Mitchell Scholarships for US Citizens to Study in Ireland and Northern Ireland

The Mitchell Scholarship is a nationally competitive award run by the US-Ireland Alliance. It lets up to twelve Mitchell Scholars spend one year on postgraduate study in Ireland or Northern Ireland. The award is open to US citizens and covers costs for the academic year from September through May.

• Host: US-Ireland Alliance
• Level: One year of postgraduate study
• Destination: Ireland and Northern Ireland
• Deadline: 28 September 2023 (annual)
• Awards: Up to 12
• Coverage: Tuition, accommodation, living stipend, travel
• Eligibility: US citizens aged 18 to 30

Universities and institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

One year of postgraduate study in any discipline.

Up to 12.

US citizens between the ages of 18 and 30.

The Mitchell Scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, a stipend for living expenses and travel. The funding runs from September through May of the academic year.

You can apply for the Mitchell Scholarship if you meet all of the following:

• You are a US citizen.
• You are between 18 and 30 years old on 1 October in the year you apply.
• You hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university before you begin study as a Mitchell Scholar. Degrees from international accredited universities are acceptable if all other conditions are met.

Married applicants and applicants with partners are accepted, but no allowance is made for the expenses of a spouse, partner or dependents. To obtain the necessary visa or residency permit, the relevant government agency in Ireland or Northern Ireland may require non-EU spouses or partners to prove financial resources for the year.

This award suits US citizens aged 18 to 30 who want to complete one year of postgraduate study in Ireland or Northern Ireland. You should already hold a bachelor’s degree, or be on track to earn one before the study period begins.

The scholarship program is currently paused as of March 2024.

All application materials must be submitted through the online application by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on 28 September 2023. You are solely responsible for submitting your application and making sure that all four letters of recommendation and the endorsement (for undergraduate students only) arrive by the deadline.

If you are an undergraduate student, your college or university's deadline for institutional endorsements will be earlier than the Mitchell Scholarship application deadline (in some cases, much earlier). Please contact your campus fellowship advisor for these details before starting the application process. Graduate students and applicants in possession of an undergraduate degree at the time of the application deadline do NOT submit an institutional endorsement.

You will need to provide:

• A headshot photo (JPG, PNG, PDF).
• All transcripts scanned into a single PDF (block out your Social Security number if visible). This should include all undergraduate and graduate work you have completed. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for the initial application.
• A personal statement (1,000 words maximum).
• An image scan of your signature (JPG, PNG, PDF).
• GPA.
• Contact information for 4 recommenders, including email, mailing address and phone number.
• Contact information for the Institutional Endorser (undergraduate students only), including the complete mailing address of your university.
• University choices and field of study options. We recommend that you choose at least three programs at three different universities, and you may list as many as five. Choosing fewer than three may weaken your candidacy. When evaluating programs, remember that the Mitchell Scholarship Program provides funding and housing only for September through May of an academic year. If your program requires you to stay beyond May 31, you will need to incur those expenses.
• Information about your awards, achievements, community service, etc.

Finalists will be asked to provide proof of US citizenship and official copies of all transcripts in a sealed envelope or through a secure electronic system directly from the applicant's registrar.

If you submit a complete application on time, you will receive an email after the application deadline from the Irish company Modern Hire with details about the required video interview. The interview will take less than 10 minutes. You will see four questions written in text on your screen. With each question, you are given 30 seconds to think about your answer, before you respond orally in the time allotted. Your responses will be recorded.

Read the how to apply page and check the official website (link below) for detailed instructions.

• Who can apply for the Mitchell Scholarship? US citizens aged 18 to 30 on 1 October of the application year who have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• What does the scholarship cover? Tuition, accommodation, a stipend for living expenses and travel for the academic year from September through May.
• How many scholarships are awarded? Up to 12 Mitchell Scholarships are given each year.
• What is the application deadline? The deadline is 5:00 PM Eastern Time on 28 September 2023. Note that the program is paused as of March 2024.
• Can I study any subject? Yes, the scholarship supports one year of postgraduate study in any discipline at universities and institutions in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
• How are applicants judged? Applicants are judged on three criteria: scholarship, leadership, and a sustained commitment to community and public service.
• Is there a minimum GPA requirement? While we do not have a minimum GPA requirement, applicants must have a strong academic record that convinces the selection committees that the applicant is prepared to undertake the proposed graduate course of study.

• Read the official how-to-apply page carefully before you start your application.
• Gather your four letters of recommendation early so they are ready before the deadline.
• Check whether your undergraduate institution requires an endorsement and request it in good time.
• Confirm that your bachelor’s degree will be completed before the study period begins.