Jefferson Scholarship
The Jefferson Scholarship is an international merit scholarship established in the United States for students to study at the University of Virginia. It is named for the founder of the university and Founding Father of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. Modelled much like the Rhodes Scholarship, the Jefferson Scholarship is a full four-year scholarship, covering tuition, books, room and board, as well as providing finances for personal spending and summer experiences. Each making the Scholarship one of the most generous scholarships in the nation. The Jefferson Scholarship is amongst the most prestigious merit scholarships in the United  States. History of the Scholarship. The first Jefferson Scholarship was endowed in 1981, named after the benefactor of the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson. The programme has grown since with the support of benefactors and endowments. As of 2017, the endowment size was $418.8m, supporting 139 scholars. The scholarship exceeds $293,000 for scholars. Selection Criteria. The mission of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation is to identify, attract, and nurture "individuals of extraordinary intellectual range and depth who possess the highest concomitant qualities of": Scholars are nominated as the most accomplished student at their respective school, and then compete  through a series of interview rounds from local to regional, national and the finals, which are held in Charlottesville, Virginia. There are currently 70 nominating regions, with over 4,500 schools eligible to nominate a student. In 2020, over 2,100 students were nominated, and 34 selected, leaving the programme with a sub 2% admit rate; more selective than Harvard (4.9%) and Stanford (5.19%). Enrichment Programmes. Institute for Leadership & Citizenship. The Leadership and Citizenship institute is a two week seminar for all Scholars, taking place at the end of their freshman year. It is held on the grounds of the University of  Virginia, and consists of workshops, group discussions and personal exploration, and is designed to foster and develop the characteristics of leadership and citizenship in Scholars. Travel Studies. Following their sophomore year, Scholars are encouraged to partake in foreign travel and study, and invited to undertake a self-designed exploration into a topic of personal interest. Many Scholars also take the opportunity to study at one of the Scholarship's partners, and the University of Oxford, for a semester. Exploratory Fund. The Exploratory Fund, as an initiative of the Foundation, provides seed funding for projects and concepts Scholars have. Developed as  a means to support the innovation of Scholars, the Foundation encourages Scholars to build projects that serve societal and cultural development. New commercial or philanthropic enterprises within or outside the University can also apply for funding consideration.