George Mitchell Scholarship

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Mitchell Scholarship has paused selection for the class of 2026, and will not be open to application in Summer 2024. Applications may open again in a future year. See the announcement from the US-Ireland Alliance.

Estimated annual campus deadline: Mid-August

The Mitchell Scholarship Program selects exceptional undergraduates for one academic year of postgraduate study in any discipline offered by institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Eligibility: Seniors or recent graduates; U.S. citizens between the age of 18 and 30; must be interested in graduate-level studies in Ireland.

Award amount: $11,000 plus tuition and room

Campus nomination: required for all UCSB applicants who are currently enrolled. No campus nomination requirement if applying after graduation.

UCSB campus application information

Class Level: 

  • Senior

Scholarship Deadline: 

August 21, 2023

Expanded Scholarship Details: 

The Mitchell Scholarship Program, named to honor former US Senator George Mitchell's pivotal contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process, is designed to introduce and connect generations of future American leaders to the island of Ireland, while recognizing and fostering intellectual achievement, leadership, and a commitment to community and public service. Up to twelve Mitchell Scholars between the ages of 18 and 30 are chosen annually for one academic year of postgraduate study in any discipline offered by institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Mitchell Scholarship Program provides tuition, accommodation, a stipend for living expenses and travel.  Applicants are judged primarily on their scholarship, leadership, and commitment to community and public service.

The Mitchell Scholarship requires students to be endorsed by their campuses.  UCSB students should send an email indicating their interest in the Mitchell Scholarship to scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu, and they will be contacted by our office, which coordinates the campus nomination process for all UCSB undergraduates, regardless of their colleges. Our office works closely with students as they prepare their applications; therefore, students should arrange to consult well in advance of the application deadline. Students should also consult with professors in their area of interest while preparing the Mitchell application.  The Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) staff will be available throughout the summer to help you with the preparation of your personal statement.  Go to the Mitchell Scholarship Website for details on the application process, eligibility requirements, and graduate study in Ireland.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Be a U.S. citizen 
  • Be 18 years of age or older, but not yet 30, on September 30 of the year of application (those who turn 30 on September 30th are not eligible).
  • Senior standing or already graduated; applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university before beginning study as a Mitchell Scholar.

Campus Procedure:

Campus Application Deadline (for Current UCSB Undergraduates ONLY): TBD

PLEASE NOTE: The Mitchell Scholarship has paused selection for the class of 2026, and will not be open to application in Summer 2024. Applications may open again in a future year. This was a decision made by the foundation and is not controlled by UC Santa Barbara. See the announcement from the US-Ireland Alliance for details.

Students who have already graduated from UCSB at the time of application do not participate in campus selection and may apply directly to Mitchell by the national deadline on their website. Recently graduated applicants from UCSB are still encouraged to contact our office for feedback and support at scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu.

Currently enrolled students at UCSB must complete all of the following by the above campus deadline to be considered for campus nomination:

  1. The completed online application, including upload of all supporting materials and unofficial transcripts from all the colleges you have attended (including UCSB).  NOTE: DO NOT “submit” the application for national review until getting the go ahead by the UCSB scholarship coordinator.  The application does not need to be "submitted" for the campus deadline.
  2. A personal statement of no more than 1000 words, uploaded through the online application. Effective 2020: Applicants may seek strategic feedback on their Mitchell personal statement. Applicants must still attest that the work of the statement is wholly their own.
  3. Four letters of recommendation submitted on-line by your recommenders to the Mitchell application system, and also sent separately to scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu by the campus deadline. For current undergraduate students seeking campus endorsement, at least two of the four letters must be from persons with whom the applicant has done academic work.
  4. For those seeking institutional endorsement or hoping for support or feedback from the campus, designation of Nick Alward-Saxon as the campus advisor under the Fellowship Advisor section of the online application, by either A) listing the exact E-mail address scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu, or B) using the "Search" link and entering the text "UC Santa Barbara".
  5. If nominated, designation of the appropriate contact under the Endorser section of the application in consultation with our office.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu.