Written by Christian Chinonso
Founder, LearnViaHub | Academic Credential & International Student Research
✓ Last checked: 19 October 2026
Quick answer
The Rhodes Scholarship funds postgraduate study at the University of Oxford for selected candidates from the Trust’s 24 active constituencies. It covers Oxford course fees and a stipend (£20,400 a year in 2025-26), with student visa fees, the health surcharge and two economy flights paid after selection. The Trust awards over 100 scholarships a year.
The current round has closed. The Rhodes Trust says applications reopen in 2027 for entry to Oxford in 2028 (Rhodes Trust).
Apply through your own country’s constituency; there is currently no Global route. In the US, nearly 2,800 began an application for the 2026 class and 32 were selected.
Rhodes Scholarship key facts
| Detail | What the Rhodes Trust says |
|---|---|
| Host university | University of Oxford |
| Founded | 1902, under the will of Cecil Rhodes |
| Awards | Over 100 a year; 102 listed across 24 active constituencies |
| Duration covered | At least two years; the Trust’s key facts say two to three years |
| Stipend | £20,400 a year (£1,700 a month), 2025-26 figure |
| Application | Separate, through your constituency; you apply to Oxford after selection |
| Age | Set per constituency and counted on 1 October; in the US, 18 to 23 on 1 October 2026 |
| Current round | Closed; reopens in 2027 for entry in 2028 |
Sources: Rhodes Trust scholarship page, key facts, constituency page and USA Information for Candidates. For who can apply, see our eligibility guide.
Constituencies, and the suspended Global route
You apply through a constituency, which is a country or group of countries with its own selection process, deadlines and rules. The Trust has 24 active ones, from the United States (32 scholarships) to single-seat constituencies such as Bermuda and Jamaica.
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).
What the Rhodes Scholarship covers
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Course fees | University of Oxford course fees |
| Stipend | £20,400 a year (£1,700 a month) in 2025-26, meant to cover all living costs including accommodation |
| Visa and health surcharge | Student visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge, covered after selection |
| Flights | Two economy flights to and from the UK |
| Dependants | The Trust says the stipend is not sufficient to support partners or dependants |
Source: Rhodes Trust. The Trust’s key facts page says the scholarship covers “all fees” and a stipend for two to three years, and we did not find a published 2026-27 stipend figure. Check the Trust’s page for the current amount.
How to apply
- Find your constituency on the Trust’s site.
- Check the age and academic rules in its Information for Candidates document.
- Get endorsed if your constituency requires it. US applicants need an endorsement from their college or university.
- Submit by your constituency’s deadline, with statements and references.
- Attend the interview and social event if you are shortlisted.
- If selected, apply to Oxford very soon after. The scholarship is confirmed once you are admitted.
You can apply a maximum of twice in total, through the same constituency. Our how to win guide covers the statements, references and interview.
Rhodes Scholarship deadlines
The current round has closed. The Rhodes Trust says applications reopen in 2027 for entry to Oxford in 2028 (Rhodes Trust).
| Constituency | 2026 round closing date |
|---|---|
| United States | 23:59 Eastern Time, 7 October 2026 |
| West Africa | 23:59 GMT, 27 August 2026 |
| Kenya | 23:59 East Africa Time, 27 August 2026 |
Sources: USA, West Africa and Kenya documents. Other constituencies set their own dates, and universities set earlier internal deadlines for endorsement. The Trust invites you to join its mailing list for news of the 2027 round.
How competitive is it?
The Trust publishes funnel numbers only for the US. For the 2026 class, nearly 2,800 began, 965 were endorsed, 238 were interviewed and 32 were selected: about 1.1% of those who began, and about 13% of finalists. There is no official global rate. See the full breakdown in our acceptance rate guide.
Rhodes vs the Clarendon Fund
| Rhodes Scholarship | Clarendon Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Separate application through a constituency | No separate form; considered through your Oxford course application |
| Awards | Over 100 a year | Over 200 new a year |
| Eligibility | Constituency-based, with age rules | No restriction by nationality, residence or field |
| Timing | Closed; reopens in 2027 for 2028 entry | Your course deadline, December or January for most courses |
Sources: Rhodes Trust and Oxford’s Clarendon page.
Related guides:
Frequently asked questions
What does the Rhodes Scholarship cover?
Oxford course fees, a stipend of £20,400 a year (2025-26), student visa fees and the health surcharge after selection, and two economy flights. The stipend is not sufficient for partners or dependants.
How many Rhodes Scholars are selected each year?
The Trust says over 100. Its constituency page lists 102 across 24 active constituencies, including 32 for the US.
Do I need to be admitted to Oxford before applying?
No. You apply for the Rhodes Scholarship first, then to Oxford very soon after selection. The scholarship is confirmed only once you are admitted.
Can I apply more than once?
Yes, once more. The Trust allows two applications in total, through the same constituency.
What is the age limit?
It is set by constituency and counted on 1 October. In the US, 18 to 23 on 1 October 2026, or under 27 with a first degree completed on or after 1 October 2025. See our eligibility guide for the other rules we could confirm.
What if my country has no constituency?
The Global constituency is suspended, so there is currently no route unless you qualify for Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration through connections to two or more constituencies.
When can I next apply?
The Trust says applications reopen in 2027 for entry to Oxford in 2028.
How we researched this
Last checked: 19 October 2026. We read the Rhodes Trust scholarship, key facts and constituency pages, its Information for Candidates documents for the United States and West Africa, its Kenya page, Oxford’s Clarendon page, and a Cherwell report on the Global suspension.
Limits: the stipend figure is for 2025-26 and we found no 2026-27 amount. We did not confirm whether college fees are covered separately. The Trust publishes no global applicant total, so we give no global acceptance rate. We did not re-check the Trust’s selection-criteria page in this update.
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.