The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and most prestigious international scholarship for postgraduate study. Funded by The Rhodes Trust, endowed by the will of John Cecil Rhodes, the Rhodes Scholarship is a competitive scholarship that provides full funding (tuition, living expenses and some funding for travel) for two years of study at Oxford, with the possible extension for a third year.

Before you begin your personal statement, you must do some research about academic programs at the University of Oxford so you know which program best fits your interests and goals.

For further information, check the Oxford Web site. The more you know about what (and with whom) you want to study, the better your personal statement will be. Note that many Rhodes scholars take a second undergraduate degree at Oxford, rather than pursuing a graduate degree.

To check the requirements for the application and to see if you meet the requirements for the scholarship, please review all relevant details on the official Rhodes website.

York candidates must have:

• a cumulative academic average of at least 8.5 (after a minimum of 90 credits of an Honours program), and preferably no single course grade below 8.5 (please note: York is on a 9 point scale and an 8.5 is equivalent to an 'A');
• a substantial record of extracurricular accomplishment demonstrating significant achievement and capability at the leadership level;
• a record of involvement in activities and organizations which demonstrate a strong interest in caring for the disadvantaged;
• evidence of well-roundedness, in terms of community involvement, physical activity and anything else that demonstrates the whole person;
• a sound academic reason for wanting to study at Oxford and a clear and specific knowledge of what program would best fit the candidate's academic qualifications and career goals.

For detailed information on the eligibility criteria, please view the following pdf document outlining more information.

Please ensure you are familiar with the referee requirements that are provided on the official Rhodes website, which can be found using the document (pdf) under the “GUIDANCE FOR REFEREES” section.

It is very important for your referees to see your completed application dossier (most particularly, your transcript, personal statement and list of activities) as background for drafting their letters of support. The more they know about you as a whole person, the better they will be able to support your application with a detailed letter of reference. It is strongly recommended that you prepare your application materials before your referees need to write their letters.

Please note: You must apply through York’s internal application before submitting to the Rhodes application.

Deadlines

The deadline to submit your complete Rhodes application package to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students is Monday, August 17, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). Late submissions will NOT be considered.

The completed application must be reviewed by York University's Vice-Provost, Students before being sent forward to the President for approval.

No scholar will be endorsed to the Rhodes Scholarship without a prior interview with the Vice-Provost, Students. Only the candidates endorsed by the President of York University will be provided with the authorization code to upload their application documents online to the Rhodes Scholarship website.

The deadline for submission of completed applications online with the authorization code to the Rhodes Selection Committees is Friday, September 25, 2020 at 11:59p.m.

Please note: We highly recommend that you begin the application process well in advance of these deadlines. The Office of the Vice-Provost, Students will invite only those candidates who meet the Rhodes selection criteria – outstanding intellect, character, leadership and commitment to service.

Timelines

Application Form

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Referee Form

All applicants will be emailed with the outcome of their application.

Still have questions about the Rhodes scholarship process for York University students? Email the Office of the Vice-Provost, students at vpstudents@yorku.ca