Rhodes Southern Africa Scholarships Programme 2027 for Postgraduate study at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom (Fully Funded)

Application Deadline: 23:59, SAST, 3 August 2026

Applications at the moment are open for the 2027 Rhodes Southern Africa Scholarships Programme. The Rhodes Scholarship is a fully-funded postgraduate award which allows proficient younger folks from round the world to study full-time at the University of Oxford. The Rhodes Scholarship is merit-based, with the objective of growing public-spirited leaders, and to advertise worldwide understanding and peace by a world group of Scholars. 

The Rhodes Scholarship programme is the oldest (established 1902), and maybe the most prestigious, worldwide scholarship in the world. The choice standards for the scholarship are as follows:

• Moral pressure of character and instincts to steer, and to take an curiosity of their fellow human beings.
  
• Academic excellence: the University of Oxford is one of the best graduate environments in the world and candidates should, at minimal, meet the entry necessities of their chosen course. Most profitable candidates will exceed these minimums. (candidates could have a larger probability of profitable admission if they’ve a First Class Honours or GPA of 3.70/4.00 or greater, or equal).
• Energy to make use of their abilities to the full: as demonstrated by success in areas similar to sports activities, music, debate, dance, theatre, and inventive pursuits, together with the place teamwork is concerned
• The Virtues: fact, braveness, devotion to responsibility, sympathy for and safety of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nationality/citizenship: You have to be a citizen or authorized everlasting resident of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia or eSwatini. Applications from refugees/asylum seekers in South Africa can even be thought-about on this constituency.
• Residency: You will need to have been resident in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia or eSwatini for at least 5 of the final ten years.
• Age:
  (i) Upon entry to Oxford on 01 October 2027, you have to be at least 19 years previous and never have handed your twenty fifth birthday (which implies it’s essential to have been born after 01 October 2002 and on or earlier than 01 October 2008).
  (ii) For older candidates who could have handed their twenty fifth birthday on 01 October 2027 and accomplished their first undergraduate diploma later than normal:
• Candidates will need to have accomplished their first undergraduate diploma inside the final 2 years, i.e. after 1 October 2025*; and
• might not have handed their twenty eighth birthday on 01 October 2027 (which implies they will need to have been born after 01 October 1999).
  (iii) For candidates who’re MBBCh or an MBChB graduates, and required to finish their obligatory internship and/or group service:
• Candidates might not have handed their twenty eighth birthday on 01 October 2027 (which implies they will need to have been born after 01 October 1999).
• Candidates ought to apply both throughout their second yr of internship, or throughout their group service yr, offered that they meet the age requirement above.
• Candidates that may apply of their group service yr (with out breaching the age requirement in above) are inspired to take action.
  NOTE: For candidates that should or select to apply of their second yr of internship, the Rhodes Scholarship National Secretariat will endeavour, because it has completed in previous years, to achieve settlement with the National Department of Health to permit these medical docs awarded the Rhodes Scholarship to finish their group service yr requirement by September, in the yr after they apply, and earlier than going to Oxford in October 2027. While the Secretariat will try to achieve such dispensations, the granting of such can’t be assured.
  (iv) Other Health Sciences graduates so as to full any obligatory internship and/or group service:
• Candidates who’ve accomplished the obligatory Health Sciences levels for admission to, and intend to be admitted to, any registered well being occupation that requires the completion of any obligatory internship and/or group service, ought to write to the Rhodes Scholarship National Secretariat to hunt exemption to permit them to apply of their internship or group service yr, offered that they won’t have handed their twenty eighth birthday on 01 October 2027.

Benefits

• The Rhodes Scholarship covers University of Oxford course charges, in addition to offering an annual stipend.
• For the 2026-27 educational yr, the stipend is £20,400 each year (£1,700 monthly) from which Scholars pay all dwelling bills, together with lodging. Please notice: this isn’t ample to cowl companions or dependents. 
  

Following choice for the Scholarship, the Rhodes Trust can even cowl: 

• The price required to apply to study at the University of Oxford 

• Fees for a pupil visa and related International Health Surcharge (IHS), which allows worldwide college students to entry the UK’s National Health Service 

• Two economic system class flights to and from the UK, for the starting and finish of research in Oxford. 

On arrival in Oxford, Scholars obtain a settling in allowance, and Scholars who transition to a second course of study in Oxford will obtain help to cowl the charges for visa renewal and additional application.

How to Apply

• To apply for the Rhodes Scholarship, it’s essential to full and submit our on-line application kind earlier than 23:59 SAST, 03 August 2026.
• There is not any application price for submission of the Rhodes Scholarship application. You should submit your application on-line, earlier than the deadline, and we are able to’t settle for every other kind of application.
• You ought to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship earlier than making use of for your proposed course at the University of Oxford.
• Candidates chosen for the Rhodes Scholarship are then required to apply for their chosen course through the University of Oxford’s graduate application kind, with assist from the group at Rhodes House.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Rhodes Southern Africa Scholarships Programme