Churchill Scholarships provide funding for outstanding students pursuing one-year post-baccalaureate studies in science, mathematics, or engineering at the University of Cambridge. Offered by the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States, the Churchill seeks to reward students with the demonstrated capacity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in these fields. Winners of the Churchill Scholarship receive a fully-funded one year of post-baccalaureate study, a living and travel allowance and coverage of visa application fees. The foundation also offers the possibility of a special research grant for academic or professional development. Fellows live in Churchill College at Cambridge.
Eligibility
Candidates must be U.S. citizens and currently enrolled seniors or alumni/ae who have graduated within the last twelve months. Upon taking up the scholarship, scholars must hold a bachelor’s degree and may not yet have attained a doctorate. Consult the foundation’s website for eligible fields of study.
Selection Criteria
The Churchill seeks students who show:
- Outstanding academic achievement. There is no minimum GPA. The Committee looks at achievement in STEM courses, especially in the major, as indicated by course grades and recommendation letters.
Proven talent in research. Applicants in the sciences and engineering will demonstrate extensive laboratory experience, internships, or other related work, while applicants in mathematics will show substantial independent work or other projects. The Committee looks for originality and creativity.
Outstanding personal qualities. Understanding the time commitment required by research, the Churchill Foundation does not seek so-called “well-rounded” applicants; instead, it seeks applicants with what we call interesting “jagged edges.” The Committee takes into account interests and achievements outside of research, but it does not favor any particular kind of activity.
University nomination
Columbia University may nominate two undergraduates or recent alumni/ae (within 12 months of graduation) for consideration each year. Students and recent graduates of Columbia College, Columbia Engineering and the School of General Studies are eligible. Students may not apply directly for this fellowship without first having been nominated by Columbia.
In order to be considered for Columbia nomination, you must complete the Columbia University online application (available above by clicking "Start Your Application") by the internal campus deadline provided. Additionally, you should arrange for your letters of recommendation to be submitted by your recommenders directly to ugrad-urf@columbia.edu by the internal campus deadline as well.
Students must apply separately for admission to a post-baccalaureate degree at Cambridge and should indicate Churchill College as their preferred college. The Churchill Scholarship is for one year of study at the University of Cambridge for an MPhil (Master of Philosophy) or MASt (Master of Advanced Study). The MASt is only available in pure or applied mathematics (also called Part III). Applicants to the MPhil, in all cases, are required to provide correspondence with a proposed Cambridge supervisor to ensure that the placement is appropriate. Applicants to the MASt are not required to contact a potential supervisor but should carefully review the Churchill's Guide to Part III. Math applicants also have the option to find a research group for an MPhil in mathematics, in which case correspondence with a supervisor is necessary.