Written by Christian Chinonso
Founder, LearnViaHub | Academic Credential & International Student Research
✓ Last checked: 19 October 2026
Quick answer
You do not apply for the Clarendon Fund separately. You apply to an eligible Oxford Master’s or DPhil course by its December or January deadline, and you are considered automatically. Oxford says there are no separate scholarship application forms (Oxford).
So your course application is your Clarendon application. Register your referees as soon as you start, pay the application fee (£20 for research courses, £75 for taught courses, unless you have a waiver), and submit before your course deadline.
How to apply, step by step
- Choose your course. Clarendon covers all full-time and part-time Master’s and DPhil courses (Oxford).
- Find your deadline. It is on your course page and is set per course. Almost all courses have a December or January deadline, and Oxford says a November deadline, where there is one, is also considered (Oxford).
- Register your referees first. Oxford asks you to do this as soon as you start the application (Oxford).
- Gather the documents your course asks for. They differ by course; see the next section.
- Pay the fee or apply for a waiver. Your application is not considered without one or the other (Oxford).
- Submit before the deadline. Oxford says late applications will not be accepted for the deadline and advises submitting early.
- Wait for the selection process. There is nothing more to send. See the timeline below.
Documents and course limits
Oxford does not set one rule for every course, so the documents and word limits come from your course page. As an example, the DPhil in Philosophy (deadline midday UK time on 5 January 2027) asks for:
| Item | Example: DPhil in Philosophy |
|---|---|
| Statement of purpose | Maximum 500 words |
| Research proposal | Maximum 2,000 words, excluding the bibliography and brief footnotes |
| Written work | One essay of 4,000 to 5,000 words |
| Other | Official transcripts and a CV (compulsory) |
| References | Three registered; three academic references usually required |
| English level | Higher: IELTS Academic 7.5 overall, 7.0 in each component |
Another course may ask for different documents or limits. Use your own course page as the checklist, and stay inside its word limits.
References
- You register three referees. At least two references must be submitted by the application deadline for your application to be ready for assessment.
- Referees submit through Oxford’s online system, directly. References you upload or send yourself are not accepted.
- References must be PDF, JPEG or PNG, and in English unless your department allows otherwise.
- You can submit before your references arrive, as long as the referees are registered and the rest is complete.
Oxford suggests giving referees at least a few weeks, and usually asks for someone senior to you, usually an academic. Professional referees are allowed only on some courses (Oxford, choosing a referee; registering referees).
Application fee
The fee is £20 for research courses (such as the DPhil) and £75 for taught courses. It is non-refundable and does not count towards course fees. Oxford says a range of waiver schemes exists, and your application is not considered unless you pay or have a waiver (Oxford, application fee). There is no extra Clarendon fee.
After you submit
Departments nominate candidates, divisions shortlist in February or March, and most first offers (CB1) go out by the end of April. The final funding breakdown (CB2) follows from April into the summer. Unsuccessful applicants are not contacted: if you have not heard by mid-June, Oxford says to assume you were not awarded (Oxford).
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for a Clarendon form. There is none.
- Missing the course deadline. Late applications are not accepted for the deadline.
- Leaving referees until late. Register them at the start.
- Ignoring the course page. Word limits and documents are set per course.
- Forgetting the fee or a waiver. Without one, the application is not considered.
Related guides:
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to write a separate essay for Clarendon?
No. Oxford says there are no separate scholarship application forms. Your course application, including the statement and any research proposal your course asks for, is what gets considered.
Is there an application fee for Clarendon?
There is no separate Clarendon fee. Oxford charges £20 for research courses and £75 for taught courses when you submit your course application, and waivers are available.
How many references do I need?
You register three referees, and at least two references must be in by the deadline for the application to be ready for assessment.
Does Clarendon have its own interview?
Oxford’s Clarendon pages describe no separate step: selection is made from your course application through departmental nomination and divisional shortlisting. Whether your course interviews applicants for admission is set on the course page.
Can I apply for Clarendon without applying to Oxford?
No. Clarendon consideration comes from applying to an eligible Oxford course.
When will I hear about Clarendon?
Most first offers go out by the end of April. If you have not heard by mid-June, Oxford says to assume you were not awarded.
How we researched this
Last checked: 19 October 2026. We read Oxford’s Clarendon applicants page, its application fee, references and “when to apply” pages, and the DPhil in Philosophy course page as an example.
Limits: documents, word limits and deadlines differ by course, and the Philosophy figures are only an example. We found no Oxford statement about a separate Clarendon interview, so we do not claim one either way.
This page is for general information. LearnViaHub is not affiliated with the University of Oxford or the Rhodes Trust.
Christian Chinonso is the founder of LearnViaHub, with 6+ years of research experience in international education — including GPA systems, scholarships, student financing, and study-abroad guidance — for students worldwide.