Purpose:  As the establishment of a new college in Cambridge was becoming a reality, Sir Winston Churchill met with American friends to ask them to create a mechanism for young American to study at the college. Among those friends was Lewis W. Douglas, a graduate of Amherst College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain from 1947 to 1950.  Carl Gilbert, chairman of the Gillette Company, was the first chairman of the Foundation.

The first Churchill Scholarships, three in number, were awarded in 1963 and funded one year of study.  Shortly thereafter the Scholarships were available either for one-year programs or for doctoral studies at Cambridge.  In the early 1980’s the Foundation decided to support only one-year programs in order to increase the number of Churchill Scholars.  In its early years the Foundation also made small travel grants to Churchill Fellows, distinguished senior faculty who would spend one year at the College.  Eight of the Churchill Fellows won the Nobel Prize.

Funding: At least fourteen Churchill Scholarships, tenable for nine or twelve months, depending on the academic program, are offered annually.

The Churchill Scholarship is worth between $44,000 and $50,000, depending on the exchange rate.  It covers all University and College tuition and fees (currently about $25,000).  In addition, students receive a living allowance of £10,000 if enrolled in a nine-month academic program and £12,000 if enrolled in a full-year academic program.  They also receive an allowance of up to $1,000 for travel to and from the United Kingdom.  The Foundation also offers the possibility of a Special Research Grant of up to $2,000;  this grant may cover travel for presentations at international conferences, short stays at another university or institute for special research, and other activities.  Married students should consult with the Foundation about the possibility of additional support.

Eligibility:  Applicants for a Churchill Scholarship must be citizens of the United States and must be a senior who is enrolled in one of the institutions participating in the Scholarship Program competition or a student who has recently graduated from one of those institutions.  Upon taking up a scholarship, a Churchill Scholar must be between the ages of 19 and 26, hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent, and may not have attained a doctorate.

Selection Criteria:  The criteria for the selection of Churchill Scholars include the following: 

• Exceptional academic achievement in all disciplines, but especially in the major, as indicated by course grades (previous Scholars have had a GPA of at least 3.7 and usually have 3.9 or above).
• A capacity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the sciences, engineering, or mathematics by pursuing original, creative work at an advanced level as demonstrated by awards and prizes and by letters of recommendation. Applicants in the sciences and engineering will show extensive laboratory experience, internships, or other related work, while applicants in mathematics will show substantial independent work or other projects.
• Scores on the Graduate Record General Test.
• Outstanding personal qualities.

The Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States is committed to a policy against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender, marital or parental status, race, color, religion, national origin, or disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

Instructions:  Read carefully the instructions from the official Churchill website here. All application materials can be found on the official Churchill website.

Online Application Procedures: Click here to view the application directly from the official Churchill website.

1. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test are a required part of an application. Candidates should check with the faculty adviser or the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey, to learn the dates on which the Examinations are given. Also, they should determine when and where computer based Examinations are given.
2. It it highly suggested that interested students get in touch with the faculty adviser early in the fall to talk about the application process.

Selection Procedure: The faculty adviser, with the advice of a faculty committee, may nominate two candidates from among applicants.

The Churchill Foundation Screening Committee, comprised on experts from various fields, evaluates the applications and endorses those considered most qualified for a Scholarship. Applicants are notified in January whether or not they have been endorsed by the Screening Committee.

The Board of Graduate Studies at the University of Cambridge and the relevant departments review the applications that have been endorsed by the Screening Committee, consider the availability of appropriate supervision and laboratory space and decide who is eligible for admission to the University. The Foundation's current resources limit the number of Churchill Scholarships to twelve.

Faculty Adviser: Susan Singer, Laurence McKinley Gould Professor of the Natural Sciences, x4391

Carleton Recipients

2013 - Tom Callister '13

2012 - Michael Coughlin '12
         Media:  Pioneer Press article, 3/4/12

1998 - Steven Furlanetto

1994 - Kristin Nelson Moore

1986 - David Gerdes

1976 - Barbara Masde