familiar with UW-Madison or the surrounding community.
  4. Proposed Academic Program Essay(s) For each scholarship you check on the application form, write an essay (no more than 350 words each) concisely explaining your reasons for wishing to pursue your first choice academic program(s) and university, and how this course of study fits in your academic trajectory. See Choosing a University in the UK.
  5. Transcripts from all colleges attended (for campus purposes, an unofficial transcript or a copy of your UW-Madison student record is fine, as are photocopies of transcripts from other institutions).
  6. Letters of recommendation at least three for the Marshall Scholarship, two academic letters and one commenting on your leadership potential. If you are applying for nomination to more than one scholarship, your recommenders do not need to submit a separate letter for each scholarship.  For the campus competition, they can submit one “combined” letter, recommending you for all the scholarships for which you are applying. They can address the letter to “Members of the UW-Madison Nominating Committee” and email an electronic copy to awards@provost.wisc.edu. Should you receive university nomination, your recommenders will need to submit a separate letter to each of the scholarship foundations.  Please read over and give your recommenders a copy of Effective Recommendation Letters for UK-Ireland Scholarships.

MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP WEBSITE

For official information on the Marshall Scholarship (which supersedes any information provided here), please see http://www.marshallscholarship.org/

RESOURCES

Advice for Writing a Personal Statement
UAA Comparison Guide – UK-Ireland Scholarships
Choosing a University in the UK
Effective Recommendation Letters
Previous Marshall Scholars
Marshall Scholarship Info Session May 17, 2023
UK-Ireland Info. Session Webinar May 20, 2021
UK-Ireland Info. Session Webinar May 12, 2021
UK-Ireland Info. Session Webinar June 17, 2020