Rhodes Scholarships University of Oxford UK
The prestigious Rhodes Scholarships are postgraduate awards supporting exceptional all-round international students at the University of Oxford. Established in the will of Cecil Rhodes in 1902, the Rhodes is the oldest and perhaps the most prestigious international scholarship program in the world.
Selection of Rhodes Scholars is made without regard to gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, social background, caste, or disability. The Rhodes Trust warmly welcomes applications from talented young women and men of diverse backgrounds and interests who show potential to be public-spirited leaders for the world’s future.
In the below video, current Rhodes Scholars speak about the personal statement and what is required for this part of the application process:
Eligibility
The following eligibility criteria apply to all applicants for the Rhodes Scholarships:
- Citizenship & residency: Each applicant must fulfil the citizenship and residency requirements of the Rhodes constituency for which they are applying.
- Age: Age limits vary between constituencies and range from a minimum age limit of 18 to a maximum of 28 by 1 October of the year following election. In most constituencies, the age limit is 24 or 25. Please check carefully the specific age requirements for your constituency before applying.
- Education: All applicants must have achieved academic standing sufficiently advanced to assure completion of a bachelor’s degree by the October following election. Academic standing must be sufficiently high to ensure admission to the University of Oxford, which has very competitive entry requirements, and to give confidence that Rhodes Scholars will perform to a high academic standard in Oxford. Individual constituencies may specify a 1st or equivalent. Please check the detailed requirements via the country links. Some constituencies require an undergraduate degree to have been taken within the constituency of application.
Selection criteria:
Cecil Rhode’s Will outlines four criteria to be used in the election of Scholars:
- literary and scholastic attainments
- energy to use one’s talents to the full
- truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship
- moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one’s fellow beings.
For information on specific eligibility requirements for each country, see the country links referred to above.
Eligible Nationalities:
Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica and Commonwealth Caribbean, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Southern Africa (including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, and Swaziland), United Arab Emirates, United States, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Participating Institution(s): Oxford University, Oxford; United Kingdom
Fields of study: Rhodes Scholars come from many academic backgrounds and pursue a wide variety of courses at Oxford. Applicants should review the University of Oxford’s postgraduate course programmes to determine the degree for which they would apply.
There are very few restrictions on the full-time post-graduate degrees supported by Rhodes Scholarships. Rhodes Scholars may only undertake the Master of Business Administration or the Master of Financial Economics in the second year of the Scholarship.
Number of Awards: 88 Rhodes Scholars are selected annually from 32 countries around the world.
Sponsorship duration: The basic tenure of the Scholarship is two years, subject always, and at all times, to satisfactory academic performance and personal conduct.
At the discretion of the Trustees, the Scholarship may be extended for a third year for those who take a recognized route to the DPhil.
Scholarship benefits: A Rhodes Scholarship covers all University and College fees, the university application fee, a personal stipend for living expenses and one economy class airfare to Oxford at the start of the Scholarship, as well as an economy flight back to the student’s home country at the conclusion of the Scholarship.
Method of Application: All candidates for the Scholarship should read the information about the Scholarships applicable globally, and then proceed to their country-specific page to read the application criteria, eligibility requirements, and deadline specific to their country.
Also available on the country pages are contact details for the National Secretaries, who can provide additional information for prospective applicants in each country.
It is important to carefully read the how to apply page; AND also visit the official website (link to it is below) for complete information on this scholarship.
DEADLINES:
Applications for Rhodes Scholarships open during the spring and summer of the preceding year. Deadline varies per country but is around July-October of the preceding year you wish to study. Please contact the provider for specific states.
Application Deadline: Varies (contact provider for specific dates)
