Marshall Scholarship 2027 in UK: Fully Funded

The Marshall Scholarship 2027 is a fully funded award for postgraduate study in the United Kingdom, offered by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and administered by the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission. It supports master's and PhD study at any British university, covering tuition fees, a monthly living allowance, travel and visa costs.

It is open to outstanding US citizens and residents who want to study in the UK. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, living expenses, travel and health access. Applications close on 29 September 2026, with endorsing institutions submitting by 1 October 2026. Read on for eligibility, benefits and how to apply.

Marshall Scholars receive comprehensive financial support for their approved study in the United Kingdom.

The scholarship provides:

• Full payment of eligible university tuition fees.
• A monthly personal allowance covering accommodation and basic living expenses.
• Economy-class travel to and from the United States at the beginning and end of the scholarship.
• Payment of visa fees.
• Access to the UK's National Health Service.
• Additional allowances to support ambassadorial engagement.
• Potential additional support for eligible dependants under the programme's rules.

The exact scholarship value varies according to the course and location in the UK. As an indication, the published 2025–26 stipend rate was £1,452 per month outside London and £1,781 per month in London; stipend rates are reviewed annually.

Is the Marshall Scholarship Fully Funded?

Yes. The Marshall Scholarship provides extensive funding that includes tuition fees, a living allowance, travel between the United States and UK, visa fees and access to the UK National Health Service.

However, the exact financial value varies depending on the scholar's course and location. The stipend rates are reviewed annually by the UK Government.

The Marshall Scholarship supports postgraduate study in the UK, including:

• One-year master's degrees
• Two-year master's pathways
• Two consecutive one-year master's degrees
• Two-year master's degrees
• PhD or DPhil programmes
• A one-year master's followed by the start of a PhD/DPhil

The one-year pathway supports a master's programme lasting at least 10 months and no more than 12 months. Two-year pathways can support two consecutive master's degrees, a two-year master's, or doctoral study. Certain doctoral pathways may receive funding for a third year.

Marshall Scholarships are available for postgraduate study in almost any academic discipline, provided the proposed programme meets the scholarship's course requirements.

Eligible academic areas can include:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Humanities
• Social sciences
• Creative arts
• Business and related disciplines
• Other graduate-level fields offered by eligible UK universities

Applicants must carefully check whether their specific course is funded because certain programmes and qualifications are excluded under the Marshall rules.

The Marshall Scholarship is specifically available to citizens of the United States of America.

Candidates must be US citizens when they apply. The programme is therefore not an open scholarship for international students from other countries. Eligible US citizens may apply even if they are studying or working outside the United States at the time of the competition, subject to the programme's regional application rules.

To qualify for the Marshall Scholarship 2027, candidates must:

• Be a citizen of the United States of America at the time of application.
• Hold, or be expected to hold by September 2027, their first undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States.
• Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.
• Have graduated from their first undergraduate college or university after April 2024.
• Not have studied for or hold a degree or degree-equivalent qualification from a UK university.
• Not have undertaken GCSE or A-Level qualifications in the UK.
• Apply for only one Marshall Scholarship pathway.
• Submit the application through the required US undergraduate institution endorsement process.

Candidates should also carefully review the specific course requirements because not every postgraduate programme in the UK is eligible for Marshall funding.

Academic Merit, Leadership and Ambassadorial Potential:

The Marshall Scholarship evaluates candidates according to three equally weighted selection criteria:

• Academic merit
• Leadership potential
• Ambassadorial potential

The Commission seeks candidates who demonstrate the potential to excel academically, contribute as leaders and help strengthen understanding between the United States and United Kingdom.

Eligible Universities:

Marshall Scholars may study at any British university, subject to the scholarship's course and university restrictions.

The 2027 rules state that the Commission is seeking to broaden the distribution of Scholars across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and increase placements at partner universities and universities beyond Oxford, Cambridge and London institutions.

Applicants must carefully research their university and course choices because selected Scholars are generally expected to apply to and attend the courses and universities specified in their Marshall application, subject to admission.

Courses Not Funded:

The Marshall Scholarship does not fund every postgraduate programme. The 2027 rules exclude several categories, including:

• Second BA/BSc undergraduate degrees
• Postgraduate diplomas and certificates
• Professional degree courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and law
• Distance-learning degree courses
• Part-time degree courses
• Supervised research that does not lead to a degree
• Certain programmes requiring extended periods outside the UK
• MBA programmes
• MSc/MFE Financial Economics programmes
• Certain restricted programmes at the University of Oxford
• Courses beginning outside the formal academic year
• Master's courses exceeding the permitted duration

The one-year pathway requires a course lasting at least 10 months, while certain two-year pathways have additional duration requirements. Applicants should check the official 2027 rules before selecting a programme.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

Confirm that you are a US citizen, meet the GPA requirement, have graduated within the specified period and satisfy the other eligibility conditions.

Step 2: Choose Your Marshall Pathway

Candidates may apply for either the one-year or two-year Marshall Scholarship, but not both.

Step 3: Research UK Courses and Universities

Select suitable postgraduate courses and universities carefully. Candidates must provide first- and second-choice courses for each projected year of study, where applicable.

Step 4: Contact Your Undergraduate Institution

Marshall applications must normally be submitted through and endorsed by the applicant's US undergraduate institution. Contact the relevant institutional advisor as early as possible because universities may establish internal deadlines earlier than the official Marshall deadline.

Step 5: Complete the Online Application

Complete the official Marshall Scholarship application and submit it through the online system to your undergraduate institution.

Step 6: Arrange Three Recommendations

Three letters of recommendation are required. Recommenders must submit their letters online by the applicant deadline.

Step 7: Obtain Institutional Endorsement

The application must be endorsed by the President, Provost or Academic Dean of the applicant's undergraduate institution, or another authorised institutional representative under the programme rules.

Step 8: Submit Before the Deadline

The candidate's application and recommendation letters must be submitted by September 29, 2026, while the endorsing institution must complete the final submission by October 1, 2026.

Required Documents:

Applicants should prepare the materials required by the official application system, including:

• Online Marshall Scholarship application
• Academic information
• Official academic transcripts
• Personal statements
• Three letters of recommendation
• Information about proposed UK courses and universities
• Other supporting information required by the application system

Candidates invited to interview must also provide evidence of their date of birth and US citizenship, such as a passport, and copies of their original academic transcripts.

Important AI Application Rule:

The 2027 Marshall rules contain an important restriction regarding artificial intelligence.

Applicants may use AI tools to help research their scholarship and course applications, but AI tools or assistance must not be used to construct or write the essays and answers submitted in the Marshall Scholarship application, either partially or completely.

The Commission also notes that applicants may be asked to discuss their written application in depth during the in-person interview.

Application Deadline:

The deadline for candidates and recommenders for the Marshall Scholarship 2027 is:

September 29, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the time zone of the applicant's endorsing institution.

The endorsing US institution must submit the final application, including its letter of endorsement, by:

October 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the time zone of the endorsing institution.

Applicants should also check with their university because internal deadlines may be earlier than the official Marshall deadline.

Selection Process:

Applications are reviewed through eight regional centres in the United States.

Candidates shortlisted for interviews are expected to be notified by early to mid-November. The 2027 interviews are scheduled for November 2026, with interviews held in the respective US regions.

The final selection is announced shortly after the interviews. Successful candidates must accept or decline the scholarship offer in writing within five days of receiving the offer. All scholarship awards remain subject to the candidate obtaining admission to an eligible UK university course.

Scholarship Duration:

The Marshall Scholarship offers several study pathways:

• One-year scholarship: one academic year, normally 10–12 months.
• Two-year scholarship: two academic years.
• Two consecutive master's degrees: one-year master's followed by another one-year master's.
• Two-year master's degree: one programme lasting two years.
• Doctoral pathway: up to three years of funding under applicable pathways.
• Master's + PhD pathway: a master's in the first year followed by the start of a PhD/DPhil, with funding subject to the relevant rules.

Third-year funding is subject to specific conditions and, in some pathways, academic progress and availability of funds.

Number of Scholarships:

Up to 50 Marshall Scholarships will be awarded in the 2027 competition. The Commission has stated that part of the 2027 awards will support STEM-related fields and that awards will be distributed across the nations and regions of the UK.

Important Points:

Applicants should remember:

• The Marshall Scholarship is only for US citizens.
• It supports postgraduate study in the UK.
• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.7/4.0 is required.
• Applicants must have graduated after April 2024.
• Applicants may choose either the one-year or two-year pathway, not both.
• Applications must be submitted through the required institutional endorsement process.
• Three recommendation letters are required.
• Applicants can apply in only one Marshall region.
• Up to 50 Scholarships are available for the 2027 competition.
• Tuition fees are covered.
• Scholars receive a monthly living allowance.
• Economy travel between the US and UK is covered.
• Visa fees and access to the UK National Health Service are covered.
• Some postgraduate programmes are excluded from funding.
• MBA programmes are not funded.
• Distance-learning and part-time programmes are not funded.
• Applicants should carefully research their selected UK courses before submitting the application.
• AI assistance cannot be used to construct or write the essays and answers submitted in the application.
• Applicants should contact their undergraduate institutional advisor well before the deadline.