BRITISH MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP

Contact Professor Edward Countryman in the Clements Department of History for more information

GENERAL INFORMATION
At least 40 Marshall Scholarships are given annually for two years of study in a degree program at any British university. According to the Marshall Commemoration Commission, the criterion for selection of Scholars is "distinction of intellect and character as evidenced both by their scholastic attainment and by their other activities and achievements. Preference will be given to candidates who display a potential to make a significant contribution to their own society. Selectors will also look for strong motivation and seriousness of purpose, including the presentation of a specific and realistic academic programme." Candidates for Marshall Scholarships apply as representatives of their institutions and must be endorsed by their institution.

ELIGIBILITY:
The Marshall Commission has indicated that applicants will need a 3.7 minimum cumulative grade point average.

BRITISH DEGREE PROGRAMS:
A "specific and realistic academic programme" is a major selection factor in awarding a Marshall Scholarship. Thus, prospective applicants must inform themselves of the academic tradition and degree courses in British Universities described in the current "Rules for Candidates," and "Memorandum of Guidance" as well as other references suggested in the application information. The Marshall Scholarship web site provides links with each British university and a search function for degree courses. Typically, students choose a two-year degree in a course of study based on their undergraduate academic preparation including research experience in their chosen field. Students may also propose a second undergraduate degree (honours degree) as described in the Marshall information or a doctoral degree if a third year of support is a reasonable expectation (from Marshall or a U.S. scholarship foundation).

PRELIMINARY APPLICATION:
The preliminary application is submitted online at the Marshall Web site: http://www.marshallscholarship.org/.. A copy of the transcript is also due at that time.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Applicants must request four letters of recommendation. The first of these should be designated the Preferred Recommender and this recommender should have supervised your college or university training. At least two recommendations must be provided by academics. At least three of these recommenders should be in the United States. All recommendations must be done on-line, and they must be received by the campus application deadline. Recommendations are expected to be quite detailed and to provide specific examples of a candidate's level of intellectual engagement with the professor. Letters that address the candidate's grade or standing in a course without providing examples or details are not helpful in the selection process.

FINAL APPLICATION:
The application will be submitted online. Applications must be endorsed by the Office of National Fellowships. The on-line application must be submitted and authorized by a designated member of staff. Invitations for regional interviews are issued to selected candidates in November.

For more information, please contact:

Edward Countryman
Professor, History Department
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750176
Dallas, TX 75275-0176
ecountry@smu.edu
(214) 768-2907

Information on this site adapted from the Marshall Scholarship website and the Duke University Scholarship site.

Official Web Site
http://www.marshallscholarship.org/

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