Rhodes, Marshall, & Churchill Scholarships

Students participate in a KU study abroad program Literature, Arts and Culture in Cuba, guided by distinguished professor Dr. Marta Caminero-Santangelo.

These prestigious scholarships to the United Kingdom are some of the most competitive awards open to U.S. undergraduates and recent graduates. At the University of Kansas, CURF coordinates a combined application process for these awards, as the same students are often interested in pursuing more than one of them. This means interested students will only submit one application and automatically be considered for the scholarship(s) for which they are eligible.

  • The Rhodes Scholarship is intended for students who demonstrate outstanding scholarly achievements and for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in their field. It funds tuition, living expenses, and travel costs for two (sometimes three) years of graduate study in eligible fields at Oxford University.
  • The Marshall Scholarship is intended for students demonstrating exceptional academic ability, leadership, and a commitment to public service. It funds tuition, living expenses, and travel costs for up to two years of graduate study in any field in any university in the UK. Scholars typically earn one two-year degree or two one-year degrees.
  • The Churchill Scholarship is intended for STEM students demonstrating academic and leadership promise in their field. It funds tuition, living expenses, travel costs, and qualified research expenses for graduate study at Churchill College at Cambridge University. 

Note that students must concurrently apply to their relevant graduate program(s) and be accepted for the scholarship to take effect.

Interested students should email the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships at curf@ku.edu for more information or to access the campus application Canvas space.

Students interested in studying in the United Kingdom are also encouraged to consider the NIH OxCam Scholars Program, Gates Cambridge Scholarship (which is open to citizens of all countries except the UK), and the Chevening Scholarships, open to citizens of many countries outside the US or UK.

Selection Criteria

Students must have:

  • An exceptional academic record (minimum 3.7 GPA).
  • Demonstrated leadership ability.
  • Potential to serve as a citizen ambassador to the UK.
  • Junior standing at the time of application, although seniors and recently graduated students may also apply.

Step 1: Apply for the Campus Nomination

Students applying for these scholarships will interview before being designated as a Provisional Nominee and work with the CURF team on their national application over summer in anticipation of the fall final deadlines.

Deadline: May 19th (of Junior Year)

Interview: Early June

Notification of nomination: June

Required materials:

  • Resume or CV. Final applications must be two pages, but at the campus nomination stage, more is better.
  • Student Academic Summary. This is accessible through Enroll & Pay.
  • Programs of Study Essay. List the graduate study programs you would like to pursue, with 300-500 words each. Explain why you want that type of degree, what you want to get out of your graduate education, and why you want to study in the UK.
  • Short Answer Essays. Students must complete four short essays:
    • "What's your problem"?: Discuss what issue or concern drives your studies. Limit 300 words.
    • Describe two courses that have influenced you in your choice of career path. Limit 300 words.
    • "Where are you going?": If you were awarded this scholarship, what would be next for you after finishing your graduate program? What job might you have in 5, 10, or 20 years? Limit 300 words.
    • Your winner's bio: When the winners of this scholarship are announced each year, the scholarship foundation releases brief biographies of all the winners. What will yours say? Limit 150 words.
  • Four letters of recommendation. You must provide a list of your recommenders (including institution and email) to the online application, and they must submit their letters via the online form by the May deadline.
    • For Rhodes and Marshall candidates, at least one letter should be from someone who can comment on your leadership.
    • For Churchill candidates, all letters must be from STEM faculty.
    • Students who applied for Astronaut, Goldwater, Truman or Udall and have letters on file with the Office of Fellowship may “recycle” those letters for the campus application.

Step 2: Apply for the national competition

Deadline: Late September or early October

Notification of acceptance: November

Required materials: 

  • KU release forms. Complete the nominee waiver form, news release biography form, and transcript release form as soon as possible. Look for an email about getting your photo taken for the campus news release.
  • Revised materials. Provisional nominees will work with CURF staff to prepare for the national deadline in fall. 

Helpful Resources