Abroad Award
Term Length: 2 years
Needs Institutional Endorsement
US Citizenship Not Required
Minimum GPA: 3.7

Nationality/citizenship: Dependent on the Rhodes Constituency through which you apply. If you are not eligible to apply for any of the countries listed, consider the Rhodes Global Scholarship.

Age: 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 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 completed an undergraduate degree (usually a Bachelor’s) by July 2024, and you must have an academic background and grade that – at a minimum – meets or exceeds the specific entry requirements of your chosen course at the University of Oxford.

English language: You must have a sufficiently high standard of English to meet the English language proficiency requirements (at the Higher Level listed) of the University of Oxford.

Northeastern University Endorsement.

The Rhodes trust seeks candidates who demonstrate:

• academic excellence (e.g. First Class Honours or GPA of minimum 3.7 out of 4.0, or equivalent).
• energy to use your talents to the full (as demonstrated by mastery in areas such as sports, music, debate, dance, theatre, and artistic pursuits, particularly where teamwork is involved) • truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship
• moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in your fellow human beings.

Rhodes Scholars are elected for two years of study at the University of Oxford, with the possibility of renewal for a third year. All educational costs, such as matriculation, tuition, laboratory and certain other fees, are paid on the Scholar’s behalf by the Rhodes Trustees. Each Scholar receives in addition a maintenance allowance adequate to meet necessary expenses for term-time and vacations. The Rhodes Trustees cover the necessary costs of travel to and from Oxford, and upon application, may approve additional grants for research purposes or study-related travel.

Interested students should contact Undergraduate Research and Fellowships to discuss their application.

The timing for the jurisdictional scholarships varies widely, so it is highly encouraged to contact the office as soon as possible at URF@Northeastern.edu — we use the dates above only as a guidepost since the award timing is so variable.  The internal deadline here reflects the timing of jurisdictions with early deadlines.

To apply to the Rhodes Scholarship, you will need to submit the following documents by the internal deadline. All of these materials, excluding the letters of recommendation, should be submitted electronically through Northeastern’s application portal in time for the internal deadline. Please be sure to include the YOUR NAME and THE FELLOWSHIP YOU ARE APPLYING TO in the subject line of any e-mails.

1. You must submit a completed application form on-line with 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 interview, you will be asked to bring the originals of all documents with you. The application becomes available when you register on the Rhodes site. DO NOT submit your application through the Rhodes site electronically for the internal deadline. Once your application is complete, but before it has been submitted electronically, save it as a PDF and submit it.
2. You should upload copies of official documents to further outline your geographical background and to prove that you meet the age requirements e.g. birth certificate, National Registration Card (NRC), passport etc.
3. A personal statement not exceeding 1000 words. Your personal statement should be entirely your own work, with no assistance received. Through the online application form you will be asked to verify and sign that the entered / uploaded personal statement is your own work and that no external help was given in its creation or editing.
4. An official Northeastern University Transcript and any transcripts from other institutions you have attended.  Northeastern transcripts can be ordered through the Office of the Registrar or through the myNEU Web Portal
5. Evidence of English Language Proficiency (see the Eligibility Criteria above). You should upload a copy of a standardised English test that is recognised by the University of Oxford (e.g. TOEFL / IELTS) along with the test’s marking scheme. Alternatively, you can upload a letter requesting a waiver to this requirement if you meet the University of Oxford’s criteria for a waiver: www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/englishproficiency.
6. 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. Please do not include a photograph in your CV.
7. A head-and-shoulders colour photograph (jpg format). Please note your photo will not be available to the selection committee until after final shortlisting decisions have been made.
8. Five letters of recommendation. At least three of your referees should be academics who have taught you in your undergraduate (or, if relevant, postgraduate) studies and who can comment in detail on your academic ability and how well they think you would fare at Oxford. Contact Undergraduate Research and Fellowships for a Request for Reference form to send your recommenders. It is important that applicants DO NOT register recommenders online.  Once you register your referees on the online application, you will not be able to change your recommenders nor will your referees be able to make any changes to their letters for the national deadlines.

Please note that successful applicants will need to apply to the University of Oxford very soon after selection. Full details will be given upon selection. The full application of successful candidates will be accessible to Rhodes House, Oxford, where the Scholarship references can, in many cases, be re-used as appropriate in support of the successful candidate’s subsequent application to the University of Oxford.