Clarendon Fund Scholarships
University of Oxford · United Kingdom
Oxford's largest graduate scholarship, awarding around 200 places a year on academic merit alone, with no restriction by nationality or subject.
Application deadline
7 Jan 2027
94 days remaining
- Intake
- Oct 2027 intake
- Open to
- Worldwide
- Study level
- Masters, PhD
We never charge for applications
What the scholarship covers
- Full course fees
- Generous annual grant for living costs
- Awarded for the full duration of the course
- Access to the Clarendon scholar community
Eligibility requirements
- Applying for a full-time graduate course at Oxford
- Open to all nationalities and all subjects
- Selected on academic excellence and potential
- No separate application required
Documents you will need
- Oxford graduate application
- Academic transcripts
- Research proposal for research degrees
- Three academic references
- Written work where the course requires it
How to apply, step by step
- 1
Apply for an Oxford graduate course
All eligible applicants are considered automatically; there is no separate form.
- 2
Meet the January deadline
Only applications submitted by the relevant January deadline are considered for Clarendon.
- 3
Strengthen the academic case
Selection is on academic merit, so transcripts, references and the proposal carry everything.
- 4
Prepare written work
Many humanities and social science courses require samples; these are read closely.
When to do what
Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.
20 weeks before
Choose the Oxford course and read its specific requirements.
16 weeks before
Begin the research proposal for research degrees.
12 weeks before
Approach three academic referees.
9 weeks before
Prepare written work samples.
5 weeks before
Have the proposal reviewed critically.
2 weeks before
Submit before the January deadline.
What the panel is actually looking for
- Academic excellence above all
- Research potential and proposal quality
- Strength of academic references
- Fit with the chosen Oxford course
Common mistakes to avoid
- Missing the January deadline, after which you cannot be considered.
- Looking for a separate Clarendon application form; there is none.
- Weak or generic references.
- Neglecting written work samples where they are required.
Fields of study
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Don't miss this deadline
We'll email you before applications for Clarendon Fund Scholarships close.
Apply to more than one
Even outstanding applicants are rejected for reasons outside their control, quotas, country allocations, a stronger field that year. Shortlist three or four awards you genuinely qualify for and apply to all of them.