Churchill Scholarship

Established in 1963, the Churchill Scholarship funds one year of graduate research and study in a STEM field at the University of Cambridge. 16 Scholars are selected each year. Scholars typically complete a one-year Master’s degree before applying to US or UK doctoral programs, although the Churchill can be used to fund the first year of a two-year Master’s program at Cambridge.

Applicants for the Churchill are strongly encouraged to consider applying for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship as well, as it also supports a 1-year master's degree in a STEM field.

Campus Application Deadline: September 23d, 2024 at 12:00pm

Eligibility :

• Age:Between 19 and 26
• Academics: GPA of 3.7 or higher recommended
• Citizenship: US Citizenship is required

Selection Criteria:

• Outstanding academic achievement: There is no minimum GPA, though most applicants have a very high average. The Committee looks at achievement in STEM courses, especially in the major, as indicated by course grades and recommendation letters.
• Proven talent in research: Applicants in the sciences and engineering will demonstrate extensive laboratory experience, internships, or other related work, while applicants in mathematics will show substantial independent work or other projects.
• Outstanding personal qualities: The committee takes into account interests and achievements outside of research, but does not favor specific activities.

Application Deadlines

• U-M Deadline: September 23d, 2024 at 12:00pm ET
  
• National Deadline: Early November
• Endorsement: U-M Nomination is Required

Instructions for Prospective Applicants

Prospective applicants should join the UK Scholarships Canvas course for an overview of the application, program requirements, additional advising information, and more.

Application Components

NOTE: U-M nominees will have to simultaneously apply to their intended graduate program at Cambridge, listing the Churchill College as their top choice, to be formally reviewed for the Churchill Scholarship. The Cambridge application deadline will be in mid-October, and we strongly encourage applicants to be prepared to apply for Cambridge at the beginning of October, to reduce rushing at the end of the U-M nomination process.

1. 4 Letters of Recommendation
   These references should come from professors or research mentors (PIs) in STEM fields, who have taught you in upper-level courses related to your proposed program of study at Cambridge.
2. Brief statement of your future career plans. (Limit 200 words)
3. Narrative of your transcript explaining your course selections (Limit 300 words)
   
4. List of your research experiences and/or employment with 1-2 sentence description of each.
5. List of all publications (accepted or in progress) and presentations.
6. List of all scholarships, prizes, and awards you've received.
7. List of your non-academic interests and activities.
8. 2-page Academic and Research History (this is your "personal statement").
   
9. 1-page Academic Proposal (your own case for the program you are choosing).
   
10. Official transcript(s)
11. U-M class ranking
12. U-M Endorsement via Nomination Process

Kanders-Churchill Scholarship

Along with the 16 Churchill Scholarships funded each year, there are two Kanders Churchill Scholarships available for STEM graduates who wish to pursue a Master's in science policy. The Kanders Churchill Scholarship was created to address the growing divide between science and science policy. The Kanders Churchill Scholars will hold a bachelor’s degree (either as a major or minor concentration) in science, mathematics, or engineering, from any US college or university and will pursue a Master’s in Public Policy. There is no time limit since graduation for applicants for this award, but the citizenship requirement remains.

There is no application. Instead, candidates state their interest in the Kanders Churchill Scholarship on their Cambridge application. Please indicate briefly on your Statement of Interest that you would like to be considered for this award. As with all Churchill Scholarships, applicants must put Churchill College as their first college choice. The next Cambridge deadline is in early October. The exact date is yet to be announced, and it will be the same deadline as the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

Candidates will be evaluated based on their academic achievements in STEM and their preparation for the Master's in Public Policy.