UK Fellowships Timeline

Pin: The Mitchell Scholars Program has been suspended and is not accepting applications in 2024.

April - May: Getting Started

Start early and give yourself plenty of time to have conversations with faculty mentors before the spring semester ends. Also make sure to:

• Attend an information session or watch a webinar about postgraduate study in the UK.
• Subscribe to the fellowships newsletter. 
• Research degree courses at universities in the UK. 
• Consult mentors about graduate programs, make an appointment to talk to an adviser, and reach out to Graduate Affiliates, past winners, and peers who have gone through the process. Also check out our interview reports from past Yalies. 
• Make a shortlist of fellowships and review eligibility and requirements. For fellowships which require institutional endorsement or nomination, review Yale application via the Student Grants Database (SGD); note that campus deadlines are well in advance of official deadlines.
• See our advice on how to apply. 
• Think about who might write strong letters of reference. Fellowships advisers can help with strategy. 
• Update your CV after the end of the semester and think about how to make it stand out for fellowships. 
• Make initial contacts with people who will write your references. Find advice about the best way to ask for letters.
• Brainstorm essay ideas. Seek advice from your academic advisers, college writing tutor, and fellowships staff.

Note: You cannot receive feedback or comments from anyone on your Rhodes personal statement.

Tip: Plan ahead: the crowded calendar of deadlines means that advising spots can be fully booked in early fall. Book an appointment early in the summer and check out our planning toolkits. 

June - July: Putting Together Applications

Now is the time to start slowly piecing together your materials. At this time, you should:

• Open applications in the Student Grants Database (SGD) and official application systems.
• First deadline - For Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell, make sure to open your application in the SGD and request your three recommenders by July 31, 2023.
• Students applying for Yale’s endorsement to the Global Rhodes must submit their full applications via the SGD by June 12, 2023; other Rhodes competitions’ deadlines may vary by country.
• Work on drafts essays. Fellowships staff can review and provide feedback. Keep an eye out for emails about getting comments.
• Transcripts: for most campus endorsement processes, an unofficial Yale transcript is acceptable, but you will be responsible for securing any official copies of transcripts from study abroad programs and other colleges. Note the transcript requirements of the fellowships for which you're applying. Plan ahead to avoid last-minute stress.

Tip: Although many university application systems won't open until September or October, July is a good time to begin working on applications for admission to British/Irish universities.

Note: direct application to a graduate degree course is required for most fellowships.

August - February: Applying

• Submit applications for fellowships, according to campus and external deadlines (see the SGD, official websites, and the Fellowships calendar).
• Second deadline – For the campus deadline, submit your complete Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell applications via the SGD by August 14, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.
• After applications are submitted, they are reviewed by campus and/or external committees. Many competitions conduct external finalist interviews.
• See our advice on interviewing for fellowships. 
• August: After Yale endorsement process, selected candidates must submit official applications via Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell portals by deadlines in late September-early October.
• October: deadline for US applicants to apply to Cambridge if they wish to be considered for the Gates or Cambridge Trust.
• October: campus deadline to apply for Yale's endorsement for the Churchill, official deadline for nominated candidates in November
• November: finalist interviews for the Marshall, Mitchell, and US Rhodes; other Rhodes competitions may conduct interviews in November and early December.
• See our advice on interviewing for external fellowships and read interview reports from other Yalies. 
• December: deadline for international and continuing applicants to apply for graduate study at Cambridge if they hope to be considered for the Gates and other Cambridge funding.
• January: deadline to apply for graduate study at Oxford if you hope to be considered for the Clarendon, Ertegun, Weidenfeld, and other Oxford funding.
• Late January- mid February: application deadlines for the Henry, Paul Mellon, and Yale-King’s (with interviews after spring break).
• November - June: waiting for results

When will I hear results?

Each competition has its own timeline, but many awards notify in April. Some highlights:

• November-December: Marshall, Mitchell, and most Rhodes competitions are complete.
• January: Churchill nominees hear decisions, Fulbright applicants find out if their applications have been recommended for review abroad, and US Gates finalists interview, with international and continuing Gates finalists interviewing in February.
• April: many fellowships for postgraduate study in Britain make offers, some are not announced until May or later.

Be strategic

Funding for postgraduate study in the UK and Ireland is extremely competitive, so it's always wise to have Plans B and C ready. You might apply for graduate or professional school at home, for internships and jobs, or for another kind of postgraduate fellowship. Be strategic about what might make most sense for you, schedule time to do your best with each application, and don't spread yourself too thin. Only apply to experiences you would actually be excited about completing.