Tag: Marshall

Applying for Nomination for British Scholarships?

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding, UK

Here are your instructions:

Submit the following as a SINGLE pdf to fellowships@middlebury.edu:

  • A good working draft of the relevant application (Churchill, Marshall, Mitchell, Rhodes)–you can save or print to pdf. Note: NO LETTERS OF REFERENCE AT THIS POINT. However, we do need to know who you intend to ask for letters. If entering that data automatically triggers an email request to the recommender, you can simply add a page listing the names of people you intend to ask to write on your behalf.
  • A degree progress report. You do not need to submit an official transcript at this stage.
  • A current resume

Your materials are due by 5pm on Monday, September 2. Once I know who is applying, I will send you information about signing up for an interview with the British Scholarship Committee, to take place the week of September 8th (but not on the first day of classes–I assure you!).

Any questions or difficulties or if I’ve overlooked anything, let us know at fellowships@middlebury.edu or by phone 802-443-3026. Please note: Colleen and I will both be out of the office from August 20-26.

If you are applying for the Gates-Cambridge, you do not need to apply for nomination. I am happy to talk with you about your application, provide feedback on essays etc, but you apply directly to that scholarship–see instructions on the Gates-Cambridge website.

UK Graduate Programs: What to Look For

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding, UK

Back from a quick visit to the UK. I visited multiple schools (9?) in one week and will profiles those I saw in additional posts. The most important take-away for those considering graduate study in the UK is to do your research about the university and the program. There are many excellent opportunities available for students at UK universities, and some are considerably less expensive than their US analogs. There are scholarship opportunities through Rhodes, Marshall, Churchill, Gates Cambridge and Fulbright for those who qualify. But there are also scholarships at the institution too–and I encourage interested students to research those as well. On the plane ride home, for example, I sat next to an American grad student who had just completed the first year of a DPhil (that’s PhD in the US system) in anthropology at LSE and received a full-tuition grant from LSE to support her program. Given the expense of graduate education these days, it’s worth exploring all the funding options open to you. A good place to start is looking carefully at the Russell Group of UK universities–this is an excellent collection of top research universities throughout the UK. See http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk . You want to research the program and faculty to determine whether this is a good fit for you. In addition to reading the websites, that will likely mean communicating with faculty and program advisors (and for a research degree or a fellowship application–that is a must!). You want to know that this is an excellent program for you, but also that you are a competitive applicant for the program in terms of your academic record, course and/or research background.

Summer Notes for British Scholarship Applicants

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding, Study Abroad

For those thinking about applying for a British Scholarship (Churchill, Gates-Cambridge, Marshall, Mitchell, Rhodes) in the fall, here are some notes and suggestions to get you started:
If you haven’t yet sent me a preliminary application, we should talk! I am around for much of the summer, but will be traveling too—so my ability to respond to you may be faster or slower depending on when you contact me. In general, I will be  unavailable during the following times: June 14-July 2; July 13-18; August 2-5; and August 18-26. So plan accordingly, be patient and maybe a little bit of both. Contact me at fellowships@middlebury.edu or x3183.

Please note: The schedule below is organized around the competitions requiring nomination by Middlebury. The Gates Cambridge is a direct apply fellowship. You do not need to be nominated to apply, but I am glad to talk with you about the process and discuss essays with you. There are other fellowships supporting study in the UK not discussed here, either because you apply directly (without nomination) or there’s a much later nomination deadline (St. Andrews). See list of UK ideas in earlier post, and also look at the Fulbright as another option (again, earlier post).

Application Process and Timetable:
By July 1: Identify the program(s) you are interested in applying to; determine which scholarship competitions are appropriate; and which faculty or program contacts are important for you to connect with. You will want to have conversations (typically done through email, sometimes phone) to discuss your research interests, how they align with faculty in the program, and be certain this is a program that will help you reach your educational objectives (and that you’re a good candidate for it!). If you’re planning on pursuing research with a faculty member, you will need to talk with them about your interest and affirm their interest in having you join their lab/project.
By July 30: Draft research proposal and/or application essays due to me. Share with relevant faculty/advisors for feedback. Share with me your ideas for letters of recommendation.
September 2 noon: Submit applications for nomination for Churchill, Marshall, Rhodes, or Mitchell. If applying for nomination for both Marshall and Rhodes, you need only submit nomination materials for the Marshall. Required materials for nomination: 1. Draft of application form; 2. Application Essays;  3. Current resume; 4. Degree progress report. Note: These competitions have moved onto online platforms. You may register and work on an application, but DO NOT add recommenders yet (we don’t want them getting requests for letters if you’re not nominated) if the form generates an automatic email when you add their names. Also do not submit the application yet, again, until you know whether you are going to be nominated. And if you have questions let me know.

Sept 9-12: Nomination interviews will take place. You will need to sign up for a date/time. Note, this may interfere with class time–you will need to talk with your professors about that if there is a conflict.

Sept 13-September 30 or /November 11: Work on revising and polishing application and essays. Marshall, Mitchell, Rhodes final deadline is October 1; Churchill is November 11. Gates Cambridge is October 15 (Round 1); December 3 (Round 2)
The schedule above is intended to help you organize the different parts of the application and get everything done so that you are ready to go by the early September nomination deadline. Note: the campus submission deadline, that campus interview, and foundation deadlines are hard deadlines.

Midd Deadline for Marshall and Rhodes Coming Up

Lisa Gates / / Uncategorized

Applications for nominations for the Rhodes and Marshall fellowships are due soon–Monday, September 7 by noon!  Important things to note:

  • If possible, send application materials ELECTRONICALLY to lgates@middlebury.edu . Word docs and pdf files are fine. If electronic delivery isn’t possible, you can bring me paper on Monday morning.
  • If you are applying for nomination for the Rhodes AND Marshall, you only need to send me application materials for the Marshall at this stage. Just note that you are applying for nomination for both.
  • Make sure you send me the Banner Degree Progress Report (and NOT the Unofficial Transcript) with your materials
  • You must also sign up for an interview slot with the British Scholarship Committee.  Brief interviews will be Friday, Sept. 11, between 1:15pm-4pm. Either call me (x3183) or stop by my office ADK 204 to sign up. YOU MUST SIGN UP BY Monday, Sept. 7 at NOON!