Marshall Scholarships (2012)

RULES FOR CANDIDATES

Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom in a system of higher education recognised for its excellence. Founded by a 1953 Act of Parliament, Marshall Scholarships are mainly funded by the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office and commemorate the humane ideals of the Marshall Plan conceived by General George C Marshall. They express the continuing gratitude of the British people to their American counterparts.

The objectives of the Marshall Scholarships are:
· To enable intellectually distinguished young Americans, their country’s future leaders, to study in the UK.
· To help Scholars gain an understanding and appreciation of contemporary Britain.
· To contribute to the advancement of knowledge in science, technology, the humanities and social sciences and the creative arts at Britain’s centres of academic excellence.
· To motivate Scholars to act as ambassadors from the USA to the UK and vice versa throughout their lives thus strengthening British American understanding.
· To promote the personal and academic fulfilment of each Scholar.

In appointing Scholars the selectors will look for candidates who have the potential to excel as scholars, as leaders and as contributors to improved UK-US understanding. Assessment will be based on academic merit, leadership potential and ambassadorial potential.

Up to forty Marshall Scholarships will be awarded in 2012. They are tenable at any British university and cover two years of study in any discipline at graduate level, leading to the award of a British university degree. Conditions governing One Year Scholarships are set out in a separate set of Rules.

Candidates are invited to indicate two preferred universities, although the Marshall Commission reserves the right to decide on final placement. Expressions of interest in studying at universities other than Oxford, Cambridge and LSE are particularly welcomed.
Candidates are especially encouraged to consider the Marshall Partnership Universities.

The selection of Scholars is based on a range of factors, including a candidate’s choice of course, choice of university, and academic and personal aptitude. Selected candidates will be expected to attend their first choice university unless there is a compelling academic reason for a change (eg the supervisor has moved or the university no longer offers the course). The Commission rarely approves requests to change institution after selection.

Candidates do not need to have applied for or be accepted at a British university before they apply for a Marshall Scholarship.

The total value of a Marshall Scholarship varies according to the circumstances (place of residence, selected university, etc.) of each Scholar but the figure tends on average to be about £23,000 a year.
This comprises:
· a personal allowance to cover residence and cost of living expenses at the rate of £844 per month (£1,044 for Scholars at Central London institutions);
· payment of tuition fees;
· fares to and from the United States;
· Claimable allowances totalling approximately £3,300:
· an arrival allowance; a grant for books; a grant for approved travel in connection with studies; payment of necessary daily expenses for travel between place of residence and place of study, provided the distance between the two is reasonable; a grant for the cost of preparation of any thesis submitted for examination, if required; shipping of property to and from the United States

To qualify for 2012 awards, candidates should:
· be citizens of the United States of America (at the time they apply for a scholarship);
· (by the time they take up their scholarship ie September 2012) hold their first undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States;
· 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.)
· have graduated from their first undergraduate college or university after April 2009.
· not have studied for, or hold a degree or degree equivalent qualification from a British University.

LINK
Deadline: October 1, 2011