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Cornell University

Marshall Scholarship

Cornell endorsement is required.

The Marshall Scholarship funds one or two years of graduate study at nearly a wide range of institutions in the United Kingdom. Most fields of study are supported. Professional degrees, such as those in law, business, and medicine are excluded, as are second baccalaureate degrees.

Read carefully the Marshall Scholarship website for more information.

Important Dates

August 15

Deadline: Application due to the Fellowship Coordinator. See Application Process.
September 5-13 Endorsement interviews with campus committee.
September 21 Deadline: FINAL SUBMISSION of endorsed applications to the Fellowship Coordinator.
September 26 Foundation deadline for receipt of application material.
Early-to mid November Practice interviews for applicants invited to Marshall regional committee interview.
Late November Foundation interviews. Winners selected soon thereafter.

Eligibility

U.S. citizens who will hold the Bachelor's degree before embarking on the Scholarship and have graduated or will have graduated after April 2019.

Selection Criteria

Applicants first submit their materials to a campus committee for review in August. The Cornell Endorsement Committee interviews all applicants and chooses nominees to the national competition, which is conducted by region. All applications must be processed and endorsed through the CCS fellowships office to be eligible for the competition. Endorsement decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

Selection decisions on campus and in the Marshall regions are based on the criteria below.

  • A minimum GPA of 3.7. A GPA above 3.85 is generally competitive. The average GPA of Marshall Scholars in considerably higher. Students should excel in their chosen field, be widely read, and demonstrate intellectual flexibility. 
  • The online application asks for evidence of extracurricular interests, including service to others and leadership experience. It requires a proposal of an academic program in which applicants describe their ability to undertake the program and its role in advancing them toward their long-term goals. The application also requires Academic and Research History and short essays on leadership and ambassador potential. 
  • Three letters of recommendation are required. 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 UK degree program you have chosen. One letter may be from a person who knows you in a non-academic setting (e.g., from community work, extracurricular activity, employment, etc.). 
  • Students face a panel of experts from a variety of fields. Interviewers may ask questions related to the student's field, pose philosophical dilemmas, ask questions related to current events, etc. Students should be prepared for a broad-ranging interview and should fully expect to be asked questions to which they do not know the answers. Information on the interview process is available from the Fellowship Coordinator.

Application Process

Applications from students and alumni must be processed and endorsed through the CCS fellowships office to be eligible for the competition at the regional and/or national level. Endorsement decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

APPLICATION MATERIALS DUE to the FELLOWSHIP COORDINATOR AUGUST 15, 2023

You must contact the Fellowship Coordinator to begin the application process. You will submit the materials below electronically to the Fellowship Coordinator by the August deadline. The Fellowship Coordinator will forward your application materials to the Cornell Endorsement Committee.

  • Application form
  • Academic and Research History
  • Academic proposal
  • Essays on leadership and ambassador potential
  • Official, official transcript(s) of all college work

You should ask for recommendations at least four weeks before the due date. Have a conversation with your potential recommenders so they understand the scholarship's selection criteria and have enough information about your candidacy to write a detailed, evaluative letter. Recommenders should submit their letters directly to the Fellowship Coordinator but may also submit them online once you have opened your online application. Neither the letters nor your application will go forward to the Marshall regional committee until after the campus endorsement process. (NOTE: This is different from the Rhodes letter submission process.)

Contact:
Beth Fiori, Fellowship Coordinator
103 Barnes Hall
ccs-fellowships@cornell.edu