Churchill Scholarship

Princeton University, United States

Updated: about 10 hours ago

Description

The U.S. Winston Churchill Foundation’s Scholarship Program enables about 14 students in the natural and physical sciences, engineering, computer science, or mathematics to study for one year at Churchill College, Cambridge University. Every year Princeton can nominate two students for the Churchill Scholarship.


Adviser

Dr. Rebecca Graves-Bayazitoglu, rgraves@princeton.edu (link sends email) , 609-258-4466


Eligibility
  • U.S. citizen
  • Enrolled senior or a graduate within the past 12 months, in the year of application
  • Bachelor’s degree by the start of grant period

Criteria for Selection
  • Exceptional academic achievement in all disciplines, but especially in the major (previous Churchill Scholars have had a grade point average of at least 3.8)
  • Awards and prizes
  • A capacity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge by pursuing original, creative work at an advanced level
  • The promise of contributing to the advancement of knowledge in one’s field of endeavor
  • Outstanding personal qualities (e.g., character, adaptability, maturity, flexibility)


Application Procedure

Applicants to the Churchill Scholarship must be nominated by Princeton. The nomination process involves the submission of the Churchill application and supporting materials by the Princeton campus deadline to the Princeton Churchill adviser:

  • Online Churchill application, including
    • 1,000-word personal statement and
    • 500-word academic proposal
  • Four letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts

In November, a screening committee composed of former Churchill Scholars evaluates and ranks all the applications and selects some 24 finalists, who each complete a telephone interview with the Foundation’s executive director. Applicants are normally notified of the results by late December, and awards are announced publicly by early February.

Applicants for the Churchill Scholarship must make an independent application to Cambridge University by the mid-October Gates Cambridge and related funding deadline. You must put Churchill College as your first choice on your Cambridge application. Check the Cambridge University website for more details.


Additional Information

Churchill Scholars may enroll in one of the following one-year programs:

  • Master of Philosophy (choice of various scientific disciplines)
  • Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics (Part III of Math Tripos)

Before applying, applicants should:

  • Investigate the opportunities at Cambridge University thoroughly so that you can identify specific faculty and laboratories that correspond to your interest. Contact them by e-mail to signal your interest in working with them. For a list of programs at Cambridge, visit their website (link is external) .  
  • Choose four science, math, or engineering faculty members who can write strong and detailed letters on your behalf. Terse and perfunctory letters, even if from famous scholars, do not help your candidacy; most should come from Princeton science, math, or engineering faculty who have taught you in courses or advised your research. If you have participated in an external program (e.g., an NSF REU or internship away from Princeton), at least one of the recommendation letters should come from someone at that program.
  • Think carefully about your personal statement; keep it focused on your research subject. In general, it should take the form of a scholarly autobiography. It is best, though, not to make it self-congratulatory about your accomplishments or to include reminiscences about your childhood. Instead, recount your pathway to your current level of scholarly maturity factually as a basis for discussing what you expect to do with a Churchill Scholarship, both during the year you hold it and then afterward as you embark on a scholarly career.
  • Visit the Churchill College website. (link is external)  

    • View or Apply

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