Applications are currently being received for the Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa. Created in 1903, The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest international scholarship program in the world, and one of the most prestigious. The program is administered by the Rhodes Trust in Oxford and offers 100 fully funded scholarships each year for postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

The broad selection criteria are: Academic excellence; Energy to use your talents to the full (as demonstrated by mastery in areas such as sports, music, debate, dance, theater, and artistic pursuits, including where teamwork is involved); Truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship and Moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in your fellow human being.

This scholarship program is awarded for master’s and PhD students. Up to 25 candidates may be shortlisted by the Selection Committee following their initial review. All shortlisted candidates will be required to make themselves available for an interview (to be conducted either via Zoom or Microsoft Teams or Skype or WhatsApp video or any other appropriate platform) within 24 hours of being notified of their status. From those shortlisted, up to 15 finalists may be selected by the Selection Committee.

Program Details

• Host institution: Oxford University, in the United Kingdom.
• Fields of Study: Masters and PhD programs available at the University of Oxford.
• Number of Awards: 2 (up to 15 finalists may be selected by the Selection Committee).
• Duration: Not specified.
• Eligible countries: Opened for the citizens of the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the island of Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Principe and Togo.

Rhodes Scholarship For West Africa Benefits

Selected candidates for this Europe scholarship program will have the following coverage:

1. All University and College fees;
2. the University application fee;
3. a living stipend of £18,180 per annum (£1,515 per month) for 2022-2023 to cover the living expenses and accommodation fees;
4. one economy class airfare to Oxford at the start of the scholarship, and one economy flight back to the student’s home country at the conclusion of the scholarship.
5. On arrival in Oxford, Scholars receive a settling in allowance and for those Scholars who transition to a second course of study in Oxford, they will again receive assistance to cover the fee for visa renewal and further application for IHS.

Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa Eligibility

To apply for this United Kingdom scholarship program, candidates must meet the following criteria.

• Nationality/citizenship: You must be a citizen of one of the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the island of Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Principe and Togo.
• Education/residency: You must have been resident in one or more of the countries listed above for at least five of the last ten years.
• Age: You must meet either of the below criteria:
  • You must be aged 18-24 on 1st October 2023 (i.e. you must have been born after 1 October 1998 and before 2 October 2005). OR for medical, dental, pharmaceutical, law and engineering students, to allow you to complete your professional internship.
  • You must be aged 18-25 on 1st October 2023 (i.e. you must have been born after 1 October 1997 and before 2 October 2005) OR for older candidates who completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual.
  • You must be under the age of 27 on 1st October 2023 (i.e. have been born after 1 October 1996) AND you must also have completed your first undergraduate degree on or after 1 October 2022.
• Academic achievement: You must have already completed, by July 2024, an undergraduate degree (normally a Bachelor’s degree) with an academic background and grade that is a First-Class Honours Degree or equivalent which meets or exceeds the specific entry requirements of your chosen full-time course at the University of Oxford.
• English language: You must have a sufficiently high standard of English to meet the English language proficiency requirements of the University of Oxford.
• Given the very intense international competition for places at the University of Oxford, candidates (except those studying in Nigeria and Ghana, and, for some countries, those studying medicine) will have a greater chance of successful admission to Oxford if they have an Honors degree (or have taken an Honors year) from a University outside their country or if they have studied to Master’s level within their country. Please contact your National Secretary if you require further advice. Candidates may wish to consider applying to the Rhodes Trust’s sister Foundation, The Mandela Rhodes Foundation (https://mandelarhodes.org/), to pursue an Honor’s year or a Master’s degree prior to making an application for the Rhodes Scholarship.
• If unsuccessful in your first application to the Rhodes Scholarships, you may subsequently re-apply only once more (and this must be in the same constituency), subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.

Similar opportunities

1. University of Windsor Entrance Scholarships to Study in Canada.
2. Government of Malaysia Technical Cooperation Scholarship;
3. Kazakhstan Government Scholarship for International Students.

How to Apply for the Rhodes Scholarship For West Africa

Those who would like to be considered for this university scholarship should click on the apply button below and follow instructions to submit their applications.

Required Documents

You must submit a completed application form on-line with copies of the documents and information detailed below. All documents must be submitted in English, or with English translations included. Please note that, if you are invited to an interview, you may be asked to bring the originals of all documents with you:

1. One or more of the following documents to confirm that you meet the citizenship criterion, the residency criterion, and the age criterion:
   • certified copy of your birth certificate (or an affidavit of birth)
   • National Identity Card.
   • valid passport (with translation, if necessary)
   • voter’s card
   • An affidavit notarised by a competent authorirt confirming that you are a bonafide citizen of your country
2. An official transcript from the college or university at which you are studying, or have studied, showing grades achieved (to date).
3. Evidence of residency within the region for at least five of the last ten years, for example official school records.
4. If English is not your first language, you should upload evidence of English Language Proficiency (e.g. TOEFL / IELTS)
5. A full curriculum vitae which should include details about academic qualifications, prizes, scholarships, positions of leadership, employment positions, involvement in student, voluntary, community or political activities, and any cultural, musical, or sporting accomplishments. This should not exceed two pages of 12-point Times Roman font and should not include supporting documents. Please do not include a photograph in your CV.
6. A head-and-shoulders color photograph (JPG format).
7. An academic statement of study of no more than 350 words
8. A personal statement of no more than 750 words.
9. You will need to provide a list of four (minimum) to six (maximum) people (your referees) who are willing to submit references on your behalf:

Please do not upload documents, certificates, testimonials, or links / URLs other than those required. All applications must be submitted online. No alternate method of application is accepted. There is no application fee for the submission of the Rhodes Scholarship application form. References must be written in English and must be uploaded by the deadline.

DPhil candidates: a number of Oxford departments recommend that applicants make contact with potential research supervisor(s) before submitting an application to Oxford. Advice on contacting potential supervisors in advance of your application is course-specific and you should follow the guidance found on the individual prospectus pages, most often on the How to Apply tab.

The application deadline for the Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa is August 28, 2023. For more details, please visit the university website. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.