On behalf of the trustees, I am delighted to enclose information about the Kennedy Scholarships for 2016-17 which are the UK’s living memorial to President Kennedy and offer generous funding to enable British graduate who are also British citizen to undertake further study in the USA at Harvard or MIT. They are tenable across all disciplines and for non-degree as well as degree study.

50 anniversary: Kennedy Scholarships will have been awarded for 50 years in 2016. At 1st September 2015, 505 Scholars will have received full fee support and a generous stipend.

Wider eligibility criteria: In recognition of the approaching anniversary, the trustees of the Kennedy Memorial Trust have reviewed the eligibility criteria. Whilst still wishing to enable the newly graduated o study at Harvard or MIT immediately, they also wish to enable those who have gained experience outside academia since graduating to benefit. The cut off for graduation from a first degree is therefore now 2011 and 2 of the 7 academic years prior to 01.09.2016 must have been spent at a UK university or university college.

Importance of personal encouragement to apply: whilst using a varies of avenues for publicity, it remains the case that personal encouragement by an academic yields of the strongest of applicants. A scholar from the ‘70s commented that he applied because his Vice-Chancellor specifically encouraged him to.

Apply online: it is easy to apply at www.kennedytrust.org.uk where the Prospectus gives full information.

Application window: application for awards for 2016-17 opened on Monday 18th August and close at 23:59 on Wednesday 28th October 2015.

Publicity Material: the poster and prospectus for the current application season can be emailed on request to annie@kennedytrust.org.uk

Distinguished alumni: the role of past kenned scholars is impressive and varies. Please help us to continue to attract applicant from those who will be leaders in their field.

In 1965 a Fund was set up in the United Kingdom by public subscription to commemorate President John F Kennedy. A memorial was created at Runnymede in perpetuity; and it was resolved that Scholarships to the United States should be offered every year to British Citizens who are United Kingdom graduates. The scholarships are tenable at Harvard or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

As the 50th anniversary of the memorial trust approaches, the trustees want to expand the scholarships to include not only recent graduate but also some who have gained a few years of experience outside academia and would now benefit from a course of study at Harvard or MIT. All candidates would be selected according to the criteria outlines in paragraph 5 below.

More generally, the trustees are particularly keen to encourage applications from artists, musicians, scientist and engineers. The broad context of Kennedy Scholarships remains President Kennedys interest in bringing into fruitful combination of the two great disciplines of traditional human studies and modern technology and so making their strength effective in the activities of government and in the direction of world affairs.

PROSPECTUS FOR 2016-2017

  • 1.Kennedy Scholarships will be awarded for the academic year 2016-2017 at HARVARD University and MIT. A Kennedy Scholarship gives full function (see paragraph 7 below~) for one academic year. Students who are applying for two-year Masters of PhD programmes will normally secure the necessary function for second or subsequent years within their institution.
  • 2.Candidate must, in the same application season as applying for Kennedy Scholarship, make a separates and independent application for admission direct to their chosen programme at Harvard and/or MIT. See ww.harvard.edu and ww.mit.edu. A Kennedy scholarship provides funding but does not support degree and non-degree students. Potential Harvard GSAS Special Student of visiting fellow applications should consult the following list of eligible programmes of study http://www.qsas.harvard.edu/programs_of_study/non_degree_programs _of_study.php
  • 3.Those applying for awards must be all of the following:
  • British citizens at the time of application;
  • Ordinarily resident in the UK;
  • Wholly or mainly educated in the UK.

Applicants cannot be accepted from those already in the United States.

Marriage is not a bar to the award of a Scholarship, but there is not extra funding for a spouse.

  • 4.Those studying for a first degree at a UK university and due to graduate in the academic year 2015-2016 are eligible.
  • Graduate applicants must have spent at least two of the seven years prior to 1 September 2016 studying as an undergraduate at a UK university, taking their first degree not earlier than 2011.
  • Awards will not be made to postdoctoral candidates wishing to pursue further research in their own field.
  • 5.In awarding scholarships, the trustees will take into account candidates’ intellectual attainment, readiness and ability to express themselves, and the suitability of their proposed course of study at Harvard or MIT.
  • They may also look for:
  • Originality of mind;
  • Commitment to public services;
  • Potential to make a mark in public life;
  • Ability to overcome adversity.

It should be noted that Kennedy Scholars typical have a First Class degree.

Conditions

  • 6.Scholars will be required to devote most of their time to one of the faculties of the university to which they are admitted. They may be registered on a degree programme or as a non-degree or special students.
  • 7.A Kennedy scholarship covers the full costs of tuition and health insurance, paid direct to the institution concerned. In addition, scholar will receive a stipend of $26,000 to cover living costs, any special equipment needed, and some travel within the United States. Scholar s are expected to spend part of their summer vacation in the United States after the end of the academic year and may apply for an additional grant of $2500 to pay for vacation travel. A substantial contribution will be made towards the cost of a return transatlantic flight.
  • 8.Awards are made in the expectation that scholars will bring the benefits of their American experience back to the United Kingdom.

Applications

  • 9.Applicants are to be made online at www.kennedytrust.org.uk
  • 10.In addition to completing an online form, applicants will be asked to submit an essay (which MUST NOT exceed 1000 words) giving an account of their academic pursuits, general activities and intellectual interest, plus their reason or wishing to study in the United States, choice of course and institution and plans for future.
  • 11.The closing date for applications will be 23.59 on Wednesday 28 October 2015.

References

Applicants will be asked to give the names and professional email address of two referees. The first should have supervised some aspect of the applicants academic work at university. The second may be non-academic but should be familiar with the applicant performance at university and afterwards.

Both references must be submitted online by 23.59 on Wednesday 4th November for the application to be accepted. Referees will be contacted automatically once the application had submitted an application.

Interview and selection

14. Selected applicants will be invited to London for interview on either Tuesday 5th or Wednesday 6th January 2016. Interview candidates should ensure they attend din person in London on the date requested. A birth certificate or other nationality paper will be require date this time. Those awarded scholarships will be asked to provide a medical certificate.

Candidates selected to receive scholarship will be notified by the end of January but confirmation of the award cannot be made until May, when admission to Harvard or MIT has been secured.

Please note that is not possible for the trustees to provide candidates with comment on unsuccessfully applications at any stage of the process.