In the inaugural year of the Gates Scholarship, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has named seven Harvard students recipients of the award.

Similar to the Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships, the Gates Scholarships fund study at Cambridge University.

But in contrast to the older, established scholarships, the Gates allows students to study for up to four years and also provides more generous economic rewards, including airfare to London and up to $9,000 of spending money.

The scholarship, endowed with $210 million by the Gates Foundation, was established to provide education for aspiring world leaders in the field of public health care and international development.

Students were selected based upon their academic performance and leadership capabilities. The scholarship requires applicants to undergo a rigorous interview process and to submit letters of recommendation.

Seven Harvard seniors were among the handful of American students selected to receive the prize. Jessica A. Pepp `96 has also been selected.

The selection process is not yet complete, and so there may be more Harvard students announced in the final group of recipients, which is expected to number between 40 and 60 students.

Christopher M. Kirchhoff `01, a history and science concentrator from Winthrop House, said he is very excited about going to England next year and also said he admires the goal of the scholarship program.