Deadline
2025-07-31
Value of Scholarship
Full Scholarship, £19,800 Stipend/Year, Accommodation & Travel Costs
£19,800
£19,800
Country Tenable
United Kingdom
Renewable
No
Applications Open: Rhodes West Africa Scholarship 2026
Applications are now open for the Rhodes West Africa Scholarship 2026, offering fully funded opportunities for outstanding young leaders to pursue a postgraduate degree at the prestigious University of Oxford.
Established in 1903, the Rhodes Scholarship is the world’s oldest and one of the most prestigious international scholarship programs. Administered by the Rhodes Trust in Oxford, it awards 100 fully funded scholarships each year to exceptional students from around the globe.
About the Scholarship
The Rhodes West Africa Scholarship is designed for individuals with exceptional intellect, character, leadership potential, and a commitment to service. It supports Master’s-level study at Oxford University, covering:
- Full tuition fees
- Annual living stipend of £19,800 (for 2025–26), which covers accommodation and personal expenses
- Visa fees and International Health Surcharge (IHS)
- Application fee for Oxford
- Two economy-class return flights to and from the UK
Please note: The stipend does not cover costs for partners or dependents.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the Rhodes West Africa Scholarship 2026, candidates must meet the following requirements:
1. Nationality and Residency
- Must be a citizen of one of these countries:
- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Príncipe, Togo.
- Must have resided in one or more of these countries for at least five of the last ten years.
2. Age
- General applicants: Born between 2 October 2000 and 1 October 2007 (i.e., 18–24 years old on 1 October 2025).
- Medical, law, dental, pharmaceutical, and engineering students: Born between 2 October 1999 and 1 October 2007 (i.e., 18–25 years old).
- Older candidates who completed their first degree later than usual: Born after 1 October 1998 and must have graduated on or after 1 October 2024.
3. Academic Qualifications
- Must have completed or be on track to complete an undergraduate degree with a First Class Honours or equivalent.
- For Medicine, Dentistry, or Pharmacy, a Distinction in university awards is considered equivalent.
- Medical candidates should have Distinctions in at least three out of five of the following subjects:
- Medicine & Surgery
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
Candidates are more competitive if they:
- Hold an Honours degree or Master’s from a university outside their home country (exceptions apply to Nigeria and Ghana).
Required Documents
To complete your application, prepare the following documents:
- Proof of Citizenship, Residency, and Age (any two of the following):
- Certified birth certificate or notarized affidavit
- National ID card
- Valid passport (with translation if necessary)
- Voter’s card
- Notarized affidavit of citizenship
- Academic Transcript from your university, showing grades.
- Proof of Residency within eligible countries for 5 of the last 10 years (e.g., school records).
- Proof of English Language Proficiency:
- Upload results of a recognized test (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL), OR
- If your undergraduate studies were conducted in English, submit a letter requesting a waiver, with evidence.
All documents must be in English. If original documents are in another language, provide official English translations. Originals may be requested later.
How to Apply (Step-by-Step)
- Visit the official Rhodes Trust application portal via the link below.
- Check your eligibility carefully before proceeding.
- Create an account and complete the application form.
- Upload all required documents in the correct format.
- Submit your application before the deadline.
Scholarships are not only for the smart students. Anyone can get scholarships
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