University of Oxford - Rhodes Scholarships for Global

The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest (first awarded in 1902) international scholarship programme, enabling outstanding young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford. There are two Rhodes Scholarships available each year for Global.

The selection criteria are:

• Academic excellence – specific academic requirements can be found under ‘Eligibility Criteria’ below.
• Energy to use your talents to the full (as demonstrated by success in areas such as sports, music, debate, dance, theatre, and artistic pursuits, including where teamwork is involved).
• 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 your fellow human beings.

Eligibility criteria

1. Nationality/citizenship: You may only apply to the Global Scholarships if you are not eligible to apply via any existing Rhodes constituency (https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/list-of-rhodes-scholarship-constituencies/). If you have a strong connection to one or more Rhodes constituency but do not meet their eligibility criteria you should also consider inter-jurisdictional consideration rather than the Global Scholarship.

2. Age: You must meet either of the below criteria:

   i. On 1 October 2023, you must be at least 18 and have not reached your 24th birthday (i.e. you must have been born after 1 October 1998 and on or before 1 October 2005).

   OR (for older candidates who completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual)

   ii. On 1 October 2023, you must not have reached your 27th birthday (i.e. have been born after 1 October 1996) AND you have met or will meet the academic requirements for completing your first undergraduate degree on or after 1 October 2022*

   * A university's policy determines the date of completion of academic requirement for a degree and this may be different from when a degree is considered awarded by the university or the date of a graduation ceremony. In ambiguous cases, the decision of the National Secretary is final.

3. Academic achievement: You must have already completed, or will have completed by July 2024, an undergraduate degree (normally a Bachelor’s degree) with an academic background and grade that - at a minimum - meets or exceeds the specific entry requirements of your chosen full-time course at the University of Oxford (https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/courses-a-z-listing). 

   Given the very intense international competition for places at the University of Oxford, candidates will have a greater chance of successful admission to Oxford if they have:
• A First Class Honours Degree or equivalent, or,
• A GPA of 3.70/4.0 or higher
  Please contact the National Secretary if you require further advice about academic requirements of the Scholarship.
4. English Language: You must have a sufficiently high standard of English and have met, by the application deadline, the English language proficiency requirements (at the Higher Level listed) of the University of Oxford: www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/applying-to-oxford/application-guide/qualifications-languages-funding#content-tab--3
5. If unsuccessful in your first application to the Rhodes Scholarships, you may subsequently re-apply only once more (and this must be in the same constituency), subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.

Global Scholarship Candidates: If you are not eligible to apply to any existing Rhodes Constituency and you are not eligible to apply for inter-jurisdictional consideration, then you can apply for a Global Scholarship, subject to meeting all other Global Scholarship eligibility criteria and subject to institutional nomination.

The Rhodes Scholarship covers Oxford University course fees, as well as providing an annual stipend. For the 2023/24 academic year, the stipend was £18,180 per annum (£1,515 per month) month) from which Scholars pay all living expenses, including accommodation. Please note - this is not sufficient to cover partners or dependents.

The detailed Conditions of Tenure document outlines permitted combinations of degrees, and how many years of study are covered by the Scholarship, as the latter depends on course choice - for example up to three years of fees and stipend is available to Scholars who choose to undertake a DPhil (PhD) at Oxford.

Following selection for the Scholarship, the Rhodes Trust will cover the fee required to apply to study at the University of Oxford. The Trust will cover the fee for a student visa and the associated International Health Surcharge (IHS), which enables international students to access the UK's National Health Service. The Rhodes Trust will cover two economy class flights - to and from the UK - for the beginning and end of studies in Oxford.

On arrival in Oxford, Scholars receive a settling in allowance and for those Scholars who transition to a second course of study in Oxford, they will again receive assistance to cover the fee for visa renewal and further application for IHS.