Churchill Scholarship

What It Is

Annually, 16 Churchill Scholars are funded in the engineering, mathematics, and science disciplines. In addition, 2 Kanders Churchill Scholars are awarded with a focus on science policy.

Learn more about the Programs of Study and Eligible Courses on the Churchill Scholarship website.

What It Covers

From the Churchill website: “We fund up to 18 scholarships per year, comprised of 16 Churchill Scholarships in science, mathematics, and engineering, and two Kanders Churchill Scholarships in science policy. The Scholarships are 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 higher than the UK Research Council standard. Recipients are eligible to apply for a $4,000 special research grant. The total value is over $80,000.”

Difference From Other Fellowships

From Churchill: “In contrast to other scholarships that look for ‘leadership potential’ or ‘ambassadorial qualities,’ we select Scholars on the basis of academic and research achievement.”

Therefore, Georgetown applicants applying for institutional nomination from the university must demonstrate evidence of outstanding accomplishment and potential in their academic coursework (including in STEM-related courses) and through their research activities. Competitive applicants for the Churchill Scholarship will demonstrate substantive STEM research experience in more than one research setting.

(If you’re interested in pursuing your scientific research at Cambridge through the Churchill Scholarship, please also visit the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.)

Eligibility

From Churchill: “An applicant for the Churchill Scholarship must be a citizen of the United States, either native-born or naturalized, and must be enrolled in one of the Participating Institutions and due to graduate during the same academic year as the deadline or be a student who has graduated from one of those institutions within the past 12 months before the deadline. Upon taking up the Churchill Scholarship, a Churchill Scholar must hold a bachelor’s degree.” 

Georgetown University is a participating institution. Learn more about the Criteria for Selection on the Churchill Scholarship website.

Application Components and Timeline

Institutional nomination is required to apply for the Churchill Scholarship.

Note: Individuals applying to be nominated by Georgetown University must complete all parts of the online Churchill Scholarship application by September 21, 2026 at 12 PM NOON (not midnight) ET. Four recommendations are also due at this time. Only complete and submitted applications – by the September 21, 2026 deadline – will be considered by Georgetown for institutional nomination. In addition, by the internal Georgetown deadline, complete the Center for Research & Fellowships’ 2026-2027 Waiver and Agreement Form.

Learn more about the application process on the Churchill website including: Select a Course, Fill Out the Online Application, Request Four Academic Letters of Recommendation (these are submitted directly in the portal; visit and share guidance for recommenders), Apply to the University of Cambridge (only Churchill College), and Complete the Application. 

Note: Churchill states, “The Churchill Scholarship is only tenable at Churchill College, so you must put Churchill College as your first choice on the Cambridge application. The Scholarship is only for a 1-year Master’s degree, so your application must be for an MPhil or MASt. Because of Cambridge’s rolling admissions, we strongly suggest that you apply by the deadline for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which is in early October. Keep in mind that the Cambridge application opens in early September, so before then you will see a message that your course is ‘closed’ (referring to the previous cycle).”

For Nominees: November 2, 2026 Deadline

Georgetown may nominate up to 2 individuals in an application cycle. If individuals apply for and are selected for institutional nomination, they must be prepared to resubmit their final applications, again in the Churchill portal, by the national deadline: Monday, November 2, 2026, at 5PM ET.

(Updated July 2026, subject to change)