INDIA

INDIA

THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP FOR INDIA

- A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE RHODES TRUST AND THE SECOND CENTURY FOUNDER, JOHN
MCCALL MACBAIN O.C.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

This document is a guide to the application and selection process for the Rhodes Scholarship. Please
read this carefully to make sure that you are applying to the right constituency and meet all of the
eligibility criteria. You will also find important information about how to apply and what you will need
to submit an application.

This information is for candidates applying to the 2026 Rhodes Scholarship through the India
constituency, for entry in October 2026 to the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom.

Key Dates

Applications Open: 00:01 Indian Standard Time, Monday 02 June 2025

Applications Close: 23:59 Indian Standard Time, Wednesday 23 July 2025
Reference Deadline: 23:59 Indian Standard Time, Thursday 07 August 2025

Am I applying to the right constituency/region?

• What is a Rhodes constituency? A constituency is a country, a group of countries, and/or

territories, regions or states, grouped together for the purposes of administering scholarships.
• If you only have a connection to one Rhodes constituency and you meet the eligibility criteria
below, you can apply to the Rhodes Scholarship for that constituency following the process
outlined in this document.
• If you have connections to more than one Rhodes constituency and meet the eligibility criteria
for more than one constituency, you should apply to the one that you have the greatest
connection to. Once you have chosen your constituency you should read the Information for
Candidates and then apply as usual.
• If you have strong and demonstrable connections to two or more Rhodes Constituencies but
do not meet all of the eligibility criteria for any of them, you may be eligible to apply for inter-
jurisdictional consideration. Please visit the ‘Applying for Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration’
page for more details about this as you will need to follow a slightly different process. Please
note that while some eligibility criteria are waived for inter-jurisdictional candidates, this does
not include the age or academic achievement criteria.
• If you cannot see your country or region listed in the list of Rhodes constituencies (see list here)
and you are not eligible to apply for inter-jurisdictional consideration, you may be able to apply
for a Global Scholarship. Please visit our website to check if you meet the Global eligibility
criteria.

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Eligibility Criteria

• Nationality/citizenship: You must be a citizen of India, holding an Indian passport, or

equivalent proof of citizenship. PIO or OCI card holders do not satisfy the Indian citizenship
criteria for this purpose. Applications from refugees/asylum seekers in India will also be
considered in this constituency.
• Education/residency: You must have undertaken formal study at an educational institution
physically located in India for a minimum of 4 of the last 10 years, and have either:
(i) completed a school leaving exam (10th or 12th standard or equivalent) at a school in India
OR
(ii) be in the final year of, or have completed an undergraduate degree at a university in India
For the purpose of calculating whether you have completed 4 out of 10 years at an educational
institution physically located in India, we will consider the school year rather than the calendar
year.
• Age: You must meet either of the below criteria:
i. You must be aged 18-23 on 1st October 2025 (i.e. you must have been born after 1 October
2001 and before 2 October 2007).
OR (for older candidates who completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual)
ii. You must be under the age of 27 on 1st October 2025 (i.e. have been born after 1 October
1998) AND you must also have completed the academic requirements for your first
undergraduate degree on or after 1 October 2024*.
* A university's policy determines the date of completion of academic requirement for a degree
and this may be different from when a degree is considered awarded by the university or the
date of a graduation ceremony. In ambiguous cases, the decision of the National Secretary is
final.
• Academic achievement: You must have completed an undergraduate degree (usually a
Bachelor’s) by July 2026, 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.
Candidates will have a higher chance of successful admission to Oxford if they have:
o A First Class Honours Degree*
*Once you have noted the entry requirements for your chosen course(s), you can check
international grade equivalencies here.
Please contact the National Secretary if you require further advice about the academic
requirements of the Scholarship.
• English Language proficiency: If English is not your first language, you must check that you
meet Oxford University's English language requirements at the higher level.

• Please note: only one of the six available Scholarships may be awarded in aggregate to (i)
candidates who are pursuing, or have pursued, their undergraduate studies at a university
located outside India and (ii) inter-jurisdictional candidates.

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LINKS AND TIPS
To make sure you are as prepared as possible to start your application, you should read the
information on the Scholarships tab on the Rhodes House website, the Conditions of Tenure
document, and the University of Oxford’s graduate admissions pages.
Useful Links:
• An A-Z list of the graduate courses at Oxford University
• An introduction to the types of graduate degrees offered by Oxford University
• The Rhodes House Website
• Our Application Overview with videos to guide you through the application process
• Courses covered by the Rhodes Scholarship (Conditions of Tenure document)
• Privacy Policy and Data protection statement
• The University of Oxford’s English language proficiency guidance
• University of Oxford Graduate Admissions

How to Apply
To apply for the Rhodes Scholarship, you must complete and submit our online application form before
23:59 Indian Standard Time, 23 July 2025.
There is no application fee for submission of the Rhodes Scholarship application form; however you
must submit your application online, before the deadline, and we can’t accept any other form of
application.
You should apply for the Rhodes Scholarship before applying for your proposed course at the
University of Oxford. Candidates selected for the Rhodes Scholarship are then required to apply for
their chosen course via the University of Oxford’s graduate application form with support from the
team at Rhodes House.
If unsuccessful in your first application to the Rhodes Scholarships, you may subsequently re-apply
only once more (and this must be in the same constituency), subject to meeting the eligibility
criteria. An application submitted by the deadline will be considered one submission for the purposes
of this policy. Candidates may only withdraw their application following the deadline in exceptional
circumstances, such as medical emergencies, war or conflict. Withdrawals must be formally approved
by the National Secretary and the Rhodes Trust.

You will be asked to declare that your application is wholly accurate and a fair representation of your
achievements. You should anticipate that details will be checked for embellishments and inaccuracies.
If we suspect any submitted references, transcripts, identity documents or English Language test results
are not genuine, or if we suspect material misrepresentation of your qualifications, experiences or
achievements, the National Secretariat will investigate. This may include contacting you or third
parties for further evidence. If we conclude that you have breached the terms of the applicant
declaration, your application may be withdrawn, or, where appropriate, an offer of a scholarship may
be rescinded.

The Rhodes application form requires you to provide:

• Your details, such as contact information
• Evidence that you meet the eligibility criteria
• Your education history including your university transcripts
• The course(s) you would like to study at the University of Oxford
• A CV (a template is provided within the application form for you to fill out)
• An Academic Statement

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• A Personal Statement
• A total of four (minimum) to five (maximum) referees

You can find more details about these requirements and the documents you will need below.
Please also note – before starting an online Rhodes Scholarship application you should be aware of
the Rhodes Trust data protection policy for applications.

Key Documents:
You will need to upload copies of the following documents. Please note that all documents must be
submitted in English. If your official documents, such as your birth certificate, passport or transcript are
not in English you must also upload English translations. Please note that you may be asked to provide
the original documents at a later date.

• Your birth certificate or valid passport confirming that you meet the age criterion.
• A valid passport or equivalent proof of citizenship such as a Voter ID (with translation, if
necessary), confirming that you meet the citizenship criteria. You must be a citizen of India,
holding an Indian passport, or equivalent proof of citizenship. Note: PIO or OCI card holders do
not satisfy the Indian citizenship criteria for this purpose.
• An official transcript from the college or university at which you are studying, or have studied,
showing grades achieved (to date).
• Official transcripts or marksheets from your 10th and 12th standard (or equivalent) school/junior
college/pre-university college leaving board examinations.
If you are neither a graduate of a university located in India nor in the final year of
undergraduate study at a university located in India, you must provide evidence of formal study
at an educational institution physically located in India for at least 4 of the last 10 years as of
the date of application, and completion of a school leaving exam at a school/junior
college/pre-university college in India (either 10th or 12th standard or equivalent).
• You will need to complete the CV section of the application form. This will allow you to add the
details of any experience, awards, skills and activities that would usually be included in a
curriculum vitae (CV). The form will provide you with further guidance about what to include
and while you should include as much information as possible (within the limits of the form) we
understand that not all applicants will have experience across all of these areas. The CV section
covers the following areas and you may add up to 5 entries for each:

o Internship/Research/Professional experience
o Volunteering, community involvement and leadership experience
o Publications and presentations
o Awards, prizes and scholarships
o Skills, hobbies and extra-curricular activities

Please note that the CV section of the form must be completed. You will not be able to upload
a separate CV document.
• 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. If
you are selected, this photograph will be used on the Rhodes Scholar biographies webpage
unless or until you provide another version.
• Please do not upload documents, certificates, testimonials or links/URLs other than those
required.

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Support with your application and generative AI: important guidance
You should carefully read our guidance on the types of assistance you may receive when putting
together your personal and academic statements for the scholarship, before completing your
application.

Personal Statement:
You will need to provide a personal statement of no more than 1000 words.
The personal statement is your chance to tell your story in your own voice: Who are you?
Your academic transcript and academic statement of study, your CV, and your reference letters will
provide the substantive detail of your commitments and accomplishments, whereas the personal
statement gives you the opportunity to make an authentic statement of who you are.

Prompts:
In your personal statement of up to 1000 words, we ask you to address each of the following prompts
by weaving them into the narrative of your statement (the word allocation across the three is up to
you):
1. Which Rhodes Scholar quality do you display most strongly, and how are different contexts
and people helping you to develop the other qualities?
2. What would you like to learn from and contribute to the Rhodes community in Oxford?
3. From your place in the world, how will you use your energy and talents to address humanity’s
pressing challenges?
Every statement is individual; there is no single, “right” model. For over 120 years personal statements
have been diverse and ever-changing. Selectors are looking for an original portrait of you as a
candidate for the Rhodes Scholarship.
Guidance:
The Rhodes selection criteria are powerful and have remained largely unchanged over the past 100
years, having been drawn directly from the founder’s Will.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
specific academic requirements can be found under ‘Eligibility Criteria’ above.

ENERGY TO USE YOUR TALENTS TO THE FULL

as demonstrated by success in areas such as sports, music, debate, dance,
theatre, and artistic pursuits, including 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.

In your personal statement we are asking you to reflect on your experiences, influences and intentions
through the lens of the Rhodes Scholar qualities outlined in the three criteria: “Energy to use one’s
talents to the full”; “Truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak,

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kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship”; “Moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an
interest in one’s fellow human beings”. (Note that the fourth selection criterion of “Literary and
scholastic attainments (academic excellence)” are evidenced in your transcript, academic statement
of study and academic reference letters.)
The three prompts are set within the Rhodes leadership development framework that informs the
Scholar Programme at Rhodes House in Oxford. They ask you to consider your candidacy for and the
opportunity of the Scholarship within three interrelated spheres in your own voice: ‘self, others, and
world’:
1st “self”: Which Rhodes Scholar quality do you display most strongly, and how are different contexts
and people helping you to develop the other qualities? – engage us on which of the Rhodes selection
criteria you best exemplify. We do not expect you to be the ‘finished product’; we want to hear how
you intend to evolve.
2nd “others”: What would you like to learn from and contribute to the Rhodes community in Oxford? –
share with us what you want to learn from and contribute to the Rhodes community, and how you
hope to grow as a person and support the growth of others while at Oxford.
3rd “world”: From your place in the world, how will you use your energies and talents to address
humanity’s pressing challenges? – make this personal, not generic. We anticipate your particular
reflections on what is missing in society and the world today. Considering the complexities of the
challenges that we are facing as humanity, we are seeking in Rhodes Scholars people who aspire to
and will take action. Tell us what you imagine might be your way of making a contribution.
You can find further guidance on the personal statement on the ‘Application Overview’ page of our
website.

Choosing your course:

The Rhodes Scholarships cover at least two years of study at the University of Oxford and in the
application form, you will need to choose a course, or a combination of courses that covers this
period.

You should use the University of Oxford’s website to find out about the different course options, their
content and their entry requirements; a good starting point is the A-Z list of graduate courses. Make
sure that you research your planned course(s) thoroughly. You should be aware that once you are at
the University of Oxford it is very difficult to change courses, and that this has significant visa
implications. It is therefore important to give serious thought to your desired course of study at
Oxford now.

The Rhodes Scholarship covers most full-time graduate courses. However, you should check our
Conditions of Tenure to find out more about the course combinations we cover, any exceptions and
information about additional discretionary funding if your chosen course is longer than two years, that
is if you wish to apply for a DPhil (PhD).

You should also propose a second alternative course of study. Admission to Oxford is extremely
competitive and we ask all Scholars-elect to make a primary and a secondary (back-up) application.

Second BA:
In addition to the graduate courses listed on Oxford’s website, you can also choose to apply to study
for a second undergraduate degree over two years. This is known as a Second BA with Senior Status.
Senior Status is the only basis on which a Rhodes Scholar can study for a second undergraduate
degree. You can read Oxford’s page about second undergraduate degrees for more information.
For most courses, you apply to Oxford University separately after the selection process for the Rhodes
Scholarship is complete, however if you intend to study for a Second BA the process is slightly different.

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There is a very short window in which to apply for a Second BA, should you be selected for the Rhodes
Scholarship. Rhodes applicants apply using a tailored form, which you will normally be expected to
return to the Registrar by 12 noon GMT on the first Friday in December. Candidates who are firm in
their choice of a second BA may wish to maximise their admission chances by applying directly via
UCAS. If you miss both the UCAS and the Rhodes deadline for the second BA application, your chances
of admission are limited. Any Scholar Elect applying for a Second BA will be expected to submit at
least one application for a graduate degree.

Whilst we advise you to research & consider your choices thoroughly, we understand it is hard to be
completely confident about your choice of course and the choices you make in the Rhodes application
form are not binding. In some cases, the course can be altered from that proposed, once selected for
the Scholarship.
DPhil or MSc by research candidates: a number of Oxford departments recommend that applicants
make contact with potential research supervisor(s) before submitting an application to Oxford. Advice
on contacting potential supervisors in advance of your application is course-specific and you should
follow the guidance found on the individual course pages, most often on the How to Apply tab.
Taught Master’s candidates: please note that Oxford faculty members do not normally correspond
with applicants, unless explicitly stated on the course page.

Academic Statement of Study:

You will need to write an academic statement of no more than 350 words.
One of the reasons we ask for an academic statement is that entry to the University of Oxford is
becoming ever more competitive and, should you win a Rhodes Scholarship, you will have to submit
your application to Oxford within a very short timeframe. Researching and writing this statement will
help you prepare for that. Rhodes selectors will use the statement to assess whether you will thrive
academically in one of the most competitive graduate environments in the world. The academic
statement of study should, in a factual and concise manner:
i. Tell us your reasons for wishing to study at the University of Oxford, what your chosen
course(s) of study is (are), and how this fits into your academic trajectory. Furthermore, you
may wish to explain how you hope to be stretched academically at the University of Oxford,
and any academic support you imagine might be helpful.
ii. Demonstrate that you are able to, at a minimum meet or exceed the specific entry and other
academic requirements of the course(s) you have chosen. Tell us how you are prepared for
the course(s) academically and otherwise.
iii. If you wish to undertake a DPhil, provide a brief outline of your proposed research area, how
it contributes to your future career plans, and list both the Department in which you propose
to undertake your research and one or more researchers with whom you would like to work
in Oxford.
It is a good idea to discuss your proposed course of study and your academic statement with your
academic mentors and/or professors or lecturers in the subject area, and, if possible, with someone
who has knowledge of UK universities.

References
You will need to provide a list of four (minimum) to five (maximum) people (your referees) who are
willing to submit references on your behalf. Please make sure that you ask their permission before
listing them as referees.
• Academic Referees: At least three of your referees should be academics who have formally
taught and graded 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. In addition to uploading a reference, your academic referees will be asked a small

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number of additional questions, including a request to provide an estimated class ranking. Note
– for successful Rhodes Scholarship applicants, these references can later be used to form part
of the application to study at the University of Oxford, so it is important that you and your
referees bear this in mind.

• Character Referees: You will also need at least one character referee(s) who should write about
your character and involvement in extra-curricular, service or leadership activities. These
referees should be able to comment critically on whether you fulfil the extra-curricular, non-
academic requirements of the Scholarship and who can speak in detail to your character.

• You should forward the Guidance for Referees to your referees. This includes key instructions
for your referees on what they will need to write about in their letter.
• Once your referees have agreed to provide a reference for you, you will need to register their
names and email addresses in the application form. They will then receive an automatically-
generated email request for a reference. This email will include a link to our reference form
where they will also be asked to provide their contact details for verification purposes and be
able to upload or type in their letter of reference which will remain confidential. Please note
that your referees may be contacted for further information.
• You should ensure that you register your referees within the application form early, to allow
them sufficient time to provide a detailed reference letter. It is your responsibility to ensure
that referees submit their references online before 23:59 Indian Standard Time, 07 August
2025. You can track the progress of their references within the application form.
• Remember, a good referee is someone who knows you well, rather than a well-known person
who only knows you superficially. Please note that Rhodes Scholarship referees should not
normally be personal friends, peers or relatives, or have any other conflict of interest. If a referee
fits into one of these categories, they should make the connection clear within the reference.
• You should choose reliable people who are likely to respond to your request for a detailed
reference, as their letters will be crucial to your application. If you do not have the minimum
number of required references, your application may not be considered by the Selection
Committee.

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Selection Process and timeline

Once the application deadline has passed, all submitted applications will be considered as part of our
selection process. This varies slightly according to which constituency you are applying in but below
are the key stages:

Applications are checked for eligibility and completeness

Longlist is compiled

September/October: Longlisted candidates invited to preliminary interview (this

may be in person or via video conference). A semi-final interview may also be
held.

November: Final interview and social engagement event

Candidates selected as finalists must be available to attend both the final interview and social
engagement event in person, as no accommodations can be made on date and time, or mode, of
these events. No candidate will be selected without an interview. The granting of an interview is
entirely within the discretion of the Selection Committee. A domestic travel allowance for
candidates invited for the final interview will be paid by the Rhodes Trust. International travel will
not be reimbursed.

By December 2025 all applicants will be emailed with the outcome of their application. We regret
that we are unable to provide feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful in their applications.

Selection Conditions

• Selection for the Rhodes Scholarship is made without regard to financial means.
• Selection for the Rhodes Scholarship is made without regard to marital status, race, ethnic
origin, colour, gender, religion, sexual orientation, social background, disability, caste or other
irrelevant distinction. The provision of such information in the ‘Equity and Inclusion’ section of
the application form is optional, but helps us to ensure that our selection processes are fair and
that our outreach efforts are effective. The information you provide will not form part of your
application and is only shared with those involved in selection in an anonymized format after
scholarships have been awarded. If you disclose a disability and/or request additional support
at interview stage, your answers for this section may be shared with the National Secretary, who
may contact you to discuss and confirm your requested arrangements for support or suitable
alternatives during the selection process. Any requests made will not affect shortlisting, or the
progress of your application, in any way. If your application is successful and you become a
Rhodes Scholar, this information may be shared with our student support team, who will help
support you during your time at Oxford․
• Applications submitted for the Rhodes Scholarship in 2025 are for entry to the University of
Oxford in October 2026; the scholarship cannot be brought forward or deferred to a later
academic year.
• No selection will be made if a sufficiently qualified candidate cannot be found.
• The decision of the Selection Committee is final.

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• The Rhodes Scholarship is confirmed only upon successful admission to the University of Oxford.
• The Rhodes Trust may contact you some time after the submission deadline to ask for feedback
on the application process and any interactions you have had with the Rhodes Trust staff and
volunteers.

• An offer of another scholarship does not preclude you from being considered for a Rhodes
Scholarship, but you cannot hold another substantial scholarship in conjunction with a Rhodes
Scholarship. You must advise the National Secretary if you have been offered another
scholarship.

Post-Selection
If you are selected for the Rhodes Scholarship you will need to apply to the University of Oxford very
soon after selection and the team at Rhodes House will be on hand to support you with the application
process. We advise you to prepare as much as possible in advance for your application to Oxford.
Rhodes House has access to your entire Rhodes Scholarship application, and your references may be
re-used, if appropriate, to support your application to the University of Oxford.
Full details will be given to you upon selection, however candidates who intend to apply for courses in
the Medical Sciences, or research degrees in Computer Science and/or Engineering should note that
the graduate application deadline now usually falls in the first few days of December. You are
advised to check the course page of your preferred course(s) carefully and to note the deadline well in
advance.

Need to get in touch?

National Secretary:
Dr Dhvani Mehta
Email: [email protected]

If you have any further questions, which aren’t answered in this document or on our website please
do get in touch at [email protected].

For further information about the Rhodes Scholarship, see www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-

scholarship/

The Rhodes Trust reserves the right to vary these conditions at any time without notice.

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THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP FOR INDIA: 2026
- A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE RHODES TRUST AND THE SECOND CENTURY FOUNDER, JOHN
MCCALL MACBAIN O.C.
GUIDANCE FOR REFEREES
References must be written in English and must be uploaded before 23:59 Indian Standard Time, 07 August
2025.

Thank you for your willingness to serve as a referee for an applicant for the Rhodes Scholarship. References form
a crucial part of the selection process, and your reference could make the difference to an applicant’s success.
The following notes are intended to serve as a guide as you write your reference.

Background Information
The Rhodes Scholarship programme is the oldest (established 1903), and perhaps the most prestigious,
international scholarship in the world. Administered by the Rhodes Trust in Oxford, the programme offers over 100
fully-funded Scholarships each year for postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom -
one of the world’s leading universities. Rhodes Scholarships are for young leaders of outstanding intellect and
character who are motivated to engage with global challenges and are committed to the service of others. They
show promise of becoming value-driven, principled leaders for the world’s future, wherever their careers might
take them, and in any field. The selection criteria for the scholarship are as follows:
• Academic excellence: the University of Oxford is one of the most competitive graduate environments in
the world and applicants must meet or exceed the entry requirements of their chosen course. (candidates
will have a greater chance of successful admission if they have a First Class Honours or equivalent).
• Energy to use their talents to the full (as demonstrated by success in areas such as sports, music,
debate, dance, theatre, and artistic pursuits, including where teamwork is involved).
• The Virtues: 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 their fellow human beings.

For further details, see: www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-scholarship/

Writing Your Letter of Recommendation

You should consider the below points when writing your letter:
• The Selection Committee will have a copy of the applicant’s university academic transcript, curriculum vitae,
and their academic and personal statements. We would welcome any observations you have which would
enhance the Committee’s understanding of these documents.
• A brief introduction to yourself would be helpful, including any connections that you have with the Rhodes
Trust, Rhodes Scholars and the University of Oxford (such connections are certainly not necessary).
• Where you are able, you should comment on how the applicant demonstrates the four selection criteria
outlined above. While proven academic excellence is the first quality listed, the other criteria are equally
important.
• It is not expected that you will be able to speak from first-hand knowledge of all of the applicant’s
qualifications.
• Please speak of the applicant’s limitations as well as strong points. We do not expect applicants to be the
‘finished product’ and we are interested to learn how they intend to evolve. Committees tend naturally to be
dubious of hyperbole and appraisals that imply a given individual has no limitations. Your reply will, of
course, be treated as strictly confidential by the Selection Committee.

Rhodes Scholarship reference letters are confidential and you should not share them with applicants.
References must be written in English and your comments should not exceed two A4 or letter size pages
(minimum 10 point type).

Applicants for the Rhodes Scholarships are asked to seek both character and academic references. The reference
form will clarify which type of reference you have been asked to submit.

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Academic referees:
If you are primarily acquainted with the candidate through a teacher/student relationship, it is expected that your
reference will concentrate primarily on academic quality and potential, although your assessment of other
qualities will be welcomed. A Rhodes Scholar will undertake postgraduate study at Oxford, a taught or research
degree, or a second undergraduate degree with senior status (over two years). In all cases, entry to Oxford is very
competitive and so please consider whether the applicant is prepared for their chosen course of study at one of
the most competitive graduate environments in the world.

Academic referees should note that, in the case of a successful applicant, your letter will be used by Oxford
departments and colleges for determining the applicant’s academic case for admission to postgraduate
study. Consequently, a detailed assessment of the candidate’s academic qualifications and suitability to
undertake Master’s / doctoral level study at Oxford will be very important. You are specifically asked to comment
on:
a) The applicant’s relative academic standing in comparison with other students on the same course at the
same institution – e.g. top 1%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 25%?
b) How many students are in the applicant’s year group on their programme of study, i.e. with how many
students are you comparing the applicant?
c) On what basis are you making the assessment - personal assessment/official class rank?

It can also be useful for Oxford application purposes for academic referees to comment on candidates’ motivation,
their ability to work in a group environment, and, for those considering research degrees, their aptitude for
sustained individual and self-motivated investigation.

Character referees:
If you are better acquainted with the applicant through non-academic interests, it is expected that you will
concentrate on assessment of character and non-academic qualities, in the knowledge that the Committee is
looking for scholars who show promise of outstanding achievement in later life. With reference to the selection
criteria above, please pay particular attention to the following:
• energy to use their talents to the full;
• truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and
fellowship;
• moral force of character and instincts to lead

Submitting Your Letter of Recommendation

• When an applicant has registered your details in the application form, you will receive an auto-generated
email, which will contain a link to the online reference form where you will be able to upload your reference
letter. The form will also include questions requesting basic information about yourself and your relationship
to the applicant.
• All letters of recommendation should be addressed to the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee.
• The Selection Committee asks that your letter of recommendation be on headed paper, signed, and
uploaded in pdf format. If you are unable to access an official/institutional letterhead we can, on an
exceptional basis, accept references on a personal letterhead that clearly states your institutional affiliation
and provides official contact information including an email address and phone number.
• All letters of reference should be submitted via the online reference form. Please ensure that you press
submit once you have completed the form.
Once you submit the reference form, both you and the applicant will receive an automated email to confirm
receipt; the applicant will not be able to see the submitted reference, which will remain confidential.
Please note that during the selection process you may be contacted for further information.

Please note that Rhodes Scholarship referees should not normally be personal friends, peers or relatives, or
have any other conflict of interest. If a referee fits into one of these categories, they should make the
connection clear within the reference.
References must be written in English and must be uploaded before 23:59 Indian Standard Time, 07 August
2025. If you require any further support with submitting your reference please email:
[email protected].

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