The Rhodes Scholarship programme is the oldest (established 1903) international scholarship programme in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Administered by the Rhodes Trust in Oxford, the programme offers 100 fully-funded Scholarships each year for postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom – one of the world’s leading universities. Rhodes Scholarships are for young leaders of outstanding intellect and character who are motivated to engage with global challenges, committed to the service of others and show promise of becoming value-driven, principled leaders for the world’s future.
Until recently, the Rhodes Scholarships have been awarded in 20 constituencies (representing over 60 different countries). Now the Rhodes Scholarships are fully global: two new Global Scholarships allow eligible candidates from the rest of the world to apply (subject to nomination).
Eligibility Criteria
a. Nationality/citizenship: Eligibility to any other Rhodes Scholarship renders you ineligible to apply for a Global
Scholarship, i.e. if you are eligible to apply via any existing Rhodes Constituency (https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/list-of-rhodes-scholarship-countries/), you must apply there.
Please also see the information below and online regarding inter-jurisdictional consideration – it may be in your interest to pursue that route rather than to apply for a Global Scholarship, which will likely be the most competitive. Scholarships offered by the Rhodes Trust.
b. Academic achievement: You must have completed (or will have completed by June / July 2021) an undergraduate degree with a First Class or minimum GPA minimum of 3.70 out of 4.0 (or equivalent). Please note carefully the requirements for your chosen course at Oxford, which may be higher still. Successful candidates typically feature within the top few ranks of their graduating classes.
c. Age: Upon 1 October 2020, you must meet either of the below criteria:
i. You must be at least 18 and have not reached your 24th birthday (i.e. you must have been born after 1 October 1996 and on or before 1 October 2002). OR (for older candidates who completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual)
ii. You must have not reached your 27th birthday (i.e. have been born after 1 October 1993) AND you have met or will meet the requirements for completion of your first degree on or after 1 October 2019*.
d. English language: You must have a sufficiently high standard of English to meet the English language proficiency requirements (at the Higher Level listed) of the University of Oxford.
e. 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.
The broad selection criteria are:
- Academic excellence – specific academic requirements can be found under ‘Eligibility Criteria’ below.
- 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.
- Energy to use your talents to the full (as demonstrated by mastery in areas such as sports, music, debate, dance, theatre,
and artistic pursuits, including where teamwork is involved).
Application Method
a. You will not be able to submit your application for the Global Scholarship without prior nomination by your University. Each university has a limited number of nominations that they can make each year. You must register the most appropriate nominator via the application form. Once their nomination has been received, you will be permitted to submit your form.You can apply online from 01 June 2020 at http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/apply via the scholarships tab.
b. You must submit your application online, with all supporting documents, by 23:59 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 31 July 2020.
c. In preparation for making your application, you should read carefully the general information, particularly that held on the Scholarships tab, on the Rhodes website, the Conditions of Tenure for the Rhodes Scholarship, the information in this document and the graduate admissions pages of the University of Oxford: www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate.
d. Longlisted candidates might be invited to attend a preliminary interview via Skype.
e. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a social engagement (a reception and dinner) and a final interview. You must be available to attend both, in person, as no accommodations can be made on date and time, or mode, of these events. Interviews will be held at Rhodes House, Oxford, UK in November. No candidate will be selected without an interview. Candidates for the Scholarship invited for the final interview and residing outside of the United Kingdom may apply to the Rhodes Global Scholarships Administrator for financial assistance to travel from their country of origin, provided that the travel could not be funded by their University or other sponsorship source.
f. All applicants will be emailed with the outcome of their application.
GUIDANCE FOR REFEREES
References must be written in English and must be uploaded by 23:59, GMT, 14 August 2020.
Thank you for your willingness to serve as a referee for one of the applicants for the Rhodes Scholarship. References form
a crucial part of the selection process, and therefore your reference could make the difference to an applicant’s success.
The following notes are intended to serve as a guide as you write your reference.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Rhodes Global Scholarships 2021
Application Deadline: 23:59 GMT, 31 July 2020
