Marshall Scholarship

Award information

Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. Up to forty Scholars are selected each year to study at graduate level at an UK institution in any field of study. As future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments and their institutions. Marshall Scholars are talented, independent and wide-ranging, and their time as Scholars enhances their intellectual and personal growth. Their direct engagement with Britain through its best academic programmes contributes to their ultimate personal success.

Marshall Scholarship objectives

  • 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 fulfillment of each Scholar.

Selection criteria

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. Carefully review how the Marshall Scholarship assesses these qualities. Applications noting interest in universities other than Oxford, Cambridge, and LSE are encouraged and may have a competitive advantage.

Eligibility

  • U.S. Citizens
  • Undergraduate degree before commencing graduate study in the UK (by September of the following year).
  • GPA of 3.7 at the time of application
  • Recent alumni: graduated from BU after April 2015
  • Not have studied for, or hold a degree or degree-equivalent qualification from a British University or GCSE or A Levels taken at school in the UK.

Endorsement application procedures

Marshall does not accept direct applications; students must be endorsed by Boston University’s Provost Office. To apply for institutional endorsement:

  1. Complete the brief Intent to Apply questionnaire by July 1, 2025, 12 noon EST.  This signals your serious interest in the opportunity and opens up our channels of communication and support.
  2. Your application for BU endorsement will be due on August 11, 2025, 12 noon EST via the Marshall application portal: http://www.marshallscholarship.org/applications/apply. We require a minimum of two recommendation letters for the endorsement deadline, and need to know the name, title, and email of all four recommendation writers.

Direct questions to bufellow@bu.edu or to Jeff Berg, Director of National & International Scholarships at berg@bu.edu.