Fellowships

Marshall Scholarship

Is it for you?

The Marshall Scholarship funds graduate study at any university in the U.K. in any field of study. As future leaders, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments, and their institutions. The scholarship provides university fees, cost of living expenses, annual book grant, thesis grant, research and daily travel grants, fares to and from the U.S., and, where applicable, a contribution towards the support of a dependent spouse.

What are the key dates?

General Information Sessions:

TBD for spring 2025 (normally late March/early April)

JHU pre-application deadline: TBD for spring 2025 (normally mid- to late April)

Submitting a pre-application and joining our cohort advising process is required to secure a university endorsement, which is necessary to apply for the Marshall Scholarship (please see “How do you work with the NFP?” below for more information). Marshall applicants at JHU receive intensive support from the university and must themselves devote deep reflection and writing effort to the application over several months to craft a viable application and receive an endorsement. While we will accept late pre-applications for many weeks after the deadline, we can no longer accept them after mid-June given the intensity of the application/endorsement process.

The pre-application is available on NFP’s Canvas course for U.K. Scholarships applicants. Please email [email protected] to request the self-enrollment link. The course will be available by the first info session listed above (please note: the Canvas course is offline between application cycles).

Are you eligible?

To be eligible for a 2025 Marshall Scholarship, candidates must:

be citizens of the U.S. at the time they apply for a scholarship.
hold their first undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the U.S. by the time they take up their scholarship.
have obtained an undergraduate grade point average of not less than 3.7.
have graduated from their first undergraduate college or university after April 2022. You can apply for a Marshall up to two years after finishing your Bachelors; you can begin a Marshall up to three years after your Bachelors.
not have studied for or hold a degree or degree-equivalent qualification from a British University.

How do you work with the NFP?

To apply for the Marshall, JHU’s institutional endorsement (a.k.a. nomination) is required and is sought by working with our office through our U.K. Scholarships advising process.

The U.K. Scholarships advising process begins in the spring of the application year and is a cohort-based approach for applicants to one or more of several highly competitive scholarships (the Churchill, Gates Cambridge, Marshall, and Rhodes Scholarships). By an April pre-application deadline, prospective applicants declare their intention to join the U.K. Scholarships cohort. We closely advise cohort members on their applications individually and offer a range of skill- and community-building group activities from the late spring through early fall. Our Application Process and Timeline overview provides more details.

The timeline gives an overview of the application process and when to reach out to us. In preparation, see “have a closer look” below for more resources about the Marshall.

late March-mid-April	Attend an info session; stop by NFP office hours to discuss your plans and goals
late April	Submit pre-application materials
May-June	Attend fellowship and writing workshops; consult individually with NFP advisors
July-August	Draft and revise application materials; secure recommendations; participate in roundtable
late August	Meet campus deadline for endorsement
September	Participate in roundtables & CV workshops
late September	Meet official Marshall deadline

Are you competitive?

The Marshall Scholarship committee awards up to 50 scholarships each year. The components of the application, listed below, are intended to capture and reflect each applicant’s academic merit, leadership potential, and ambassadorial potential – three equally weighted categories in the selection process. Selection decisions are based on the following materials:

Academic record: The Marshall requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.70. Students should excel in their chosen field and have “a broad outlook.”
Personal Statement: This essay of no more than 1,000 words should give the committee a clear sense of who you are, how your interests have developed, and how and why study in the U.K. fits into your future plans.
Proposed program of study: This essay of no more than 500 words should describe which degree program you plan to pursue in the U.K. and why. The Marshall asks for both a first and second choice institution and at least one of those choices cannot be Cambridge, the London School of Economics, or Oxford. You should be able to describe specific courses, faculty, and facilities available at the university you choose, and you should explain how the particular degree you have chosen will advance you along your career path.
Ambassadorial Potential: This essay demands that you do two things. The first task is to address the “U.S.-U.K. special relationship” in high-level (meaning historical and supra-individual), but specific terms. Typically you get at this by finding some link between your academic/professional interests and the U.K. or between those interests and the U.S.-U.K. relationship. The second task is to insert yourself into this history by explaining how as Marshall Scholar you will act to strengthen U.S.-U.K. ties not only while you are in the U.K., but also when back in the U.S. It’s important that you state what you will do (including specific actions, such as join an academic society in the U.K. focused on your issue and then propose to open a chapter once back in the U.S.), and not just cast yourself as a beneficiary of the U.S.-U.K. relationship.
Essay on Post-Scholarship Plan: This essay (located in the “Post Scholarship” section) aims to gauge what you will do academically/professionally immediately following your Marshall scholarship as well as in the longer term. In other words, it combines your immediate post-Marshall plans with a brief statement about future career aims. Please note that it is the shortest essay in the application—300 words—thus your writing must be particularly concise.
Essay on Leadership: This essay aims to elicit more specific evidence of your leadership; the scholarship seeks to fund the U.S.’s “future leaders.” Your task is to show the reader what type of leader you are through one example of your leadership in an organization, club, lab, class, team, job, etc.
Three letters of recommendation: At least two should be from professors who have taught you at the undergraduate level. Your professors should be able to compare you to other students they have taught and to describe your readiness to pursue the U.K. degree program you have chosen. One letter must focus on your leadership experience and potential.

Have a closer look:

Visit the Official Website

Marshall Scholarships

Explore JHU and NFP Resources

All applicants should enroll in our U.K. Scholarships Canvas site, which contains a wealth of information and resources about the application process. Please email us to request access in the spring.