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COMPARISON CHART OF MARSHALL, MITCHELL, AND RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS
UNC Chapel Hill’s Office of Distinguished Scholarships
PART ONE: Which Scholarship is Best for You?
AWARD
Marshall
Mitchell
Rhodes
Purpose
Grad study in any field at a UK
university
Grad study in any field at an
Irish university
Grad study in any field at
Oxford University
Eligibility
Must have a (first) bachelor’s
degree from the U.S. no more
than three years prior to starting
Marshall
Minimum GPA of 3.7 (but
usually higher)
Must be a U.S. citizen
Must be between 18 and 30 (on
Sept 29
th
of year of application)
Bachelor’s degree from U.S. or
international institution
GPA above 3.7 usually expected
Must be between 18 and 24 as of
October 1 in year of application.
Bachelor’s degree from
institution located in the U.S. or
its territories by October 1 of
year starting at Oxford
Nearly perfect GPA expected
Must be citizen or permanent
resident of the U.S. as of April
15
th
of year of application
Source of
Information
(Please check the
websites for up-to-
date information)
marshallscholarship.org
us-irelandalliance.org
rhodesscholar.org
PART TWO: Selecting Your Course of Study and University
AWARD
Marshall
Mitchell
Rhodes
Length of
program
1-3 years (applicants select the
one-year or two-year program;
two-year Marshall Scholars can
extend to a third year)
1 year
2-3 years (renewable for a third
year)
Possible degrees
to pursue
Master’s
PhD
Master’s only
Second bachelor’s
Master’s
PhD (partially supported after
three years, if it is longer than a
3-year program)
2
University
Affiliations
Marshall info:
marshallscholarship.org/studyu
k/chooseuniversity
Other sources:
theguardian.com/education/uni
versityguide
study-uk.britishcouncil.org/
prospects.ac.uk/universities
Mitchell info:
Us-irelandalliance.org/content
/9/en/Higher%20Education%20
Institutions%20in%20Ireland.ht
ml
Other source:
educationinireland.com/en/Wh
ere-can-I-study-/View-all-
Universities-Colleges/
Oxford University
Read about programs here:
ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate
More About the
Programs
Exclusions:
Marshall does NOT fund the
following programs:
At any university: Second
BA/BSc degrees; MBA;
Professional degrees in
medicine, dentistry, veterinary
science and law; Degrees that
require extended periods away
from the University or the UK,
including joint degrees with
Universities not in the UK;
PGDip/Certificates in any
subject; MSc/MFE Financial
Economics; supervised research
not leading to a degree
At Oxford only: MPhil
Development Studies; MSc
Global Health Science; MSc
International Health and
Tropical Medicine; MSc Law and
Finance; MPP (Public Policy)
Mitchell Scholars may study at
any of the following institutions
of higher education:
Dublin City University
Dublin Institute of Technology
Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art,
Design & Technology
National University of Ireland,
Galway
National University of Ireland,
Maynooth
Trinity College Dublin
University College Cork
University College Dublin
University of Limerick
University
Choices to List
Must have first and second
choices for each year.
One year Marshall Scholarship
candidates must be registered
for degrees that are no shorter
than 12 months.
List at least three options from
the approved list.
Oxford University is the only
choice.
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PART THREE: Getting Your Letters of Recommendation
AWARD
Marshall
Number of letters
required
3 for endorsement stage;
4 for Marshall application
4 for Mitchell application
5-8 for Rhodes application
Who should write
the letters
Two should be from professors
who can speak in detail about
your scholarly work & potential.
One may be non-academic.
Choose someone who knows
you well and can give specific
comments on your
ambassadorial and leadership
potential for success outside of
your scholarly work and/or
research.
Applicants must designate one
Preferred Recommender and
this recommender should have
supervised your college or
university training
letters should be from
professors with whom you have
done academic work.
Two recommendation letters
may be character references.
should come from professors
who can speak in detail about
your scholarly work and
potential.
No more than one of these four
letters should be character
reference letters.
Contact
recommenders
Spring of your junior year if you
are applying to go abroad after
your senior year
are applying to go abroad after
are applying to go abroad after
Other notes
Letters must not exceed 1,000
words
Applicants who receive UNC’s
endorsement will need to
collect up to 1 additional
recommendation letter (for a
total of 4 letters) to apply for
the Marshall Scholarships.
words.
Applicants who receive UNC’s
endorsement will need to
collect up to 1 additional letter
(for a total of 4 letters) to apply
for the Mitchell Scholarship.
Must include email, mailing
address and phone number of
all recommenders.
Applicants who receive UNC’s
endorsement will need to collect
1-4 additional letters to apply
online to the Rhodes
Scholarships, for a total of 5-8
letters.
No more than two or three of
these letters should be
recommendations regarding the
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PART FOUR: Preparing the Personal Statements
AWARD
Marshall
Mitchell
Rhodes
Number and
Length of Essays
Personal statement – 1,000 word
limit
Proposed academic program – 500
words
Leadership essay – 500 words
Ambassador potential – 500 words
Personal Statement – 1,000 word
limit
Personal Statement – 1,000 word
limit
Getting Help for
your Personal
Statement
Allowed.
Not allowed.
“I attest that this essay is my own
work and is wholly truthful.
Neither it nor any earlier draft has
been edited by anyone other than
me, nor has anyone else reviewed
it to provide me with suggestions
to improve it. I understand that
any such editing or review would
disqualify my application.”
Not allowed.
“All applicants must attest that
their personal statements are their
own work, is wholly truthful, and
without edits or suggestions from
others. Applicants must also attest
that any such editing or review
would disqualify their application.”
Personal
Statement Tips
honorscarolina.unc.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/Personal-
Statement-guidance_as-of-July-15-
2014.pdf
honorscarolina.unc.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/Personal-
Statement-guidance_as-of-July-15-
2014.pdf
Tips From Mitchell: 26 Rules for
Writing Well
General Style Tips
honorscarolina.unc.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/Personal-
Statement-guidance_as-of-July-15-
2014.pdf
Resume/CV
In application:
Paid employment (200 word max)
Unpaid employment (200)
Publications (200)
Personal interests/leadership (300)
Foreign travel (50)
Language proficiency (30)
Grants, prizes, medals (100)
Other applications for British
scholarships (50)
Post scholarship plan (300)
In application:
List up to 5 awards/activities for
each category (all descriptions 200
words max)
1. Academic Achievements/Awards
2. Leadership Activities
3. Community Service
4. Misc. Awards/Activities
Upload (2 page max):
Curriculum vitae or factual list of
principal activities and honors
whilst at school or college, at or
since leaving University. This
should include details about
prizes, scholarships, positions of
leadership, involvement in
student, voluntary, community or
political activities and any cultural,
musical or sporting
accomplishments.
Other things
required
Printed copy of transcript to mail;
Short written discussions about
personal interests and non-
academic activities, future career
aims, and foreign travel &
languages
Mitchell also requires a personal
video.
Additional requirements: passport
style photo, unofficial transcripts,
signature, university choices and
study options, resume.
A list not longer than 2 pages of
activities and honors in college;
headshot; endorsement letter, 5-8
rec letters.
After endorsement: Proof of
citizenship and certified transcript
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PART FIVE: The UNC Endorsement Interview
Award
Marshall
Mitchell
Rhodes
Endorsement
Deadline (for
applying to ODS)
August 1
August 1
August 1
UNC Endorsement
Interview Info
Will take place during the first
week of classes in the Fall
Will take place during the first
week of classes in the Fall
Graduate students and non-
students do not submit
institutional endorsements.
Will take place during the first
week of classes in the Fall
PART SIX: What happens if I am endorsed by UNC?
Award
Marshall
Mitchell
Rhodes
Foundation
Deadline &
Final Submission
Early October (TBD)
Late September (TBD)
Early October (TBD)
Subsequent
Interviews
Shortlisted candidates will be
called for interview in
November.
Interviews are usually in the first
two weeks of November.
Video Interview:
Once your application has been
received and certified as
complete after the initial
deadline, you will receive
information about the required
video interview. You will have
approximately 48 hours to
submit the video interview.
Semi-Finalist Skype
Interviews: Late October
Finalist Weekend: Weekend
before Thanksgiving
The applicant must be prepared
to attend a reception and
personal interview, and remain
for possible repeat interviews
and the election announcement,
in the city serving the respective
district region, on the Friday and
Saturday preceding the
Thanksgiving holiday.
Students will have at least two
weeks’ notice that they are
invited to the final interviews.
Winners
Announced
The final selection will be
announced shortly after
interview—mid November.
The winners are selected and
notified at the time of the final
interview.
The winners are selected and
notified at the time of the final
interview.