The Rhodes Trust

The Rhodes Trust, based at Rhodes House in Oxford, administers the Rhodes Scholarship, which enables outstanding young people from around the world to undertake full-time postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. Established in 1902 under the will of Cecil John Rhodes, the Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest international graduate scholarship programme in the world.

Registered name

The Rhodes Trust

Type

Educational charity (University of Oxford scholarships)

Fields funded

Full-time postgraduate study at the University of Oxford, in almost any field

Website

rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk

A scholarship with a complicated founder

Cecil Rhodes made his fortune from diamonds and gold in southern Africa and was a leading figure of British imperialism, and his legacy remains contested, as the Rhodes Must Fall protests in Cape Town and Oxford showed. The Rhodes Trust today describes its mission as bringing together exceptional people from all fields who are impatient with the way things are and have the courage to act.

Over 100 scholarships a year

The Rhodes Trust now awards more than 100 scholarships a year. Each covers all fees and a stipend for two to three years, and more than 300 Rhodes Scholars are in residence at Oxford at any time, spread across 35 of Oxford’s 38 colleges. Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, has taken over as Warden of Rhodes House and CEO of the Rhodes Trust.

Fifty years of women scholars

The first women Rhodes Scholars arrived at Oxford in 1977, after a growing movement for change; between 1969 and 2000, 33 women were appointed Rhodes Visiting Fellows. Women now make up half of Rhodes Scholars in residence, and the Trust will celebrate 50 years of Rhodes women from 24 to 27 June 2027.

The Southern Africa constituency

South Africa belongs to the Southern Africa constituency with Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and eSwatini, which receives ten scholarships a year. Four are open to all South Africans, one is for KwaZulu-Natal, one covers the other five countries, and four are tied to schools and universities named in Rhodes’s bequest. Candidates are usually aged 19 to 25 with first-class results or an average of 70% or more, and need four referees.

The 2027 Southern Africa round closed on 3 August 2026, with interviews in September and October. The 2028 round should open on 1 June 2027.

How to research the Rhodes Trust

Search the Rhodes Scholar database for past scholars from your university, and ask one of them about the interview. Read the selection criteria carefully and start your personal statement early.

Also consider the Chevening scholarship.