Rhodes Trust

The Rhodes Scholarship, established in 1903, funds graduate study at the University of Oxford, and its selection weighs character and leadership alongside the academic record. It runs through regional constituencies, each with its own eligibility rules and deadline, so the first step is to work out which constituency you would apply through.

Programmes

• The Rhodes Scholarship: two to four years of fully funded graduate study at Oxford

When it opens

Deadlines vary a good deal by constituency. Several African deadlines fall in August (for example West Africa and Southern Africa), while others run into the autumn. Check your own constituency's date first.

Who qualifies

Citizens of, or applicants eligible through, a Rhodes constituency, usually within a specific age range that varies by region, with an outstanding academic record and a record of leadership and service.

What it pays for

All Oxford tuition and college fees, an annual personal stipend, return flights, and coverage for the duration of the course, plus access to the Rhodes network.

How the application works

Apply to the Rhodes Trust for your constituency and, separately, for admission to an Oxford graduate course. You must gain Oxford admission to take up the award.

Where applications go wrong

• Relying on grades alone, when character and leadership often decide close calls
• Missing an early constituency deadline (some African ones close in August)
• Not briefing referees, who are each asked to comment on different qualities
• Doing little preparation for the in-person selection event

Fake calls and fees

The Rhodes Trust does not charge to apply and communicates through rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk and constituency secretaries. Disregard any fee request to "process" a Rhodes application.