Rhodes Trust 2021 Scholarships for African Students to Study at University of Oxford, UK

Published: 01 Jun 2020 2,704 views

The Rhodes Trust Scholarships is a postgraduate award supporting exceptional students from around the world to study at the University of Oxford.

Each year, the Rhodes Trust Scholarships are offered to more than 90 Rhodes Scholars selected from 20 Rhodes constituencies (64 countries) worldwide  to study for postgraduate degree at university of Oxford. They are outstanding young women and men of diverse backgrounds and interests who show strong potential to be public-spirited leaders for the world’s future.

Duration: Rhodes Scholars may study for any full-time postgraduate degree (including the BA with senior status over two years) at the University of Oxford.

At the discretion of the Trustees, the Scholarship may be extended for a third year for those who take a recognized route to the DPhil. The Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and the Masters of Financial Economics (MFE) are only tenable in the second year of the Scholarship.

The basic tenure of the Scholarship is two years, subject to satisfactory academic performance and personal conduct.

Postgraduate Scholarship

Application Deadline	Not Specified
Funding Type	Fully Funded
Country to study
School to study	University of Oxford
Type	Adamawa
Sponsor	Rhodes Trust
Gender	Men and Women

Benefits of Postgraduate Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship is for two years in the first instance. The Rhodes Scholarship covers Oxford University (and College) fees as well as providing an annual stipend. For the 2019/20 academic year, the stipend will be £15,900 per annum (£1,325 per month) from which Scholars pay all living expenses, including accommodation. Please note - this is not sufficient to cover partners or dependants.

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 Tier 4 study 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 (£225 in 2019-20). 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.

A number of research grants are also available to Rhodes Scholars, on application, which enables Scholars to, for example, attend international conferences or conduct additional fieldwork.

Requirements for Postgraduate Scholarship

The following eligibility criteria apply to all applicants for the Rhodes Scholarships:

• Citizenship & residency: You must meet the citizenship/residency requirements of one of the Rhodes constituencies : Australia, Bermuda, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Jamaica & the Commonwealth Caribbean, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Southern Africa (including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland), SJLP (including Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine), United Arab Emirates, United States, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
• Age: You must have reached your 18th birthday and not have passed your 24th birthday on 1 October in the year of application. There is some variation on the upper age limit across constituencies depending on the local environment. Please check carefully the specific age requirements for your constituency before applying. Successful candidates will arrive in Oxford the October following the selection process. The Scholarship may not be deferred.
• Education: Rhodes Scholars must have completed a Bachelor’s degree before coming up to Oxford, to a sufficiently high standard to meet both the Rhodes and the Oxford criteria. Please consult the detailed information provided by the constituency to which you are applying on our How to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship page and the prospectus pages of the University of Oxford. NB: Some constituencies require completion of your undergraduate degree in the year of application for the Scholarship.

Selection Process

 Rhodes Selection Committees are looking for young persons of outstanding intellect, character, leadership, and commitment to service from 20 Rhodes constituencies (64 countries) worldwide.
The four criteria governing the selection of Rhodes Scholars are:

• literary and scholastic attainments (academic excellence)
• energy to use one’s talents to the full (as demonstrated by mastery in areas such as sports, music, debate, dance, theatre, and artistic pursuits, particularly 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 one’s fellow beings.

Application Documents

• Evidence of academic record / transcript (complete or in progress) of undergraduate degree and any postgraduate study
• Curriculum vitae/resumé or list of principal activities
• Personal statement or essay (including, crucially, a clear statement of what the applicant wishes to study at Oxford and why)
• Evidence of age / birth certificate / passport
• English Language proficiency (where English is not the first language)
• Photograph
• List of referees (usually several are required) who can attest in confidential references to the character and intellect of the applicant, including academic, personal, extra-curricular and leadership achievements (and who should never include people to whom you are related)

Application Deadline

Not Specified

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Rhodes Trust on www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk to apply