Rhodes Scholarship

Rhodes Scholarship Application Process

The U.S. Rhodes Scholarship application timeline runs from early spring via the GLBL 407 “International Fellowships Preparation” course,  through late autumn of your senior year or after graduation, though institutional endorsement processes often begin months, or even years earlier. If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please contact Dr. Householder (aprilh@umbc.edu) to begin the process. You cannot apply without working with the campus representative and obtaining the university’s endorsement. See:

https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/office-of-the-american-secretary/application-overview/  for more information on how to apply, including eligibility and selection criteria.

 

Key Application Phases & Dates (U.S. Constituency)

• Sophomore Year or Earlier)
  • Begin researching Oxford postgraduate programs and identifying potential mentors.
  • Check with your undergraduate institution’s fellowship advising office (OPS), as UMBC requires an early internal campus deadline in the spring.
• June 1 – July:
  • The official Rhodes Scholarship online application opens in early July (applications commonly open June/July depending on the global region).
  • If applying through a U.S. university, complete institutional nomination or endorsement requirements (many campus deadlines fall in July).
  • Obtain letters of recommendation and discuss endorsement letter with Dr. H
• September:
  • Finalize your application materials and secure commitments from 5 to 8 referees (at least 4 should be academic).
  • Submit your formal materials according to institutional or national tracking requirements.
• First Week of October:
  • The national deadline for U.S. Rhodes Scholarship applications is 11:59 PM Eastern Time, usually around October 6/7.
• November:
  • District interviews and receptions take place annually on the second weekend of November (Friday and Saturday). Candidates are notified of their interview status at least two weeks prior. Interview prep with OPS.
  • Election announcements for the new class of Scholars are made at the conclusion of Saturday’s interviews.
• December – Following Year:
  • Scholars-elect submit their formal graduate admission applications to the University of Oxford, with arrival at Oxford set for the subsequent autumn.

Established 1902, the Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and perhaps most prestigious international scholarship program in the world, enabling outstanding young people from around the world to undertake full-time postgraduate study at the University of Oxford, (ranked first internationally in the Times Higher Education rankings for 2017 and 2018).

Each year 32 young students from the United States are selected as Rhodes Scholars. Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead.

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