Overview and Introduction
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 since it will also support a 1-year master's degree in a STEM field.
Eligibility:
- Citizenship: A citizen of the United States (non-US citizens may consider the Gates Cambridge or other UK scholarships).
- Age: Between 19 and 26 years of age at the time of application.
- Degree: Must hold a bachelor’s degree, but cannot have completed a doctorate, by the time of enrollment at Cambridge.
- Academics: Minimum GPA of 3.7. Most successful applicants have a 3.9 or above and significant research accomplishments in their proposed field of study.
Application Deadlines
- U-M Deadline: September 23d 2024 at 12:00pm
- Cambridge Application Deadline: Applicants for the Churchill Scholarship must apply to their intended graduate program at Cambridge by the second week of October. Applicants must list Churchill College as their first choice on the Cambridge application.
- Endorsement: U-M Nomination is Required. Learn more about ONSF and the nomination process.
Churchill 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.
- The Committee looks for originality and creativity.
- 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.”
- The Committee takes into account interests and achievements outside of research, but it does not favor any particular kind of activity.
Prospective Applicants
Prospective applicants should join the UK Scholarships Canvas site for an overview of the application, program requirements, additional advising information, and more. All U-M applicants must register with ONSF via the Canvas site in order to be eligible to apply for U-M nomination to the Churchill Scholarship.
Application Summary
Please see the Churchill Scholarship website for detailed instructions regarding the online application.
- Four academic letters of recommendation
- Future Career Plans (200 words)
- Narrative Transcript (300 words)
- Research/Employment Experience
- Scholarships, Prizes, and Awards
- Non-Academic Interests/Activities
- Academic and Research History
- Proposed Program of Study
- A copy of your U-M transcript
- U-M class ranking
Candidates selected for endorsement will work with ONSF to complete the final application before the final deadline.
