Marshall Scholarship

Estimated annual campus deadline: Mid-August

The Marshall Scholarship offers intellectually distinguished young Americans the opportunity to attend graduate school for two years in any discipline in the United Kingdom, while being introduced to the British way of life and British social and academic values.

Eligibility: Seniors or students who have recently graduated; U.S. citizens; GPA 3.7 or higher; have not studied for or earned a degree or qualification from a British University, GCSE, or A-Levels taken at a school in the UK.

Award: University fees, cost of living expenses, annual book grant, thesis grant, research and daily travel grants, fares to and from the United States

Campus nomination: required for all UCSB applicants.

UCSB campus application information

Class Level: 

  • Senior

Scholarship Deadline: 

August 18, 2023

Expanded Scholarship Details: 

This program offers intellectually distinguished young Americans the opportunity to attend graduate school for two years in any discipline in the United Kingdom., while being introduced to the British way of life and British social and academic values. Up to forty scholarships will be awarded which are tenable at any British University and cover two years of study in any discipline, at either undergraduate or graduate level.  Additional objectives of the program are:

  • 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 centers 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 fulfilment of each Scholar.

The Marshall Scholarship requires students to be endorsed by their campuses. Students should send an email indicating their interest in the Marshall Scholarship to scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu well before the campus deadline, and they will be contacted by our office, which coordinates the nominations process for all applicants at UCSB and works closely with students as they prepare their applications. In addition, a student should consult with a professor in his/her area of study while preparing the Marshall application. The Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) staff will also be available throughout the summer to help you with the preparation of your personal statement.

You can obtain scholarship information and access to the online application at www.marshallscholarship.org. Carefully read the details about eligibility and applying on the Marshall website. The process of identifying a program of study at British universities and applying for the scholarship takes time and planning.

The minimum eligibility requirements for the Marshall Scholarship are:   

  • That applicants be citizens of the United States of America (at the time they apply for a scholarship);
  • That applicants hold their first undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States by the time they take up their scholarship (i.e. September the year following their application);
  • That applicants have obtained a grade point average of not less than 3.7 on their undergraduate degree.  (Applicants must have a GPA of 3.7 at the time of application).
  • That applicants have graduated from their first undergraduate college or university within the past few years (check the Marshall website for the specific cutoff).
  • That applicants 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.

Campus Application Deadline: August 18, 2023. This is the final deadline for submitting all materials to our office for UCSB endorsement for the Marshall Scholarship.

The following must be submitted to our office no later than 4:00 PM on the day of the campus deadline:

  • The online application, including the four essays (Personal, Proposed Program, Leadership, and Ambassadorial Potential) and responses to the application questions. Do not forget to hit the “Submit” button. The applications should be in final format, with close attention to content, grammar, and spelling.
  • (New letter categories effective Summer 2020) Three letters of recommendation, including: the preferred recommender, a general recommender (who should have taught or supervised the applicant), and a leadership recommender. At least two of these recommenders must be located in the US. All recommendation letters must be submitted through the Marshall on-line application system.
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have ever attended, including UCSB, and including any college courses taken while in high school. Digital official transcripts may be uploaded directly to your Marshall application. As of 2019, Marshall no longer requires hard-copy transcripts unless the candidate is selected for the interview stage.

If you have any questions, please contact the UCSB Scholarship Coordinator at scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu.