International Work & StudyDaniel Leighton

The Garden Club of America and the Royal Horticultural Society Interchange Fellowships

To foster British-American relations through the interchange of scholars in horticulture, landscape architecture, and related areas and to promote the exchange of information in the horticulture field.

These international and prestigious Interchange Fellowships allow for an American student to study and work in the UK and a British student to study and work in the U.S. The fellowships last one year and are life-changing experiences for the recipients who go on to be leaders in the field of horticulture. View the resources below to learn more about the fellowships and previous fellows.

Level of Education

For recent college graduates who possess a B.S. or B.A. degree in horticulture, landscape architecture, or a related field.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Interchange Fellow (American Scholar to the UK) 

Eligibility

The RHS Interchange Fellowship is open to a single, unaccompanied graduate of a university in the USA who is a U.S. Citizen and has earned a BA or BS degree in horticulture, plant sciences, landscape architecture, or a related degree. Selected finalists are required to attend an interview in New York City and will be notified of the time and place.

Provisions

The Interchange Fellowship provides a one year course of study in the United Kingdom for the RHS Interchange Fellow from September - August. 

The chosen American fellow will work with the RHS program coordinator to set up a highly-structured, stimulating, and exciting non-academic, practical program in ornamental horticulture at RHS Garden Wisley.  The program will reflect the fellow’s interests, career goals, and aspirations. As it is a work-study program, an interest in “hands-on” garden work and basic gardening skills is important. The intention is to give the fellow as rich and as broad an experience as possible in a variety of settings, thus providing valuable exposure to British horticultural techniques, and developing important contacts within the RHS and the wider world of UK Horticulture. 

Part of the experience will be involvement with the annual world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, held in London.

The GCA pays for the American fellow’s round trip ticket to the UK, fees for visa applications, UK health premiums, related travel expenses, and provides a supplementary stipend of $7,000 USD for incidental living costs.

The RHS will reimburse the cost of housing, food, and personal expenses during the Fellowship.

Expectations

The American fellow will liaise with the Royal Horticultural Society program coordinator to plan an individualized program of rotations within RHS Garden Wisley  

Fellows are asked to write a short report in January and a full report at the end of their program, documenting their Fellowship experience.  Both reports should include photographs and will be shared with the RHS Bursaries Group and Garden Club of America and be available on both the RHS and GCA websites.

Fellows will work with the GCA’s Scholarship Committee vice chairman of Media/Communications to provide updates on their placements, activities, and travel within the UK which can be shared through social media.

Fellows agree to attend suitable conferences/talks/presentations/shows and will visit as many cultural and horticultural places of interest as possible. Fellows may also meet with former Interchange Fellows for social/cultural outings as far as reasonably practicable. Upon their return to the U.S., fellows can expect invitations to speak at GCA member clubs and/or regional meetings across the country.

The GCA Interchange Fellow (British Scholar to the U.S.)

Eligibility

The GCA Interchange Fellowship is open to British student horticulturists in possession of a recognized horticultural qualification. This includes those in possession of horticultural qualifications at Level 2 and above as well as university graduates and final year-students studying a horticulture-related degree. The fellow shall be a citizen of a member country of the United Kingdom. 

Provisions

The Interchange Fellowship provides a year-long work experience program (from September to August) in the United States for the British GCA Interchange Fellow. Studies in horticulture, landscape architecture, and environmental studies will be centered at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania with additional short placements in regional gardens. The program will be a highly-structured, stimulating, and exciting non-academic, practical program in ornamental horticulture. Due to visa requirements, the full program is created prior to arriving in the U.S. Fellows will experience different horticulture areas at Longwood such as the Conservatory, Outdoor Landscapes, and Natural Lands, and participate in Longwood Gardens special events.

Fellows will participate in weekly learning opportunities including trips to regional gardens, museums, nurseries, and horticultural enterprises; they will uncover American horticultural techniques and regional plant species; fellows will make valuable horticultural contacts.

Financial support for the program is shared among Longwood Gardens, The Garden Club of America, and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The GCA pays $7,000 USD for approved travel to other American gardens in addition to the Longwood Gardens experience.

Please see details of the Bursaries offered by the RHS on their website for further information.

Longwood Gardens, in cooperation with the GCA, provides wages, onsite housing, and health insurance for the fellow during the period of the fellowship.

Expectations

Fellows should expect to give talks and presentations about their fellowship experience and other topics of interest when practicable to GCA member clubs and/or regional meetings.

Fellows are asked to write a short report in January and a full report at the end of their program, documenting their Fellowship experience.  Both reports should include photographs and will be shared with the RHS Bursaries Group, the Garden Club of America and Longwood Gardens.  The reports will be available on both the RHS and GCA websites.

They will meet and deliver a presentation to the RHS Bursaries Group.

All of the above expectations are for the purpose of enhancing the educational experience of the Interchange Fellowship and the cross-cultural components of the program. 

Selection

Selection and administration for American applicants/scholars is by the GCA Scholarship Committee in the United States and by The Royal Horticultural Society in London for British applicants/scholars.

History

In 1948 Hillsborough Garden Club in California proposed the idea of fostering British American relations through an exchange of scholars in horticulture, landscape architecture, and related fields by supporting a British Exchange student for a year in America. In 1950, the English Speaking Union offered a reciprocal fellowship for an American student to study in Britain, and by 1952, The Garden Club of America voted to make the Interchange Fellowship a permanent scholarship project. 

As noted, the Interchange Fellowships are a reciprocal exchange program, sponsored by The Garden Club of America in the U.S., in coordination with Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK. More than 100 students have participated in the Interchange Fellowship Program, and many have gone on to hold prominent positions in public garden management, horticulture, education, and landscape architecture. The opportunities available to the fellows are unique in the horticulture field, and the network of past fellows is a lasting legacy.

To Apply

See American scholars to the UK: application and information. Applications must be received at GCA Headquarters in New York by January 15, 2027. Please note short listed applicants will be required to attend an interview in New York City on February 28, 2027 Reimbursement of travel expenses up to $500 USD will be made to candidates invited to interview in New York City upon submission of receipts. PLEASE NOTE: ONLY ONE GCA SCHOLARSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, OR AWARD MAY BE APPLIED FOR ANNUALLY. 

See British scholars to the US: application and information. Closing date for application is January 22, 2027. Please note short listed applicants will be required to attend an interview on February 16, 2027. 

Contact

The Garden Club of America, Attn: Scholarship Applications, 14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022-1006 / Phone: 212-753-8287 / Email: scholarshipapplications@gcamerica.org