Hi there,
if you really get a 2.1 from a UK Top uni and get Merit from your Msc/MA, then you should have no language barrier to contact those American universities.
You should ask those those universities for more precise answer. Whatever you get from here, would be just an estimation, no critical value!!
Also, when you said top 20, which one!?
2.1: so 61, 62... 68%?
Msc/MA Merit: so again, so 61, 62... 68%?
Do you have papers/articles/publications!? Any recognised academic research experience and work expereice!? All these are the bonus. if you don;t have these, it would be less likely for you to get any scholarship (unless applying to a relatively worse university). I am just being honest!
