How to apply
Step 3 - Find out if you meet the criteria to become a Rhodes Scholar and start your application. We offer scholarships in over 22 designated Rhodes constituencies, as well as our Global Rhodes Scholarships.




Could you be a Rhodes Scholar?
For each of the following steps for how to apply, you will be referred to Rhodes constituency page to which you will be applying. On each constituency page you will find the detailed Information for Candidates specific to that region. This will be the guiding document for your application. The complete list of countries covered by the different Rhodes constituencies can be read here. If you are not eligible for any of the designated Rhodes constituencies, you can apply for the Global Rhodes Scholarships.
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Do you meet the Rhodes selection criteria?
Rhodes Selection Committees are looking for young persons of outstanding intellect, character, leadership, and commitment to service from 23 Rhodes constituencies 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.
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Do you meet the eligibility criteria specific to the Rhodes constituency to which you are applying?
Please refer to your country/region’s Information for Candidates for constituency-specific information on nationality/residency, age, education and English language proficiency criteria. These can be found in the menu below as you start your application.
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Do you meet the academic criteria specific to the Rhodes constituency to which you are applying?
All applicants must have completed their undergraduate degree to a very high standard by 1 October of the year following application. In some constituencies, you will need to have completed your degree in the year of application. Academic achievement must be sufficiently high to assure entry to the University of Oxford, whose admissions are internationally competitive, and to give confidence that Rhodes Scholars will perform to a high academic standard in Oxford. Please see the requirements listed in your country/region’s Information for Candidates for further details.
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Have you thought about what you will study at the University of Oxford?
In considering your choice of course at Oxford, you should:
a) Check the entry requirements for your chosen course at Oxford
b) Check the Rhodes Conditions of Tenure
c) If English is not your first language, you may be asked to provide evidence of proficiency - check the specific requirements for your country/region’s Information for Candidates, and see Oxford’s requirements for English Language proficiency. -
Have you prepared a personal statement?
The personal statement is your chance to tell your story in your own voice: Who are you? What matters to you? Why are you applying for the Rhodes Scholarship? What are you hoping to do in the world? What do you wish to study at Oxford and why. Your academic transcript, your curriculum vitae and your reference letters will provide the substantive detail of your commitments and accomplishments, but this essay gives you the opportunity to cast the overarching narrative for the selection committee. You can see current Rhodes Scholars speaking about the personal statement here. Please note: You will be asked to sign a statement confirming that this essay is your own work and that no external help was given in its creation or editing.
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Have you identified your referees?
You will need 4-8 referees depending on the country/region to which you are applying, at least 3 of which must be academics under whom you have studied at University.
You must also have referees who can testify to your character and/or your involvement in extra-curricular/service or leadership activities. These referees should be persons who are able to comment critically on whether you fulfil the extra-curricular, non-academic requirements of the Scholarship and who can speak in detail to your character. A good referee is one who knows you well, rather than a well-known person who only knows you superficially. Your referees must not be personal friends, relations or contemporaries. Choose reliable people who are likely to respond to your request for a detailed reference, as their reports will be crucial to your application. See the detailed Guidance for Referees on the appropriate country page.
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When should you apply to the University of Oxford?
Successful candidates will apply to the University of Oxford shortly after selection. The Rhodes Scholarship is confirmed only when you have been offered a place in a Department or Faculty and College of the University of Oxford.
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Still have questions?
If you have other questions, please consult the most frequently asked questions
Start your application
Have you read carefully the detailed Information for Candidates specific to the country/region to which you are applying? Have you checked the opening and closing dates of the application for your country/region? If so, then you can start your application now by selecting your country below.
Select your country
The Rhodes Scholarships for Australia
Each year, there are nine Scholarships available for Australia.
The first Australian Rhodes Scholars took up residence in Oxford in 1904, and since that time many hundreds of Australians have been awarded the Scholarship.
Of the nine scholarships available each year in Australia, each state offers one Scholarship that is awarded by a selection committee of seven members (including three Rhodes Scholars) based in the state. In addition, there are three Australia-at-Large Scholarships awarded by a selection committee based in Canberra. This selection committee will consider applicants from the ACT and other territories of the Commonwealth, as well as those candidates nominated by state selection committees. Please note that applicants cannot apply directly to Australia-at-Large.
Prospective applicants from Australia should carefully review the Information for Candidates specific for Australia, below.
They should then contact their State or Territory Honorary Secretary to discuss their eligibility to apply, and for general information on the preparation of applications and the selection of referees.
You can view a Storify message about the selection process in Australia and about preparing for interview.
Opening date: 1 July 2017.
Closing date: Applications for Australia must be received by midnight, AEST, 14 September 2017
National Secretary for Australia
Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington
Email: marnie.hughes-warrington@anu.edu.au
Deputy National Secretaries for Australia
Professor John Watson
Associate Dean and Head of School, Sydney Adventist Hospital Clinical School
Professor Merlin Crossley
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education, University of New South Wales
Email: m.crossley@unsw.edu.au
Administrator and Contact: Central Scholarships
Division of Student Administration
The Australian National University
Email: philanthropic.scholarships@anu.edu.au
The Rhodes Scholarships for Bermuda
The first Rhodes Scholar from Bermuda was selected to come to Oxford in 1904, and since that time nearly 100 students from Bermuda have been awarded the Scholarship.
The selection committee will meet in Bermuda towards the end of November.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Bermuda must be received by midnight, local time, 31 October 2017
National Secretary for Bermuda
Mr John Collis
Email: johncollis@ozone.bm
The Rhodes Scholarships for Canada
The Rhodes Scholarships for Canada – A Partnership between the Rhodes Trust and the Second Century Founder John McCall MacBain O.C.
Each year, there are eleven Scholarships available for Canada.
The first Canadian Rhodes Scholars took up residence in Oxford in 1904, and since that time over a thousand Canadians have been awarded the Scholarship. There are six regional committees in Canada responsible for the selection of eleven Scholars annually across the country:
Three Scholarships to - The Prairie Region (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta)
Two Scholarships each to - Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Region (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island)
One Scholarship each to - British Columbia & Newfoundland
Candidates may compete in a province or region prescribed under either (a) or (b) below:
a) The province or region in which you are ordinarily resident. If you are ordinarily resident in Nunavut, the Yukon or Northwest Territories, you may apply in a province under (b) or, if there is no such province, in the Prairie Region (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta)
b) Any province or region in which you have attended a university that has granted or will be granting you a degree, provided that if you are ordinarily resident outside Newfoundland, you may not make an application in that province. Summer courses do not qualify as attendance at a university.
If you are in doubt about the appropriate province or region in which to apply, you may contact the General Secretary who will decide on the basis of available evidence.
Applicants currently studying at a Canadian university can choose to apply in either their province of residence or in the province where their university is located. In all cases, they must approach the fellowships advisor at their university and take part in the campus screening process. To proceed with a Rhodes Scholarship application, a student must first earn the endorsement of their undergraduate institution. Applications for the Scholarship are now filed online, a process which requires an authorization code available through the fellowships office at your university or from the relevant regional secretary.
Applicants currently studying outside Canada should apply in the region in which they are normally resident. They should contact the secretary of the relevant Canadian regional committee to gain the authorization code required to proceed with the online application.
Opening date: 1 June 2017.
Closing date: Applications for Canada must be received by midnight, local time, 30 September 2017
National Secretary for Canada
Mr Andrew Wilkinson QC
Email: andrew_wilkinson@telus.net
The Rhodes Scholarships for China
These Scholarships are supported by the Li Ka Shing Foundation and other generous benefactors.
There are four Rhodes Scholarships offered to mainland Chinese citizens each year, and the first Chinese Scholars arrived in Oxford as part of the Class of 2016
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for China must be received by midnight, 14 October 2017 (China Standard Time)
- Information for Candidates – China
- Guidance for Referees – China
- No external links.
National Secretary for China
Mr Simon Rabinovitch
Email: rhodesforchina@gmail.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for East Africa
East Africa includes: Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi.
There is one Rhodes Scholarship for East Africa each year. The Scholarship for East Africa was announced in 2018 and the first Scholar will arrive in October 2019.
Opening date: 1 June 2018
Closing date: TBC
- No supporting downloads.
- No external links.
- No internal links.
The Rhodes Scholarships for Germany
There are two Rhodes Scholars selected from Germany each year.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Germany must be received by midnight, local time, 30 September 2017
- Information for Candidates – Germany
- Guidance for Referees – Germany
- No external links.
National Secretary for Germany
Professor Nils Ole Oermann
Email: oermann@leuphana.de
The Rhodes Scholarships for Global
Until now, the Rhodes Scholarships have been awarded in 20 constituencies (representing over 60 different countries). This year, over 100 Rhodes Scholarships will be on offer and two new Global Scholarships allow eligible candidates from the rest of the world to be nominated by their University.
General information on the preparation of Global Rhodes Scholarship applications as well as frequently asked questions, can be found here: Information & FAQs. More detailed Information for Candidates will follow shortly.
Information for Nominating Institutions can be found online here.
Please note that applicants cannot apply directly for a Global Scholarship. A nomination from their university is required and, if successful, the candidate will be sent an invitation to apply.
Opening date for nominations: May 2018
Closing date for nominations: 30th June 2018
Deadline for candidate applications: midnight, GMT, 31st August 2018
Contacts:
Global Scholarship candidates: info.global@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk
Nominating universities: nominations.global@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk
- No supporting downloads.
- No external links.
- No internal links.
The Rhodes Scholarships for Hong Kong
This Scholarship is supported by the Lee Hysan Foundation.
Each year, there is one Rhodes Scholar selected from Hong Kong.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Hong Kong must be received by midnight, local time, 30 September 2017
- Information for Candidates – Hong Kong
- Guidance for Referees – Hong Kong
- No external links.
National Secretary for Hong Kong
Ms Sandra Fan
Email: rhodes@oxforduchina.org
The Rhodes Scholarships for India
Each year, there are five Scholarships available for India. The first Indian Rhodes Scholars took up residence in Oxford in 1947, and since that time over two hundred Indians have been awarded the Scholarship.
Rhodes Scholars in residence in Oxford have compiled an ‘Unofficial Guide’ to writing the personal statement/essay, which the Selection Committee would like to make available to all applicants. Scholars in residence have also offered to run an open group answering applicant queries so as to even the playing field for all applicants, you will find the link to that group in the document.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for India must be received by midnight, India Standard Time, 31 July 2017
- Information for Candidates – India
- Guidance for Referees – India
- Unofficial Guide
- No external links.
National Secretary for India
Mr Nandan Kamath
Email: rhodes@lawnk.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for Israel
These Scholarships are generously supported by an international coalition of donors.
There are two Rhodes Scholars selected each year from Israel. The Scholarship for Israel was announced in 2016 and the first Israeli Scholars will arrive in October 2017.
Opening date: Mid June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Israel must be received by midnight, local time, 30 September 2017
National Secretary for Israel
Mr Doron Weber
Email: rhodesforisrael@gmail.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for Jamaica & The Commonwealth Caribbean
Each year, there is:
- One Jamaica Rhodes Scholarship, available to candidates from Jamaica only;
- One Commonwealth Caribbean Rhodes Scholarship, available to candidates from the Commonwealth Caribbean generally, excluding Jamaicans (but subject to the Selection Committee's discretion).
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Jamaica & The Commonwealth Caribbean must be received by midnight, 30 September 2017, Jamaica Standard Time
National Secretary for Jamaica & Commonwealth Caribbean
Mr Peter Goldson
Email: peter.goldson@mfg.com.jm
Alternative email: pgoldson@cwjamaica.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for Kenya
Each year, there are two Scholarships available for Kenya.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Kenya must be received by midnight, local time, 31 August 2017
- Information for Candidates – Kenya
- Guidance for Referees – Kenya
- No external links.
National Secretary for Kenya

Mrs Janet Kabiru
The Rhodes Scholarships for Malaysia
This Scholarship is generously supported by Yayasan Khazanah.
There is one Rhodes Scholarship each year for Malaysia. There had previously been Malaysian Rhodes Scholars and we were delighted to re-establish the Scholarship in 2016.
Opening date: 1 July 2017
Closing date: Applications for Malaysia must be received by midnight, local time, 31 August 2017
- Information for Candidates – Malaysia
- Guidance for Referees – Malaysia
- No external links.
National Secretary for Malaysia
Ms Cheryl Lim
Email: rhodesmalaysia@gmail.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for New Zealand
The Rhodes Scholarships for New Zealand – A Partnership between the Rhodes Trust and the Robertson Foundation.
Initial enquiries about eligibility or the application process should also be directed to the applicant’s Scholarships Office, or the Scholarships Office at Universities New Zealand for those who did not attend a New Zealand university.
Applications
All applications (and references) must be received by the Scholarships Office at the applicant’s New Zealand university.
Opening date: 1 May 2018
Closing date: Applications for New Zealand must be received by midnight, local time, 1 August 2017
- No supporting downloads.
- Information for Candidates - New Zealand
- Universities NZ site on Rhodes Scholarship
National Secretary for New Zealand
Professor Jane Harding
Email: j.harding@auckland.ac.nz
The Rhodes Scholarships for Pakistan
Each year, there is one Scholarship available for Pakistan. The first Rhodes Scholar from Pakistan took up residence in Oxford in 1951, and since that time more than 70 citizens of Pakistan have been awarded this prestigious scholarship.
Opening date: 15 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Pakistan must be received by midnight, local time, 15 August 2017
- Information for Candidates – Pakistan
- Guidance for Referees – Pakistan
- No external links.
National Secretary for Pakistan
Mr Babar Sattar
E-mail 1: rhodes_Pk@yahoo.co.uk
E-mail 2: babar.sattar@gmail.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for Singapore
This Scholarship is supported by APS Asset Management
The Rhodes Trust is delighted to announce the reinstatement this year (2018) of the Rhodes Scholarship for Singapore.
Full details of the eligibility criteria specific to Singapore will be published here in due course.
Each year, there will be one Rhodes Scholar selected from Singapore.
Opening date: 1 June 2018
Closing date: To be confirmed
- No supporting downloads.
- Information for Candidates - Singapore
- No external links.
- National Secretary for Singapore
National Secretary for Singapore


Professor Andrew Wee
Email: phyweets@nus.edu.sg
The Rhodes Scholarships for Southern Africa (inc. South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland)
This page provides constituency-specific information on Rhodes Scholarships to Oxford for applicants from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland.
The Scholarships for these countries are administered from a regional secretariat based in Johannesburg.
There are:
- four Scholarships every year for applicants from South Africa-at-Large,
- one for applicants from KwaZulu-Natal,
- one for an applicant from one of: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland, and
- one each for applicants of or from Diocesan College, Rondebosch; South African College School, Newlands; Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch; and St Andrew's College, Grahamstown (including their identified partner schools, which are listed here).
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Southern Africa must be received by midnight, local time, 15 August 2017
National Secretary for South Africa
Ndumiso Luthuli
Email: rhotrust@pixie.co.za
The Rhodes Scholarships for Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine (SJLP)
These Scholarships are generously supported by the Saïd Foundation.
There are two Rhodes Scholarships offered from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon or Palestine each year. The Scholarships for SJLP were announced in 2016 and the first Scholars will arrive in October 2017.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine must be received by midnight, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 31 August 2017
National Secretary for SJLP
Dr Liliane Chamas
Email: rhodesforsjlp@gmail.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for United Arab Emirates
There are two Rhodes Scholarships offered from the UAE each year.
Please note that the selection weekend will take place in Al Ain between late November to mid-December.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for the UAE must be received by midnight, 30 September 2017 (Gulf Standard Time)
- Information for Candidates – UAE
- Guidance for Referees – the UAE
- No external links.
National Secretary for the United Arab Emirates
Dr Christoph Avenarius
The Rhodes Scholarships for United States
For full information on the application process for the Rhodes Scholarships for the United States of America, including detailed eligibility criteria, please visit the website here.
Opening date: 1 July 2017
Closing date: By 23.59 Eastern Time, 4 October 2017
National Secretary for the United States
Mr Elliot Gerson
Email: amsec@rhodesscholar.org
The Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa
This Scholarship is generously supported by Miles Morland and the Cohen Charitable Trust.
West Africa includes: 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.
There is one Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa each year. The Scholarship for West Africa was announced in 2017 and the first Scholar will arrive in October 2018. There had previously been Scholarships for certain countries within this grouping, including Nigeria and Ghana.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for West Africa must be received by midnight, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 30 September 2017
- Information for Candidates – West Africa
- Guidance for Referees – West Africa
- No external links.
National Secretary for West Africa

National Secretary: Mr Ike Chioke
Strategic Adviser for West Africa: Mr Topé Folarin
Email: rhodeswestafrica@gmail.com
The Rhodes Scholarships for Zambia (Deadline Extended)
Each year, there are two Scholarships available for Zambia.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Zambia must be received by midnight, local time, 15 November 2017
National Secretary for Zambia
Professor Oliver Saasa
Email: oliver-saasa@premierconsult.co.zm
The Rhodes Scholarships for Zimbabwe
Each year, there are two Scholarships available for Zimbabwe.
Opening date: 1 June 2017
Closing date: Applications for Zimbabwe must be received by midnight, local time, 31 August 2017
- Information for Candidates – Zimbabwe
- Guidance for Referees – Zimbabwe
- No external links.
National Secretary for Zimbabwe
Dr Tariro Makadzange
Email: tariro.makadzange@gmail.com
The Rhodes Trust warmly welcomes applications from talented young persons of diverse backgrounds. Selection of Rhodes Scholars is made without regard to gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, social background, caste, or disability.