Churchill Scholarship

Campus Deadline: 

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Who Should Apply?: 

Seniors & recent graduates, U.S. citizens

What It's For: 

One year at Cambridge University for graduate degree in science, engineering, or mathematics

Fields of Study: 

Science

Engineering

Mathematics

Scholarship Website: 

Churchill Scholarship Website

The Churchill Scholarship funds 18 scholarships per year, comprised of 16 Churchill Scholarships in science, mathematics, and engineering, and two Kanders Churchill Scholarships in science policy. It is for one year of Master’s study (courses run between 9 and 12 months). The award covers tuition, roundtrip airfare to the UK, visa fees and health surcharge, and a stipend that is set 5% higher than the UK Research Council standard. Recipients are eligible to apply for a $4,000 special research grant. The total value is around $65,000. 

Eligibility Requirements:

• U.S. citizen
• Ages 19–26
• May not have attained a doctorate at the time they take up the award

Candidate Profile:

• Exceptional academic achievement and talent in an eligible area of study (GPA: min. 3.7, but usually 3.9 or higher)
• Strong record of research in your field
• Potential to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the sciences, engineering, or mathematics by pursuing original, creative work
• Preparedness for rigorous, independent graduate study and research
• Demonstrated leadership, extracurricular involvement, and social engagement

Application Components:

• List of research and relevant employment experience (e.g., lab positions, internships)
• Program of Study essay of no more than one, single-spaced page, including a rationale for your chosen program of study at Cambridge and a clear link to your future goals
• Personal Statement of no more than two pages, single-spaced
• Certified transcript (or transcripts)
• Four letters of recommendation from faculty members. Share this important information with your recommenders: Instructions for Recommenders: U.K. & Ireland Awards.
• Letter of interest or commitment from the director of an appropriate laboratory at Cambridge

Application Procedure

Students must apply independently for admission to the University of Cambridge through the GRADSAF by mid-October and will complete a separate application for the Churchill Scholarship. Students MUST be nominated by UMASS in order to apply for the Churchill. As such, an UMASS faculty internal committee will read and select two nominees for the Churchill Scholarship competition.

ONSA staff encourage you to set an advising appointment during the spring semester to discuss your eligibility and competitiveness for the UK/Ireland scholarships. After discussing with us your academic record and leadership and research experience for these highly competitive scholarships, students will pre-apply with ONSA by June 1.

The pre-application process officially informs ONSA about your application plan and allows students to start working early on their applications. Complete and submit the U.K./Ireland Scholarships Pre-Application by June 1.

APPLY with ONSA by October 1:

Finalize your Churchill application. We will access your application from there.

THE CAMPUS DEADLINE OF OCTOBER 1 IS REQUIRED; WE WILL NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS AFTER THIS DATE.

After the campus deadline, we will review your application and inform you if you will be endorsed for the national competition.

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE DEADLINE: October (check their website for the exact date)

Churchill applicants must also apply to their graduate program at Cambridge. Some key points regarding the Cambridge application:

• If your account is inactive for 2 or more weeks, your application will be automatically deleted, so be sure to log in frequently.
• Your application will require 2 academic letters of recommendation. Your online submission of the Cambridge application will send automated email prompts to your references, who will then have 14 days to submit their letters.
• Your Cambridge program may have its own requirements, such as an additional research proposal or other essays, additional test scores, or differing deadlines. Carefully review their website.
• Churchill College MUST be your first choice of college on the Cambridge application.