Application Deadline: 28 August 2025
Applications are now open for the 2026 Rhodes Kenya Scholarships. The Rhodes Scholarships, established in 1903, are the oldest international scholarship programme in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Administered by the Rhodes Trust in Oxford, the programme offers 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, committed to the service of others and show promise of becoming value-driven, principled leaders for the world’s future. The broad selection criteria are:
Academic excellence – specific academic requirements can be found under ‘Eligibility Criteria’ below.
- Energy to use your talents to the full (as demonstrated by mastery 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.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nationality/citizenship: You must be a citizen of Kenya. Applications from refugees/asylum
seekers currently residing in Kenya will also be considered in this constituency. - Residency: You must have been resident in Kenya for at least five of the last ten years.
- 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 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, or will 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 or equivalent, or,
o A GPA of 3.70/4.0 or higher*
*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 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.
Benefits
- The Rhodes Scholarship covers Oxford University course fees, as well as providing an annual stipend.
- For the 2025-26 academic year, the stipend is £19,800 per annum (£1,650 per month) from which Scholars pay all living expenses, including accommodation. Please note: this is not sufficient to cover partners or dependents.
Following selection for the Scholarship, the Rhodes Trust will also cover:
- The fee required to apply to study at the University of Oxford
- Fees for a student visa and associated International Health Surcharge (IHS), which enables international students to access the UK’s National Health Service
- Two economy class flights to and from the UK, for the beginning and end of studies in Oxford.
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 confirming that you meet the age criterion
- A copy of your National ID or of a valid passport (with translation, if necessary), confirming that
you meet the citizenship criteria - An official transcript from the college or university at which you are studying, or have studied,
showing grades achieved (to date) - Certified copies of your primary and high school leaving certificates, and your KCSE (or
equivalent) certificate - 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 Professional/research 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.
- Information for Candidates – Kenya
- Guidance for Referees – Kenya
- Courses covered by the Rhodes Scholarship
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Rhodes Kenya Scholarships
