Kanders Churchill Scholarship - Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States

Our Philosophy

In contrast to other scholarships that look for “leadership potential” or “ambassadorial qualities,” we select Scholars on the basis of academic and research achievement. We then seek to provide accomplished scientists, mathematicians, and engineers with the tools to maximize their future impact.

To that end, we provide public engagement training and science policy seminars to Scholars. While not all Churchill Scholars will become science communicators or be engaged with science policy, these skills are often part of a successful career in STEM.

In addition to these program extras, Churchill Scholars are invited to engage with the legacy of Sir Winston Churchill through guided visits to Chartwell (his country home) in Kent and the Churchill War Rooms in London.

Programs of Study

The Churchill Scholarship is for one year of study at the University of Cambridge for an MPhil (Master of Philosophy) or MASt (Master of Advanced Study). The standard MPhil is a research degree that entails full-time research in a lab and culminates in a thesis and a viva (an oral examination). The MASt is a taught course comprised of lectures and written examinations.

Some MPhil courses involve a mixture of taught courses and a research paper, and most MASt courses provide the opportunity to write a research paper. The research-only MPhil is a rare opportunity to be able to spend a full year on a single research project. In the hybrid part-lecture and part-research MPhils, students can pursue a shorter research project, while the lectures expose them to a greater breadth of topics. In the MASt and hybrid MPhil courses (marked with an asterix*), applicants are not required to contact a research supervisor as part of the application.

Kanders Churchill Scholarship in Science Policy

The Kanders Churchill Scholarship was created to address the growing divide between science and science policy. There are two Kanders Churchill Scholarships available each year. The Kanders Churchill Scholars will hold a bachelor’s degree (either as a major or minor concentration) in science, mathematics, or engineering, from any US college or university and will pursue a Master’s in Public Policy. There is no time limit since graduation for applicants for this award, but the citizenship requirement remains.

Unlike the other Churchill Scholarships, there is no application to the Churchill Foundation. Instead, candidates state their interest in the Kanders Churchill Scholarship on their Cambridge application. Please indicate briefly on your Statement of Interest that you would like to be considered for this award. The next deadline is Wednesday October 11, 2023 at noon wherever you are (the same deadline as the Gates Cambridge Scholarship).

As with all Churchill Scholarships, applicants must put Churchill College as their first college choice. The Selection Committee will consider candidates’ academic achievements in STEM as well as their preparation for the Master’s in Public Policy. A Selection Committee of former Churchill Scholars working in science policy will make their decision in mid-December, drawing on a pool of applicants admitted to the Master’s in Public Policy. Candidates will be informed by late December, on the same timeline as the other Churchill Scholarship applicants.

The Kanders Churchill Scholarship was made possible through a generous donation from Churchill Foundation Board Member Warren Kanders.