Winston Churchill Scholarships for Graduate Study
Churchill Scholarships offer American students of exceptional ability the opportunity to pursue graduate studies in engineering, mathematics and the sciences at Churchill College in the University of Cambridge. At least 12 Churchill Scholarships, tenable for one year, are offered annually. The Scholarship covers all University and College tuition and fees. In addition, students receive a living allowance of £11,000 to £13,000. They also receive travel allowances up to $1,500 and may apply for a $2,000 research grant.
Deadlines
- Preliminary: July 1, 2022
- Internal: Sept. 16, 2022
- External: Nov. 2, 2022
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen and must be enrolled in one of the institutions participating in the scholarship competition. Upon taking up a Churchill Scholarship, you must be between the ages of 19 and 26, hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a United States college or university, and may not have attained a doctorate.
Adviser: Eleanor (Ellie) Stanford, Fellowship Adviser.
Selection criteria: Churchill Scholars are selected according to the following criteria (from the Churchill website):
A capacity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the sciences, engineering, or mathematics by pursuing original, creative work at an advanced level as demonstrated by awards, prizes, research, and letters of recommendation. 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. Understanding the time commitment required by research, the Churchill Foundation does not seek so-called “well rounded” applicants; instead, it seeks applicants with what we call interesting “jagged edges.”
Preliminary application: Because competition for this scholarship is so intense, it is important to begin the application process early. The initial application is intended to get you started putting together the materials you will need for later stages. Based on your initial application, you will receive feedback from the Fellowships Adviser regarding whether you have the potential to receive institutional endorsement and if so what steps you should take and what concerns you will have to address to earn that endorsement.
Churchill Preliminary Application Form
The initial application will consist of the following:
- A current, comprehensive resumé, including employment, activities, honors, skills, and languages. This need not be limited to one page. Please include a description of planned employment or other activities for the upcoming summer and fall.
- The names of four potential writers of letter of recommendation, all of whom should be professors or researchers in areas of science you are interested in. You are advised to inform these writers of your plans to apply for this fellowship.
- A personal statement worksheet
- A list of any other fellowships you are planning to apply for
- A list of any questions you have about the fellowship or the application process
Official internal application: Bryn Mawr will select up to two nominees on the basis of the online internal application.
Please ask your faculty to submit their letters of recommendation to the Dean's Office.
Please note: Candidates must apply directly to the University of Cambridge, by the mid-October deadline for New Applicants from the U.S. Earlier application is encouraged. Candidates are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the complex processor applying to Cambridge, which may include research proposals, GRE scores, etc. Applicants must indicate on the Cambridge application that they are applying to Churchill College.
The external application is available online and is submitted to the Foundation.
After the application is submitted: The Churchill Foundation Scholarship Screening Committee, comprised of former Churchill Scholars who are expert in various disciplines, evaluate the applications and endorses those considered most qualified for a Scholarship. Applicants are notified in January whether or not they have been endorsed by the Screening Committee. The Board of Graduate Studies and the appropriate departments at the University of Cambridge review the applications that have been endorsed by the Screening Committee, consider the availability of appropriate supervision and laboratory space and decide who is eligible for admission to the University. The Winston Churchill Foundation makes final decisions on Churchill Scholarship winners and announces them by April 15.