Rhodes Scholarships (Oxford): funding, eligibility and deadlines

What the funding covers

University of Oxford course fees, and the Oxford application fee.
A stipend of £20,400 a year (£1,700 a month) at the 2025–26 rate.
Student visa and Immigration Health Surcharge fees, and two economy flights — one to the UK at the start and one home at the end.
A settling-in allowance on arrival. Funding runs for the length of your course, up to three years for a DPhil.

Scholarships are awarded by constituency — groups of one or more countries — and a Global Rhodes Scholarship covers applicants from countries without their own constituency.
Each constituency sets its own age limit, degree requirements and deadline, so read your constituency's page first.
Selection looks for academic excellence, character, leadership and commitment to others.

Find your constituency on the Rhodes House website and read its eligibility rules and deadline.
Choose an Oxford postgraduate course and apply through the Rhodes online system with a personal statement, academic statement, CV, transcripts and references.
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by the constituency's selection committee, usually in the autumn.
Rhodes Scholars then apply to Oxford for their chosen course; the scholarship starts in October of the following year.

Applications for the 2027 Rhodes Scholarship (starting October 2027) were open when we checked — most constituencies close between June and early October.
Deadlines and age limits differ by constituency. Missing yours means waiting a year.
Your personal statement must show who you are, not just what you have achieved — generic essays stand out for the wrong reasons.

Counting back from the next typical deadline (≈ Oct 1, 2026). Steps marked NOW are already due if you start today.

Jul 9, 2026 · NOWResearch the route in depth — confirm eligibility, costs and every required document

Jul 23, 2026 · NOWAsk your referees (for a PhD, email potential supervisors with a short, specific pitch)

Aug 6, 2026 · NOWWrite the first full draft of your motivation letter or statement of purpose

Aug 20, 2026 · NOWOrder transcripts and certified translations · book any language test

Sep 3, 2026 · NOWSecond draft — get feedback from someone who reads critically

Sep 17, 2026 · NOWFinalise every document and complete the online form

Sep 24, 2026 · NOWSubmit — never on the last day

Oct 1, 2026Typical deadline

Page reviewed Sep 24, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official source.