Rhodes Scholarship

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About                  
One of the oldest and most distinguished scholarship programs, initiated by the will of Cecil Rhodes, that allows exceptional students worldwide to study at Oxford University.

Award                
Full tuition, fees, maintenance allowance (adequate for term-time and vacations), travel expenses to/from Oxford.  Students may apply for several different degree programs although not an MBA.

Time                     
Typically 2 years, although scholar may choose to limit time to 1 year, depending on his/her degree program.  In rare cases, scholarship may be renewed for a 3rd year at the discretion of the Trustees (for doctoral candidates only).
 
Number               
32 students each year from the U.S., 2 per district (Tennessee is in District VII, along with Florida and Alabama).  Students may apply in the district of their school or their permanent residence.

Who’s Eligible
Other than the U.S., Rhodes Scholarships are offered to other beneficiary countries named in Cecil Rhodes’s will.  Typically, more than 200 Rhodes scholars are in residence in Oxford. 
               
In the U.S., applicants must be U.S. citizens between the ages of 18-23.  They must be in good academic standing at the time of application to ensure that they will have earned their Bachelor’s degree by the following year, prior to entering Oxford for the fall term in October.

Selection  Process
Very competitive.  Criteria on which applicants are judged come from Cecil Rhodes’s will: 1. Literary & scholastic attainments; 2. Energy to use one’s talents to the full, as exemplified by fondness for and success in sports; 3. Truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship; 4. Moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one’s fellow beings.

Pre-Application Process           
OES Pre-application due late March. Applicants will undergo a campus screening process prior to submitting the official application to the District Selection Committee in October. For pre-application form, click here. NOTE: you will need the latest version of Adobe Reader to use this form.

Application Process
Application due October.  Official application includes an institutional endorsement, 5-8 letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Followed by an two-part interview process, first at the state level, then at the District level.

Campus Contact
Office of External Scholarships, F101 Melrose Hall, (865)974-7825.  Call or email to schedule appointment early in the Spring semester.

Official Website   http://www.rhodesscholar.org/