Rhodes Scholarships

• The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest (first awarded in 1902) and perhaps the most prestigious international scholarship program in the world. It enables outstanding young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford.

Scholarship Overview

• The Rhodes Scholarship is a fully-funded postgraduate award for young people from around the world who desire to study at the University of Oxford.
• This scholarship is a life-changing opportunity for exceptional young people who have the potential to make a difference in the world.
• Rhodes Scholars are people who have a vision of how the world could be better and have the energy to make a difference regardless of their area of interest.

Host School(s)

• University of Oxford

Fields of Study

Postgraduate Programs as follows:

• A BA with Senior Status (i.e. done over two years, rather than the normal three)
• A one-year taught Master’s course (MSc, MSt, BCL), followed in the second year by another one-year taught Master’s course (subject to successful completion of the first course)
• A one-year taught Master’s course (MSc, MSt, BCL)
• A two-year MPhil or BPhil (or BCL/MPhil) to the Notes below
• A two-year MSc by research (or MLitt)
• A three-year DPhil

What does the scholarship cover?

The Rhodes Scholarship covers:

• Oxford University (and College) fees for 2 years
• An annual stipend – (£15,900 per annum from which scholars pay all living expenses, including accommodation)
• The fee required to apply to study at the University of Oxford.
• A Tier 4 study visa
• Associated International Health Surcharge (IHS)
• Two economy class flights – to and from the UK – for the beginning and end of studies in Oxford.
• Settling in allowance (£225 in 2019-20)

How many scholarships are given?

• Over 100 every year

Which countries are targeted?

There are scholarships available in over 22 designated Rhodes constituencies, as listed below. (Note: A constituency is a country, group of countries or territorial grouping for the purposes of administering the scholarship.)

• Australia – 9 scholarships
• Bermuda – 1 scholarship
• Canada – 11 scholarships
• China – 4 scholarships
• East Africa ( Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi) – 1 scholarship
• Germany – 2 scholarships
• Hong Kong SAR – 2 scholarship
• India – 5 scholarships
• Israel – 2 scholarships
• Jamaica and the Commonwealth Caribbean (Antigua, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands) – 2 scholarships
• Kenya – 2 scholarships
• Malaysia – 1 scholarship
• New Zealand – 3 scholarships
• Pakistan – 1 scholarship
• Saudi Arabia – 2 scholarships
• Singapore – 1 scholarship
• Southern Africa ( South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, eSwatini) – 10 scholarships
• Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine – 2 scholarships
• United Arab Emirates – 2 scholarships
• West Africa ( Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, St. Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Principe, and Togo) – 2 scholarships
• Zambia – 2 scholarships
• Zimbabwe – 2 scholarships

Am I Eligible to Apply?

To qualify for this scholarship, you must:

• Be a citizen of the country/constituency for which you want to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship
• Have been resident in the country/constituency for at least 5 years.
• Meet the eligibility criteria for the country, constituency, or territory you are domiciled in. Specific eligibility criteria are indicated on the page for your country/consistency.
• Have completed (or will have completed by no later than July 2022) an undergraduate degree from a college or university (normally a Bachelor’s degree) to a sufficiently high standard to be admitted to postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. (First Class Honors, or a GPA of 3.7 or more)
• Have a sufficiently high standard of English to meet the English language proficiency requirements of the University of Oxford.
• Be at least 18 and 25 years old by 1 October 2021. In most constituencies, the age limit is 24 or 25. Check the specific age requirements for your constituency before applying. 
• Have achieved sufficiently high academic standing to ensure admission to the University of Oxford, which has very competitive entry requirements, and exude confidence that as a Rhodes Scholar you will perform to a high academic standard in Oxford. 

How Do I Apply – Next Steps

• Application is to be done online from 01 June 2021 on the website.
• You must submit your application online, together with all supporting documents.
• Make sure you read the general information carefully before making your application.
• Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a social engagement (held on the eve of the interview) and a final interview. You must be available to attend both, in person, as no accommodations can be made on the date and time, or mode of these events.
• All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within three days after the date of the final interviews, via email.

Supporting Documents

• A certified copy of your birth certificate (or an affidavit of birth), a National Identity Card, and a valid passport (with translation, if necessary).
• An official transcript from the college or university at which you are studying, or have studied, showing grades achieved.
• Evidence of residency within the region for at least five of the last ten years, for example, official school records.
• Evidence of English Language Proficiency – a copy of a standardized English test that is recognized by the University of Oxford (e.g. TOEFL / IELTS) along with the test’s marking scheme should be uploaded.
• A full curriculum vitae which should include details about academic qualifications, prizes, scholarships, positions of leadership, employment positions, involvement in student, voluntary, community, or political activities, and any cultural, musical, or sporting accomplishments.
• A head-and-shoulders colour photograph (jpg format).
• An academic statement of study of no more than 750 words.
• A personal statement of no more than 1,000 words.
• A list of four (minimum) to six (maximum) people (your referees) who are willing to submit references on your behalf

Selection Criteria

• The Rhodes Selection Committees are looking for young people who have:
  • Outstanding intellect
  • Leadership qualities
  • Character
  • Commitment to service. 

Closing Date

• 2 August 2021

How Do I Get More Information?

• Website: Rhodes Scholarship