The Cambridge Marshall PhD Scholarship supports the third year of a three-year PhD at the University of Cambridge for eligible recipients of a two-year Marshall Scholarship. Cambridge Trust offers it with the Marshall Commission for study in any subject except premium-rate courses and the Doctor of Business course.
Applicants first enter the 2027 Marshall competition and must also apply for Cambridge admission by their course-specific funding deadline. The Marshall Commission states that the Cambridge third-year partnership is managed internally, so there is no separate direct application for the extension.
Benefits & funding
- Third-year University tuition at the international rate.
- Annual maintenance sufficient for one person.
- Student visa and Immigration Health Surcharge support.
- One economy flight to the UK and one economy return flight to the recipient’s country of residence, using the lowest-cost available route.
- Transport, academic and leadership allowances, plus other benefits of up to £3,000 beyond maintenance.
- The Marshall partnership page notes that third-year extensions are managed internally and are not guaranteed.
Eligibility
- Be a United States citizen when applying for the Marshall Scholarship.
- By September 2027, hold a first undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States.
- Have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.7 on a 4.0 scale at application; rounded GPAs are not accepted.
- Have graduated from the first undergraduate institution after April 2024.
- Not have studied for, or hold, a degree or degree-equivalent qualification from a British university, and not have taken GCSEs or A Levels at school in the UK.
- Become a recipient of a two-year Marshall Scholarship and intend to use it for a University of Cambridge PhD.
- Apply for a three-year Cambridge PhD in an eligible subject, excluding premium-rate courses and the Doctor of Business course, by the course-specific funding deadline and obtain a conditional admission offer.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Eligible nationalities
USA
Education required
Bachelor
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Application process
- 1Review the 2027 Marshall eligibility rules, pathways and evaluation criteria, then contact the applicant’s undergraduate institution because it may impose an earlier internal deadline.
- 2Complete the online Marshall application and submit it with recommendation materials through the endorsing institution by 5:00 p.m. in that institution’s time zone on 29 September 2026.
- 3The endorsing US institution adds its endorsement and submits the final application by 5:00 p.m. local time on 1 October 2026.
- 4Secure a two-year Marshall Scholarship, apply for the chosen Cambridge PhD by its course-specific funding deadline and obtain a conditional offer.
- 5Cambridge third-year partnership funding is handled internally; the official partnership page does not provide a separate extension application.
Program timeline
Applicant and recommender deadline.
29 September 2026, 5:00 p.m. local time
Endorsing institution submission deadline.
1 October 2026, 5:00 p.m. local time
Shortlisted candidates are notified about interviews.
Early to mid-November 2026
Shortly after interviews
Final selections are announced.
Course-specific funding deadline
Cambridge PhD application must be submitted and a conditional offer obtained.
Third year of the Cambridge PhD
Cambridge partnership funding period; no exact calendar dates are published.