British Marshall Scholarships
Apply Fall term senior year or after. While the internal Emory application deadline for the Marshall Scholarship is on or around September 1, students interested in applying are strongly encouraged to seek assistance from the Scholarships and Fellowships office in the Spring semester of their junior year. The office can provide students with information and advice about submitting an application as well as guidance on crafting their personal statement including selection and justification of a degree plan. Applicants must have institutional endorsement through Emory College. Contact Dr. Dee McGraw at nationalawards@emory.edu or call 404-727-6160.
The Marshall Scholarships were established by the British government in 1953 to express gratitude for the European Recovery Program, instituted by General George C. Marshall in 1947 when he served as a U.S. Secretary of State. Up to 40 scholarships are offered each year, four for each of five regions of the United States, and the remainder at large. The Scholarships pay all tuition and fees plus a personal allowance which totals approximately £23,000 pounds per year. They are tenable for two years and can, occasionally, be renewed for a third year. Men and women may use the scholarship for study at any university (not only Oxford and Cambridge) in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Eligibility: To qualify for 2009 awards, candidates should:
1) be citizens of the United States of America (at the time they apply for a scholarship);
2) by the time they take up their scholarship ie September 2009 hold their first undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States;
3) have obtained a grade point average of not less than 3.7 (or A-) on their undergraduate degree. (Exceptions will be considered only on the specific recommendation of the sponsoring college.);
4) have graduated from their first undergraduate college or university after April 2006;
5) not have studied for, or hold a degree or degree equivalent qualification from a British University.
Criteria for Selection: The qualifications for a Marshall Scholarship are much like those for a Rhodes Scholarship. Distinction of intellect and character as evidenced by scholarly attainments and by other activities and interests is a prime requisite. Special emphasis is given to the applicant's academic record; there is a minimum academic qualification of an A- average (3.7). Applicants should have a clear idea of what and why they want to study in the United Kingdom as well as where they would like to study. Furthermore, they should be able to demonstrate a commitment to this course of study and to the goals of the Marshall Scholarship. Candidates may apply in either the region in which they have permanent residency or in the southern region. The Emory Marshall Committee reserves the right to determine the region through which the applicant will apply.
Application Procedure: Students applying for a Marshall Scholarship should submit a completed application by the September deadline. Please access the Marshall online application via the Marshall Scholarship website. Every student submitting a completed application by the deadline will have an interview with the Campus Marshall Committee. The Marshall competition begins on the Emory campus. Endorsement is not automatic. The Emory Committee makes a judgment based on written application materials and a personal interview, whether each applicant meets the criteria or not.
If Emory University selects you for nomination, all of your application materials must be submitted by the Emory College Office to the Marshall Foundation. To have your application approved by Emory, you must complete and submit your application to Dr. McGraw's office. Turn in all materials by the campus deadline in September. Your recommenders should send forms to Dr. McGraw by the September deadline. Do not have your recommendations sent separately by your faculty recommenders to the Marshall Foundation.
Sometime in late November or early December the selection boards, situated in British Consulates in each of the eight regions throughout the United States, select applicants for interviews, with the interviews for the scholarships themselves being held some time in December. These interviews are held sequentially so that at least one representative from the Marshall Commission can see every candidate. Winners are announced in late winter. Additional information may be found at Marshall Scholarships.
Please confirm application process with Dr. Dee McGraw at nationalawards@emory.edu or call 404-727-6160.