Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, & Churchill

These prestigious scholarships to the United Kingdom and Ireland are some of the most competitive awards open to U.S. undergraduates and recent graduates. At the University of Kansas, the Office of Fellowships coordinates a combined committee and application process for these awards, as the same students are often interested in pursuing more than one of them. The campus process takes place in April each year ahead of the national deadlines in the fall.

The KU nomination process typically takes place late in the spring semester each year. Interested students should email the Office of Fellowships at fellowships@ku.edu.

Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, & Churchill Campus Application

Recommendations letters should be submitted via the KU letters of recommendation form.

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.

Full Campus Nomination Process

  • Submit the application online using the Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, & Churchill Campus Application by the deadline in mid-May.
  • Candidates selected for an interview will be notified and invited to interview in the week after Memorial Day.
  • After the interviews, students will be named “provisional nominees.”
  • Provisional nominees will meet with members of the campus selection panel in early June to make specific plans for moving forward with the next steps of their applications over the summer.
  • Download the 2022 campus nomination process document (.docx).

Documents Required for KU Nomination

Prepare the following documents in ONE file for upload to the Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, & Churchill Campus Application. A PDF is strongly preferred.

  • Resume/CV
  • Programs of Study Essay
  • Short Answer Essays
  • List of Recommenders

Resume/CV

Include all significant activities and honors from college; earlier activities may also be included if they are truly significant. At the national level, you will be required to keep this list to only two pages or to fit the content to conform to an application form, but at this point more is better. If you need assistance, consider the free services offered by the campus career services offices.

Programs of Study Essay (300-500 words)

For each of the fellowships, list the graduate study programs you would like to pursue. Then, write a short statement that:

  • explains why you want to pursue that type of degree or that combination of degrees and what you want to get out of your graduate education and
  • specifically addresses, as appropriate, why you want to study at Oxford/Cambridge/in the UK/ in Ireland.

Example list of programs:

  • Rhodes/Oxford – International Relations MPhil (2 years)
  • Marshall: Oxford as above; Exeter – International Relations MA (1 year) and MRes in Security, Conflict and Human Rights (1 year)
  • Mitchell: Queens University Belfast – Conflict Transformation and Social Justice MA (1 year)

Short Answer Essays

  • “What’s your problem?” KU alumna and Rhodes Scholar Ruth Anne French-Hodson posed this question to a group of potential applicants. Discuss what issue or concern drives your studies. Limit 300 words.
  • Describe two courses (or one course and one out-of-the classroom experience) that have influenced you in your choice of career path. Limit 300 words.
  • Where are you going? If you were awarded one of these scholarships, what would be next for you after finishing your studies in the UK or Ireland? What job might you have in 5, 10, or 20 years? Limit 300 words.
  • Your Winner’s Bio: When the winners of these scholarships are announced each year, the scholarship foundations release brief biographies of all the winners. What will yours say? Read past bios to get an idea of the style, but use this short essay to highlight what you consider to be your most important accomplishments and goals. Limit 150 words.

List of Recommenders

Provide a list of four recommenders, including institutional affiliation and email address, who will submit letters of recommendation by the set deadline. You may list additional potential recommenders (required for Rhodes candidates).

  • For Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell 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.

Notice: 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.