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
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). Applicants for the Rhodes Global Scholarship must have reached their 19th birthday and not have passed their 25th birthday on 1 October in the year of entrance into Oxford. Successful candidates will arrive in Oxford in late September of the year following the selection process. Rhodes Scholars must have completed a Bachelor’s degree before coming to Oxford, to a sufficiently high standard to meet both the Rhodes and the University of Oxford criteria. As a guideline, successful candidates should have achieved (or be on track to achieve) a 1st class or minimum 3.70/4.00 GPA or equivalent.
Please note, the 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.