Rhodes Scholarship

What the scholarship covers

• All University of Oxford course fees
• Annual living stipend (about £19,000)
• Return economy airfare
• Visa and health surcharge covered
• Two years of funding, extendable to three

Eligibility requirements

• Aged 18–23 at the time of application (varies by constituency)
• Completed an undergraduate degree by the time you take up the award
• Citizen of an eligible Rhodes constituency
• Outstanding academic record plus leadership and service

Documents you will need

• Online application for your constituency
• Academic transcripts
• Five to eight references
• Personal statement (max 1,000 words)
• Curriculum vitae
• Birth certificate or passport

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Identify your constituency

   Rhodes selects by geographic constituency, each with its own eligibility rules, age limits and deadlines.

2. 2

   Check age and degree criteria

   These vary by constituency and are applied without exception.

3. 3

   Choose an Oxford course

   You apply to Oxford separately through the Graduate Admissions portal, in addition to the Rhodes application.

4. 4

   Write the personal statement

   Up to 1,000 words connecting your record, your intended study and what you intend to do afterwards.

5. 5

   Gather five to eight references

   More than most awards require. Approach referees far earlier than feels necessary.

6. 6

   Attend the interviews

   Shortlisted candidates face a social event and a formal panel interview, usually in the same weekend.

When to do what

Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.

1. 24 weeks before

   Confirm your constituency and read its specific criteria.

2. 20 weeks before

   Shortlist Oxford courses and check their admission requirements.

3. 16 weeks before

   Approach referees, you need five or more.

4. 12 weeks before

   First draft of the personal statement.

5. 8 weeks before

   Prepare the Oxford Graduate Admissions application in parallel.

6. 5 weeks before

   Refine the statement with critical readers.

7. 2 weeks before

   Submit the Rhodes application for your constituency.

What the panel is actually looking for

• Academic excellence as the entry threshold, not the deciding factor
• Energy to use your talents fully, shown through activity beyond study
• Truth, courage, devotion to duty and fellowship, the published criteria
• Moral force of character and instinct to lead

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming grades alone are enough when they are only the threshold.
• Approaching referees late when five to eight letters are required.
• Forgetting the separate Oxford application, without which the award cannot be taken up.
• A statement that reads as a CV in prose rather than a coherent argument.
• Missing constituency-specific age limits.

Fields of study