Written by Christian Chinonso
Founder, LearnViaHub | Academic Credential & International Student Research
✓ Last checked: 19 October 2026
Quick answer
The Rhodes Trust does not publish a global acceptance rate. The figures it does publish are for the United States. For the 2026 class, nearly 2,800 students began an application and 32 were selected, which is about 1.1%. Of the 238 US finalists interviewed, 32 were selected, about 13% (Rhodes Trust, November 2025).
Across the 24 active constituencies the Trust offers 102 scholarships a year (Rhodes Trust). It does not publish applicant numbers by constituency, so scholarships per country show where the seats are, not your odds.
The current round has closed. The Rhodes Trust says applications reopen in 2027 for entry to Oxford in 2028 (Rhodes Trust).
US numbers: the two classes the Trust has published
| Stage | 2025 class (announced Nov 2024) | 2026 class (announced Nov 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Began the application process | Nearly 3,000 | Nearly 2,800 |
| Formally endorsed by a college or university | 865 (243 institutions) | 965 (more than 264 institutions) |
| Finalists interviewed | 238 | 238 |
| Selected | 32 | 32 |
| Selected, as a share of those who began (our calculation) | About 1.1% | About 1.1% |
| Selected, as a share of those endorsed (our calculation) | About 3.7% | About 3.3% |
| Selected, as a share of finalists (our calculation) | About 13% | About 13% |
Sources: Rhodes Trust press releases of 16 November 2024 and 15 November 2025. The Trust says “nearly” 3,000 and “nearly” 2,800 began, so our percentages are approximate. The two classes look alike: the same 238 finalists and 32 selected.
How the US funnel works
Most of the narrowing happens before the interview:
- Start. Nearly 2,800 students began an application in the 2026 class.
- Endorsement. A US applicant must upload an endorsement from their college or university. Without it, and at least five references, the application is incomplete. 965 were endorsed.
- Finalists. 238 were invited to interview by 16 district selection committees, an average of about 15 per district.
- Selection. 32 Americans were selected, an average of two per district.
For the current 2026 round, interviews are held in 16 US district cities on 13 and 14 November 2026, and finalists attend both the interview and a social engagement event in person (USA Information for Candidates). Each US applicant may apply to only one district, and applying to more than one is disqualifying.
Your odds if you reach the final interview
In the US, 32 of 238 finalists were selected in both published classes. That is about 13%, or roughly 1 in 7 or 8. Reaching the interview is a real achievement, and most finalists are still not selected.
The Trust does not publish finalist numbers for other constituencies. Their processes also differ. In West Africa, for example, the Trust’s document describes a longlist of up to 70, a shortlist of up to 35 interviewed virtually, and up to 15 finalists at a final stage in November 2026 (West Africa Information for Candidates).
Scholarships by constituency
The Trust sets the number of scholarships for each constituency. These are the 24 active constituencies:
| Constituency | Scholarships a year |
|---|---|
| United States | 32 |
| Canada | 11 |
| Southern Africa | 10 |
| Australia | 9 |
| India | 5 |
| China | 4 |
| New Zealand | 3 |
| West Africa | 3 |
| Germany | 2 |
| Israel | 2 |
| Kenya | 2 |
| Pakistan | 2 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2 |
| Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine | 2 |
| United Arab Emirates | 2 |
| Zambia | 2 |
| Zimbabwe | 2 |
| Bermuda | 1 |
| Commonwealth Caribbean | 1 |
| East Africa | 1 |
| Hong Kong SAR | 1 |
| Jamaica | 1 |
| Malaysia | 1 |
| Singapore | 1 |
| Total across 24 active constituencies | 102 |
| Global | Suspended |
Source: Rhodes Trust constituency page. Africa has 20 scholarships across six constituencies: East Africa, Kenya, Southern Africa, West Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Rhodes Trust key facts). Kenya is a separate constituency from East Africa.
A constituency with one scholarship is not automatically easier or harder than one with ten. The Trust does not publish how many people apply in each, so no honest constituency-by-constituency rate exists. To check your own country, see the constituency list in our eligibility guide.
What about the “global” acceptance rate?
The Rhodes Trust does not publish a total number of applicants worldwide, so any global rate is somebody’s estimate. Dividing roughly 100 scholarships by a third-party applicant guess gives a figure below 1%, but that blends pools of very different sizes: a US district, a one-seat constituency and a ten-seat regional one. We do not give a global percentage, because no source we could check supports one.
The Rhodes Trust lists its Global constituency as suspended (constituency page). A report in the Oxford student paper Cherwell (26 April 2026) quotes the Trust as saying it will not be awarding Global Scholarships going forward, including in the current cycle (Cherwell). If your country has no constituency of its own, there is currently no Rhodes route for you unless you qualify for Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration (see our eligibility guide).
Which universities do US scholars come from?
The 2026 US class came from 22 colleges and universities. Colby College, Rutgers University and George Washington University had not had a US Rhodes Scholar in more than 25 years. Since 1904 the Trust counts 3,706 Americans from 329 institutions (Rhodes Trust, November 2025). The Trust does not publish a share of scholars by university, so we do not give one.
What the numbers mean for you
- If you are applying through the US, the first filter is endorsement from your own institution, so find out your campus process early.
- Reaching the final interview improves your odds a great deal, but most finalists still do not win.
- You can apply a maximum of twice, through the same constituency, if you still meet the criteria (Rhodes Trust, Global Information for Candidates).
- To plan an application, read our how to win guide, and see the Rhodes Scholarship overview for funding and timing.
Related guides:
Frequently asked questions
What is the Rhodes Scholarship acceptance rate?
The Rhodes Trust publishes no global rate. In the US, 32 of nearly 2,800 applicants were selected for the 2026 class, about 1.1%, and 32 of 238 finalists, about 13%.
How many Rhodes Scholars are selected each year?
The Trust says it awards over 100 scholarships a year. Its constituency page lists 102 across 24 active constituencies, including 32 for the United States.
How many people apply for the Rhodes Scholarship?
The Trust does not publish a worldwide total. For the US, it says nearly 2,800 began an application for the 2026 class and nearly 3,000 for the 2025 class.
Does the acceptance rate vary by country?
The number of scholarships varies by constituency, from 32 for the United States to 1 for several smaller constituencies. The Trust does not publish applicants by constituency, so rates by country are not available.
How many US finalists become Rhodes Scholars?
For both the 2025 and 2026 classes, 238 US finalists were interviewed and 32 were selected, about 13%.
Can I apply again if I am unsuccessful?
Yes, once more. The Trust allows two applications in total, both through the same constituency, if you still meet the eligibility criteria.
Is the Global Rhodes Scholarship still available?
No. The Trust lists the Global constituency as suspended. The 2026 US announcement mentioned two Global Rhodes Scholars in that class, but the Trust is not running the Global route now.
How we researched this
Last checked: 19 October 2026. We read the Rhodes Trust press releases of November 2024 and November 2025, its constituency information and key facts pages, and its Information for Candidates documents for the United States and West Africa.
Limits: the Trust publishes funnel figures only for the US, and only as “nearly” figures, so our percentages are approximate. It publishes no global or constituency applicant totals, so we give no global rate and no comparison with other scholarships.
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.