One of the most prestigious graduate scholarships, Fulbright research grants offer students the opportunity to study in more than 140 countries. American scholars with a Bachelor's degree (or who will have obtained their degree before the start of the following academic year) are eligible to apply for this well-funded scholarship that also offers the benefit of an extensive network of scholars and alumni. Interested students should prepare themselves for the application well in advance; normally, applications are due in October of the year before the student wishes to study abroad. The Fulbright program normally grants scholarships for one year. Students interested in studying abroad longer must find alternate sources of funding.
The Rhodes Scholarship offers scholarships exclusively at the University of Oxford. However, students benefit from generous funding for a full two years, with the possibility of renewing a third, depending on the course of study. The Rhodes is available to students in any discipline, as long as they are at the graduate level. This extremely competitive scholarship is also very prestigious, and recipients join a network of distinguished alumni, including former President Bill Clinton. Students must apply early, and the application process has several different steps.
The Marshall Scholarship offers stipends to 40 students to cover their expenses at any post-graduate program in the United Kingdom. Most Marshall Scholars choose to study at the U.K.'s best-known institutions, including the London School of Economics, the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. The scholarship provides a tuition waiver and a living stipend. The selections process is stringent: students must have at least a 3.7 GPA at the undergraduate level even to be considered. Marshall Scholarships normally last two years.