The Rhodes Scholarship is a fully-funded postgraduate award aimed at supporting talented young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford. The scholarship provides a life-changing opportunity for young talents to study at Oxford.
Established through the Will of Cecil John Rhodes in 1902, the Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest and perhaps the most prestigious international scholarship programme in the world that enables outstanding student the world over to undertake full-time postgraduate study in UK.
Rhodes Scholarships 2024-2025 | Details
One of the founding aims of the Rhodes scholarship was to identify and support young persons from around the globe through the pursuit of higher education at Oxford which will ultimately forge bonds of mutual understanding and knowledge sharing for the betterment of humanity.
The Scholarship is a fully funded, full-time, postgraduate award that is put in place for intelligent and talented youths from all countries of the world to study at the University of Oxford without having to worry about the cost of studies.
Rhodes Scholarships 2024 | Benefits
The following are the benefits that are available to successful candidates of the Rhodes Scholarships at Oxford University:
- Covers full course fees
- Annual stipend (£19,092)
- Cost of visa application.
- International health surcharge (IHS)
- Two economy class flights
- Settling in allowance
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- Nationality/citizenship: You must be a citizen of one of the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the island of Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Principe and Togo.
- Residency: You must have been resident in one or more of the countries listed above for at least five of the last ten years.
- Age: You must meet either of the below criteria: i. You must be aged 18-24 on 1st October 2023 (i.e. you must have been born after 1 October 1998 and before 2 October 2005). OR for medical, dental, pharmaceutical, law and engineering students, to allow you to complete your professional internship ii. You must be aged 18-25 on 1st October 2023 (i.e. you must have been born after 1 October 1997 and before 2 October 2005) OR for older candidates who completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual iii. You must be under the age of 27 on 1st October 2023 (i.e. have been born after 1 October 1996) AND you must also have completed your first undergraduate degree on or after 1 October 2022.
- Academic achievement: You must have completed an undergraduate degree (usually a Bachelor’s) by the application deadline, and you must have an academic background and grade that is a First Class Honours Degree or equivalent which meets or exceeds the specific entry requirements of your chosen course at the University of Oxford.
- English Language: You must meet the University of Oxford’s English language requirements. Unless you meet their requirements for a test waiver, you must demonstrate this by providing test results with scores that meet the University’s higher level requirement.
Rhodes Scholarships 2024-2025 | Application Guide
If you are interested in applying for the Rhodes Scholarships 2024 and you think that it is for you, you will have to first find out if you are eligible to apply. You will have to enter your country in the appropriate search box in the official webpage and click ‘Check your eligibility’.
It is advised that if you have dual citizenship or have resided in a many countries that you choose the country you have the strongest connection to. You will thereafter be required to answer some simple questions on the portal. Questions about ‘your Nationality or citizenship’, ‘your education / residency’, ‘your age criteria’, ‘your academic achievement’ and ‘English language criteria’ will be asked and you will be required to provides answers.
If you meet the eligibility criteria for the Rhodes Scholarships 2024/25, you will be requested to begin your application by using the ‘Start Your Application’ button on the application portal.
The Rhodes application form requires you to provide the following:
- Your details, such as contact information
- Evidence that you meet the eligibility criteria
- Your education history including your university transcripts
- The course(s) you would like to study at the University of Oxford
- A Curriculum Vitae
- An Academic Statement
- A Personal Statement
- A total of four (minimum) to six (maximum) referees
Document requirements:
- At least two of the following documents to confirm that you meet the citizenship, residency and age criteria (listed above):
- A certified copy of your birth certificate (or an affidavit of birth)
- A National Identity Card.
- A valid passport (with translation, if necessary)
- A voter’s card
- An affidavit notarised by a competent authority confirming that you are a bonafide citizen of your country
- An official transcript from the college or university at which you are studying, or have studied, showing grades achieved (to date).
- Evidence of residency within the region for at least five of the last ten years, for example official school records.
- Evidence that you meet the University of Oxford’s English language requirements:
- A full curriculum vitae (CV) which should include specific 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. This should not exceed two pages of 12-point Times Roman font and should not include supporting documents.
- A head-and-shoulders colour photograph (jpg format). Please note your photo will not be available to the selection committee until after final shortlisting decisions have been made. If you are selected, this photograph will be used on the Rhodes webpage unless or until you provide another version.
Applicants are advised not to upload documents, certificates, testimonials or links/URLs other than those required.