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Prestigious scholarship and
fellowship programs for graduate and professional study vary widely. Some are
specifically designed to encourage Americans to study abroad.
Three of the most prominent
programs support study in the United Kingdom:
The Rhodes Scholarship
was created in 1902 by the will of British mining magnate Cecil Rhodes and is
awarded to persons who demonstrate not only outstanding academic
accomplishments, but also extraordinary leadership ability. Participation in
athletic competition is also a factor, but less so than in decades past. The
Rhodes supports two years of study at Oxford University, in any field offered at
Oxford. Rhodes Scholars come from around the world; 32 of the scholarships are
reserved for Americans each year. Rhodes Scholars include former President Bill
Clinton, Maryland Senator Paul Sarbanes, Supreme Court Justice David Souter, and
former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke. Women have been eligible for the
Scholarship since 1977.
The
Marshall Scholarship
is specifically designed for Americans with high academic potential and a
commitment to service and was created by the British Parliament in 1953 to
strengthen Anglo-American relations. Marshall Scholars may attend any college
or university in the United Kingdom to study in any
field offered. This extremely prestigious award honors General and former
Secretary of State George C. Marshall, architect of the Marshall Plan for
reconstruction of Europe after World War II.
Marshall Scholars receive funding for two to three years of study. Women have
been among the Marshall Scholarship recipients since the first class was chosen
in 1954.
One of the newest
scholarships for study in the U.K. was created in 2000 by the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation and is known as the
Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
With a $230 million endowment, the program supports one to four years of
graduate study at Cambridge University for scholars from around the world in all
fields taught at Cambridge—from science and mathematics to the arts. Roughly
half of the Scholars selected are from the United States. The primary criterion
for selection is academic distinction and the potential to make a difference in
your chosen field. |
