English Speaking Union Awards for American Bay Area College Graduates
Overview
Each year the San Francisco Branch of the English-Speaking Union, with the support of the Anglo-California Foundation, awards multiple scholarships to Bay Area college graduates for post-graduate study at a British University.
The Award
This year the ESU will offer two scholarships each in the amount of $20,000. The awards are intended to partially cover tuition and living expenses for the academic year commencing in the Fall of 2014 and concluding in the Spring of 2015.
They each are for a full-time student enrolled in a degree granting program at a British university.
Eligibility
The candidate must:
- Have a bachelor’s degree by the starting date of the grant and should intend to become an entering graduate student at a British university.
- The area of academic interest must justify the taking of a graduate program at a British university.
- Be a U.S. citizen and also a Bay Area resident, or have a current affiliation with a Bay Area university.
- Have high academic standing, excellent recommendations and some community involvement and a broad range of extracurricular interests.
The Application
An application for the English-Speaking Union Award consist of the following:
- Completed Application Form (photo optional)
- One-page, single space Statement of Academic and Professional Interest – including career aims
- One-page, single space Personal Biography written in narrative style – include any details of background and experience relevant to application
- Additional supporting material may be supplied at the applicant’s discretion
- Official undergraduate transcripts
- At least 3 letters of recommendation from professors who are familiar with the applicant’s work.
Candidates should be available for an interview in San Franisco early-April.
Additional Information
- The applicant must make independent application to a British university, allowing adequate time for notification of acceptance
- The ESU scholarship do not ensure admissions and will not be granted unless the scholarship winner can provide proof of acceptance by the university itself, and a specific college within the university, if appropriate
- The scholarship winner must make his/her own travel and living arrangements. The funds only partially cover expenses, so the student must be prepared to supplement these funds
General Comments
The English-Speaking Union is an award that should be seriously considered by students who have a strong academic reason for studying in the U.K. While it is a regional award, it is competitive; however, Stanford students have a good record of success. It is our understanding that the preference is given to San Francisco Bay Area residents.
Applicants need to focus on why they need to attend a particular U.K. university as well as providing a well written statement that can provide the committee with a good understanding of the applicant’s academic and personal development.
National Deadline: March TBA, 2014