In this post, our Fastepo experts have provided you with the all information of Rhodes Scholarships such as eligibility, value and duration.

Rhodes Scholarships For international students

4 October 2021

In this post, our Fastepo experts have provided you with all information about Rhodes Scholarships such as eligibility, value and duration.

What are the Rhodes Scholarships?

The oldest international scholarship programme is the Rhodes Scholarship, which was first awarded in 1902 by the Will of Cecil John Rhodes. The main goal of the Rhodes Scholarship is to support gifted young students around the world and assist them to begin full-time study programs at the University of Oxford. It should be noted that it was ranked first internationally in the Times Higher Education rankings for 2017 and 2018. 

This Scholarship tries to make an impact for good in the world in later life by selecting outstanding young international students, who have a vision of how the world could be better and the energy to make a difference.

Generally, 100 Rhodes Scholarships are available annually for postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. In the following part, you can see the List of Rhodes Scholarships:

List of Rhodes Scholarships:

  • AUSTRALIA (9 Scholarships)
  • BERMUDA (1 Scholarship)
  • CANADA (11 Scholarships)
  • CHINA (4 Scholarships)
  • EAST AFRICA (1 Scholarship)
    Covering Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi
  • GERMANY (2 Scholarships)
  • HONG KONG SAR (2 Scholarships)
  • INDIA (5 Scholarships)
  • ISRAEL (2 Scholarships)
  • JAMAICA & THE COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN (2 Scholarships)
    Covering Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands
  • KENYA (2 Scholarships)
  • MALAYSIA (1 Scholarship)
  • NEW ZEALAND (3 Scholarships)
  • PAKISTAN (1 Scholarship)
  • SAUDI ARABIA (Up to 2 Scholarships)
  • SINGAPORE (1 Scholarship)
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA (10 Scholarships)
    Covering South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and eSwatini
  • SYRIA, JORDAN, LEBANON AND PALESTINE (2 Scholarships)
  • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (2 Scholarships)
  • UNITED STATES (32 Scholarships)
  • WEST AFRICA (2 Scholarship)
    Covering 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.
  • ZAMBIA (2 Scholarships)
  • ZIMBABWE (2 Scholarships)

What is the Basic Eligibility of the Rhodes Scholarship?

The successful candidates should be young students with excellent ability, personality, leadership, and commitment to service. 

The four criteria which governed the selection of Rhodes Scholars in 1902 are still the guiding criteria for the selection of Rhodes Scholars:

  • 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.

How long is the duration of Rhodes Scholarships?

The basic tenure of the Scholarship is two years. However, for different study degrees the duration could be more than two years:

• A BA with Senior Status (ie done over two years, rather than the normal three) : Scholars who read for a 2nd
BA may not apply for a third year of Scholarship
• A one-year taught Master’s course (MSc, MSt, BCL), followed in the second year by another one-year taught
Master’s course (subject to successful completion of the first course): Scholars who read two consecutive
one-year Master’s courses may not apply for a third year of Scholarship
• A one-year taught Master’s course (MSc, MSt, BCL): Scholars who read for a one-year taught Master’s
course may progress to DPhil, and subsequently apply for a third year of Scholarship, subject to the Notes
below. This progression is not open to Scholars in the Maths, Physical & Life Sciences Division (see below)
• A two-year MPhil or BPhil (or BCL/MPhil): Scholars taking the MPhil/BPhil (or the two-year BCL/MPhil route)
may apply for a third year of Scholarship to read for DPhil, subject to the Notes below.
• A two-year MSc by research (or MLitt): Scholars who read a two-year MSc by research may not apply for a
third year of Scholarship
• A three-year DPhil: Scholars entering Oxford direct to DPhil follow the same application process for a third
year, as described in the Notes below. Please note candidates for a DPhil within the Maths, Physical & Life
Sciences Division may not take the Master’s route to DPhil, and must apply to start the DPhil in their first year
in Oxford

Exceptions:
• The MFE (Masters in Financial Economics) and the MBA (Masters in Business Administration) : Scholars may
only read these degrees in the second year of the Scholarship
• The MPP-MBA or MPP-MFE combination is not available (that is, neither the MBA nor the MFE may be
pursued in the second year for those who take the MPP (Masters in Public Policy) in their first year
• The four-year Accelerated Graduate-Entry course in Medicine is not tenable on the Rhodes Scholarship
• Four-year DPhil programmes, eg the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) and the Doctoral Training Centre
(DTC) programmes. Scholars may pursue these programmes only if alternative funding is obtained for the
final (4th) year of the programme.

What is the value of Rhodes Scholarships?

Tuition Fees and living expenses

The Rhodes Scholarship covers Oxford University (and College) fees as well as provides an annual stipend. For the 2021/22 academic year, the stipend will be £17,310 per annum (£1,442.50 per month) from which Scholars pay all living expenses, including accommodation. Please note – that this is not sufficient to cover partners or dependants.

Application Fees, Visa fees and UK’s National Health Service

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. For those Scholars who transition to the second course of study in Oxford, they will again receive assistance to cover the fee for visa renewal and further application for IHS.

Flight Tickets

The Rhodes Trust will cover two economy-class flights – to and from the UK – for the beginning and end of studies in Oxford.

Settling allowance

On arrival in Oxford, Scholars receive a settling-in allowance (£250 in 2020-21).

Conferences Fees

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.

Here, you can find more details and applying page.

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