The Rhodes Global Scholarship is looking for outstanding young leaders who are motivated to engage with global challenges and promote international understanding and peace. In short, seeking young people of outstanding intellect, character, leadership, and commitment to service, and who demonstrate a strong propensity to emerge as 'leaders for the world’s future'.
Rhodes Global Scholarships provide for two years of post-baccalaureate study at the University of Oxford, with the possibility of a third year for students continuing for a doctorate. There are few restrictions as to field of study, but the proposed course must be available at Oxford and applicants must be academically prepared to undertake the course. Each Rhodes Global Scholarship provides direct payment to a scholar’s college of all tuition fees, plus a maintenance stipend paid directly to the scholar. The Rhodes Trust also assists scholars in their travel expenses to and from Oxford. It also provides access to specialized lectures at Rhodes House at Oxford.
Eligibility
Nationality/Citizenship: Rhodes Scholarships are available for citizens of all countries. Candidates who are eligible to apply from any of the existing Rhodes constituencies are not eligible for the Global Scholarship (please consult the Rhodes website for application guidelines for individual countries, and please see here for guidelines for those applying through the United States and Canada).
Please also see the information regarding inter-jurisdictional consideration - it may be in your interest to pursue that route rather than to apply for a Global Scholarship, which will likely be the most competitive Scholarships offered by the Rhodes Trust.
Age: Upon 1 October in the year that you apply, you must meet either of the below criteria:
- You must be at least 18 and have not reached your 24th birthday; OR
- For older candidates who completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual, you must have not reached your 27th birthday AND you have met or will meet the requirements for completion of your first degree on or after 1 October. In ambiguous cases, the decision of the National Secretary is final.
Academic achievement: You must have completed (or will have completed by July next year) an undergraduate degree with a First Class or minimum GPA minimum of 3.70 out of 4.0 (or equivalent).
Please note, if unsuccessful in your first application to the Rhodes Scholarships, you may subsequently re-apply only once more (and this must be in the same constituency), subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.
The Rhodes Scholarship may not be deferred.
Selection Criteria
The Rhodes seeks students who demonstrate:
- literary and scholastic attainments;
- energy to use one's talents to the full;
- truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship; and
- moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one's fellow beings.
University nomination
Columbia University may nominate 3 candidates for consideration in the Rhodes Global competitions each year. Rhodes Global students may not apply independently for the Rhodes without first having been nominated. Please consult the Rhodes website for application guidelines for your country, as not all countries require nomination (if your country is not listed, you will apply through the Rhodes Global competition). Rising seniors, graduating seniors, and recent graduates of Columbia College, Columbia Engineering and the School of General Studies are eligible, provided they meet scholarship and eligibility criteria.
To apply for nomination, click "Start Your Application" and complete all application materials before the internal deadline. Letters of recommendation should be submitted directly to ugrad-urf@columbia.edu by the internal deadline.