| Marshall Scholarship | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Awarded for | Americans to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom |
| Sponsored by | Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission |
| Established | 1953 byParliament of the United Kingdom |
| Website | marshallscholarship.org |
TheMarshall Scholarship is apostgraduatescholarship for "intellectually distinguished young Americans [and] their country's future leaders" to study at any university in theUnited Kingdom.[1] It is considered among the most prestigious scholarships for U.S. citizens, and along with theFulbright Scholarship, it is the only broadly available scholarship available to Americans to study at any university in the United Kingdom.[2][3][4]
Created by theParliament of the United Kingdom in 1953 as a living gift to theUnited States in recognition of the generosity ofSecretary of StateGeorge C. Marshall and theMarshall Plan in the wake ofWorld War II, the goal of the scholarship was to strengthen theSpecial Relationship between the two countries for "the good of mankind in this turbulent world."[5] The scholarships are awarded by theMarshall Aid Commemoration Commission and are largely funded by the British government.[6] The program was also the first major co-educational British graduate scholarship; one-third of the inaugural cohort in 1954 were women. With nearly 1,000 university-endorsed applicants in recent years—along with many more who apply but do not receive their university's endorsement—the Marshall Scholarship ranks among the most selective graduate scholarships for Americans. Among university-endorsed applicants, the acceptance rate typically ranges from three to four percent, reaching as low as 3.2 percent in 2015 and 3.6 percent for the 2025 class.[7][8]
There are over 1,900Marshall Scholar alumni.[7] Many of these alumni have achieved distinctions and hold prestigious careers. In the government, current alumni include two Associate Justices of theSupreme Court of the United States, the director of theCIA, members ofCongress andpresidential cabinets, and stategovernors. Alumni are CEOs of companies such asLinkedIn andDolby Labs, and managing editors ofTime magazine andCNN. They are also deans ofYale Law School,Stanford Law School, theHarvard Kennedy School andHarvard College; and presidents ofDuke University,Wellesley College, theCooper Union, andCaltech. They also include twoNobel Laureates, a winner of theKluge Prize, sixPulitzer Prize–winning authors, fourteenMacArthur Genius Grant awardees,NASA's youngest astronaut, twoOscar nominees, andone awardee of theDistinguished Flying Cross for service during theIraq War.[9][10]
Plans to establish Marshall Scholarships as a living memorial toUnited States Secretary of StateGeorge C. Marshall was announced byBritish Foreign SecretaryAnthony Eden on 31 July 1952, and were enacted by theParliament of the United Kingdom with theMarshall Aid Commemoration Act 1953.[11]
While the authors of the proposal initially considered partnering with theRhodes Scholarship and even considered using the same selection committees, this idea was eventually disregarded because its proponents strongly believed the scholarships should be available to women, and to married men under the age of 28; at the time, the Rhodes Scholarship was limited to single men under the age of 25. The creation of a separate scholarship was a cause of great concern to LordGodfrey Elton, the head of theRhodes Trust at the time, who worried that the ability to study at other universities would draw potential applicants. He urged theForeign Office to create a "reverse exchange" for British students in the United States instead.[12] The Rhodes Scholarship became open to women beginning in 1977 following the passage of the British Sex Discrimination Act in 1975.[2]
In 1959, when Parliament doubled the number of scholars from 12 to 24, British politicianPhilip Noel-Baker argued that "Marshall, more than perhaps any other man, destroyed isolation in the United States and built up the conception that only collective security through international institutions can save the world...I think the world has never seen an act of greater national generosity than Marshall aid and the other aid which the United States has given to other continents throughout the last 15 years." By 1960, six years after its establishment, the scholarship was "on its way to becoming as well-known and respected as the fellow phrase, "Rhodes [Scholarship]," and both scholarships attracted roughly 500 to 600 applicants.[13]
As part of the celebrations for the 50th Anniversary of the Marshall Scholarships in 2003, aMarshall Medal was awarded to distinguished Americans in recognition of their contributions to UK-US relations, includingStephen Breyer (1959 Marshall Scholar),Ray Dolby (1957 Marshall Scholar),Thomas L. Friedman (1975 Marshall Scholar) andNannerl Keohane (1961 Marshall Scholar).[14]
In the early years of the Marshall Scholarship, it was common for new scholars to travel together to the UK on anocean liner, but now scholars are usually flown together to London fromWashington, D.C. following a welcome program at theWhite House with top United Kingdom and United States government and diplomatic officials.
In 1954, the first year Marshall Scholarships were awarded, 700 students applied, 74 were interviewed, and 12 were ultimately selected (eight men and four women). Two came from Stanford, and the rest from Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, Kentucky, Oberlin, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.[15]
In 1956,Claremont McKenna studentHugh Gallagher became the first wheelchair user to be selected as a Marshall Scholar, which he used to study atOxford. He went on to draft theArchitectural Barriers Act of 1968, which required that buildings built with federal funds be made accessible to all and was enacted byPresident Lyndon B. Johnson. This was a precursor to theAmericans With Disabilities Act of 1990. "Hugh's most outstanding contribution to the quality of life of people with disabilities was to successfully place disability rights on Congress' agenda for the first time," former Senate majority leaderBob Dole wrote for an event honoring Gallagher in 1995.[16]
In 1963,Boston University graduate student John Willis became the first African American to be selected for a Marshall Scholarship, which he used to study at theSchool of Oriental and African Studies.[17] Willis became a professor emeritus of Near Eastern studies atPrinceton University.[18]
The number of scholars increased to thirty in 1973, forty in 1991, and 44 between 2004 and 2007. In 2010, the commission decided to offer a limited number of one-year awards.[19] In 2016, the Foreign Office announced that forty scholars had been selected, a 25 percent increase over the originally planned 32, with Foreign Office MinisterAlok Sharma calling it a demonstration of how "resolute Britain is in its commitment to the special relationship."[20]
On 7 June 2023, British Prime MinisterRishi Sunak, from his office at10 Downing Street, announced an expansion to the funding allotted for Marshall Scholarships, writing in a press release that "the number of Marshall scholarships will increase by 25%, to 50 places a year."[21][22] Accordingly, 51 students were selected as 2024 Marshall Scholars, the largest cohort in the scholarship's 70-year history.[23] However, only 36 students were selected the next year as 2025 Marshall Scholars.[24]
In a letter to the first class of Marshall Scholars,George Marshall echoed his own words in initially presenting his ideas for European recovery by saying, "A close accord between our two countries is essential to the good of mankind in this turbulent world of today, and that is not possible without an intimate understanding of each other. These scholarships point the way to the continuation and growth of the understanding which found its necessity in the terrible struggle of the war years."[5]
The published objectives of the Marshall Scholarships are outlined as follows:
The first proposed 1953 arrangement of the Marshall Scholarship, a 10-page document presented by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to Parliament by Command of Her Majesty, instructed selectors to "look for distinction of intellect and character as evidenced both by their scholastic attainment and by other activities and achievements."[1] It specified:
Preference will be given to candidates who combine high academic ability with the capacity to play an active part in the life of the United Kingdom university to which they go. A Marshall scholar, as the possessor of a keen intellect and a broad outlook, would be thought of as a person who would contribute to the aims General Marshall had in mind when, speaking at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on the 5th of June, 1947 of economic assistance for Europe, he said, "An essential part of any successful action on the part of the United States is an understanding on the part of the American people of the character of the problem and the remedies to be applied. Political passion and prejudice should have no part. With foresight and the willingness on the part of our people to face up to the vast responsibilities which history has clearly placed upon our country, the difficulties...can and will be overcome."[1]
Prospective applicants must first be endorsed by their universities to apply. The selection process is then coordinated through the eight major British embassy/consulate regions in the United States (Atlanta,Boston,Chicago,Houston,Los Angeles,New York,San Francisco, andWashington, D.C.). Selection committees in each region, consisting of former scholars and other distinguished individuals, receive university-endorsed applications (including personal statements and essays) which are used to select a short list of candidates for interviews. Each committee then interviews each of the regional finalists before making the final decisions on the year's awards. In 2014, sixteen percent of university-endorsed applicants received an interview.[7]
Although most of the responsibility for selecting the recipients is in the hands of the committees, a few formal guidelines have been outlined in the official selection criteria, most notably:
As future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars will strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments, and their institutions. Marshall Scholars are talented, independent, and wide-ranging in their interests, and their time as Scholars will enhance their intellectual and personal growth. Their direct engagement with Britain through its best academic programmes will contribute to their ultimate personal success. In appointing Scholars the selectors will look for a distinction of intellect and character as evidenced both by their scholastic attainments and by their other activities and achievements. Preference will be given to candidates who display the 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.[26]
Between 900 and 1000 students are typically endorsed to apply for the Marshall Scholarship annually. In 2015 and 2016, 3.2 and 3.5 percent of university-endorsed applicants to the Marshall Scholarship were elected.[7][27] In 2020, 1,000 students were endorsed, 160 interviewed, and 46 selected.[7]
The Marshall selection committees place a strong emphasis on academic achievement and potential, and as such the application requires a minimum GPA of 3.7. Successful applicants, however, typically have much higher GPAs—more than half of applicants have perfect academic records.[28] Winners fromHarvard University have had average GPA of 3.92, andStanford University recommends that applicants have a GPA of 3.8 or above.[29][30]
Between 1954 and 2022, 256 of 2,179 scholars received their undergraduate degrees fromHarvard University (12 percent), 138 fromPrinceton University, 125 fromYale University, 94 fromStanford University, and 83 from theMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Among public universities, the top producers are theUnited States Military Academy, with 47 scholars, followed by theUnited States Naval Academy (34 scholars) and theUniversity of California, Berkeley (33 scholars). The following table includes those institutions that have produced 30 or more scholars since 1954.[31][7]
Marshall Scholars may study any full-time postgraduate course offered by a UK university excluding pre-professional programs, whether a taught master's program, a research degree, or a PhD. The scholarship's basic tenure is two years. University and college fees are paid by the British government. In addition, scholars receive a quarterly maintenance stipend to cover accommodation and living expenses.[25]
Nine institutions are traditionally the main destinations of selected Marshall Scholars:University of Oxford,University of Cambridge,London School of Economics,University College London,University of Edinburgh,King's College London andImperial College London.[7]SOAS and theLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine have also sometimes been highly preferred.[7]
In 2015, there were 69 Marshall Scholars in residence at British universities including those who were selected for the classes of 2012, 2013 and 2014.[32] During this time, there were 27 scholars at the University of Oxford, seventeen at theUniversity of London (including five each at the London School of Economics and King's College London, and one at University College London), thirteen at the University of Cambridge, and four at Imperial College London. Of these scholars, 46 were studying arts and social sciences while 23 were studying science, engineering or mathematics.[32]
In structure and selection criteria, the Scholarship is most similar to the American Rhodes Scholarship and the Fulbright Program. Like the Fulbright available for study in the United Kingdom, Marshall Scholars can study at any university in the UK. However, under the Fulbright, applicants compete in separate pools for 43 specified universities of varying selectivity, except for two awards tenable at any university.[33]
The Marshall Scholarship is more flexible than the Rhodes Scholarship, in that Marshall Scholars can study at any British university, and can also attend a different university each year during a Scholar's tenure.[2] In addition, a limited number of one-year Marshall scholarships are available. Unlike Rhodes Scholars, Marshall Scholars must be American citizens (in comparison, approximately eighty Rhodes Scholarships are given annually to citizens of over a dozen countries). In the process, the Marshall Scholarship is roughly as selective as the Rhodes andMitchell Scholarships: the Marshall was awarded to 3.4 percent of university-endorsed applicants in 2014, compared to 3.7 percent for the Rhodes in 2014, and 3.2 percent for the Mitchell Scholarship in 2017.[34][27][7] In 2025, the 3.66 percent of university-endorsed applicants received the Marshall, compared to 3.70 percent of university-endorsed applicants for the Rhodes.[35][36] TheGates Cambridge Scholarship is slightly more selective with 1.3% of applicants receiving an award.[37] Also, because the selection processes of the scholarships discussed above differ, the likelihood that an applicant will be granted a final round interview is different for each scholarship. In 2014, 15.9 percent of university-endorsed applicants for the Marshall Scholarship received a finalist interview, compared to 24 percent of Rhodes applicants and 5.4 percent of Mitchell applicants.[34][27][7]
While the selection committees continue to emphasize academic potential, over time "the Marshall program has become more Rhodes-like, stating that it is seeking persons who also demonstrate leadership potential." In general, "nearly all Rhodes Scholars are willing to admit that, by and large, the Marshalls are superior if one looks just at grade point averages and other signs of academic achievement," but this is a point of both "admiration" and "disdain."[38]: 293 Walter Isaacson, describing Rhodes Scholars as "fairly intelligent, well-rounded, honest people who could be counted on to be upstanding citizens," has said that "the real geniuses...were the Marshall Scholars," perhaps because of the expectation that Rhodes Scholars be "all-rounders." In practice, the Marshall and Rhodes have engaged an "informal rivalry," but in career trajectory after the completion of their fellowships, "the line between [the fellowships] is not so evident," with scholars pursuing similar fields with similar success. In general, a higher percentage of Marshall Scholars "go on to careers in academia and research, whereas Rhodes Scholars are more evenly scattered through the full range of professional occupations."[38]: 357
The Association of Marshall Scholars (AMS) was formed in 1988 as acharitable organization.[39]
The organization has been led by several notable board and advisory members, includingKathleen Sullivan,Reid Hoffman,Nannerl Keohane,Peter Orszag,Harold Koh,Roger Tsien andDaniel Yergin.[40]
The Association of Marshall Scholars releases an annual public opinion poll in partnership withEmerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. The poll measures the American public's perceptions of the United Kingdom, highlighting major current issues (e.g. Brexit).
Every year, the Association of Marshall Scholars hosts the Marshall Forum, a high-profile dialogue engaging top American and British leaders about key transatlantic issues, in a different city.[41] During Forums that take place during anniversaries of the Scholarship or Marshall Plan, the Marshall Medal is typically awarded to distinguished individuals who have advanced British-American understanding. These have includedLisa Cook (1986 Marshall Scholar),Madeleine Albright, andAnne Applebaum (1986 Marshall Scholar).[42]
In 2017 the Association of Marshall Scholars, in partnership with theGerman Marshall Fund and theBritish Embassy, Washington, hosted the Harvard Marshall Forum atHarvard University to mark the 70th anniversary of theMarshall Plan and focused on its legacy and impact today. The event featured 30 speakers includingMadeleine Albright as well as Supreme Court JusticesStephen Breyer andNeil Gorsuch, both Marshall Scholars.[43]
In 2018, the AMS partnered with the British Consulate General in San Francisco and the Bechtel International Center atStanford University to host a Marshall Forum on Innovation. The Forum focused on the pipeline of scientific invention in fields such as biomedicine and genetics that are of particular interest to the United States and the United Kingdom. Distinguished speakers includedReid Hoffman, a Marshall Scholar, andDavid Reitze, Director of LIGO Laboratory. The forum highlighted societal challenges and opportunities raised by explosive innovations in these fields as they interact with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science.
In 2019, the AMS hosted the Marshall Forum with theCarnegie Endowment for International Peace, focusing on peace and prosperity. The Forum featured 17 speakers including the Governor of the Bank of EnglandMark Carney, the Director of U.S. National Security Agency GeneralPaul Nakasone, formerU.S. ambassadorsMichael Froman,Carla Hills, andWilliam J. Burns, and formerBritish Ambassador to the United StatesKim Darroch.[44]
| Year | City | Hosting Institution | Topic | Notable Speakers and Facilitators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chicago, Illinois | University of Chicago | Global Markets, Monetary Policy, and Innovation | |
| 2023 | Washington, D.C. | Planet Word Museum | Arts & Creativity | |
| 2022 | London, United Kingdom | Lancaster House | Global Peace and Security (75th anniversary of the Marshall Plan) | |
| 2021 | Washington, D.C. | U.S. Supreme Court | The Rule of Law | US Supreme Court:John Roberts,Stephen Breyer (Marshall Scholar 1959),Sonia Sotomayor,Elena Kagan,Neil Gorsuch (Marshall Scholar 1992),Brett Kavanaugh UK Supreme Court:Patrick Hodge,Michael Briggs,Mary Arden,Jonathan Mance |
| 2020 | Online due to theCOVID-19 pandemic | Virtual Platform | Global Health | Danielle Allen (Marshall Scholar 1993),Andy Burnham,Kevin L. Faulconer,Kate Gallego,David Holt,Sewell Chan (Marshall Scholar 1998),Tom Fletcher |
| 2019 | Washington, D.C. | The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Peace, Growth, and Prosperity | Kim Darroch,Mark Carney,Thomas Carothers (1978 Marshall Scholar),Isobel Coleman (1987 Marshall Scholar),Michael Froman,William J. Burns (1978 Marshall Scholar),Paul Nakasone,Andrew Klaber (2003 Marshall Scholar) |
| 2018 | Palo Alto, California | Stanford University | Scientific Innovation | Reid Hoffman (1990 Marshall Scholar),Carla Shatz (1969 Marshall Scholar),Nancy Lublin (1993 Marshall Scholar),Carlos Bustamante,Edward Stolper (1974 Marshall Scholar) |
| 2017 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Harvard University | "The Legacy of the Marshall Plan" (70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan) | Stephen Breyer (1959 Marshall Scholar),Neil Gorsuch (1992 Marshall Scholar),Madeleine Albright,Danielle Allen (1993 Marshall Scholar),William J. Burns (1978 Marshall Scholar),Fredrik Logevall,Martha Minow,Kathleen Sullivan |
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