Rhodes Scholarship

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements set by the Rhodes Trust, including criteria related to citizenship or permanent residency in the constituency of application, age, and academic standing. Because eligibility varies by Rhodes constituency, students should review the official Rhodes criteria carefully.

Harvard has an endorsement, or nomination, process for applicants applying through the United States and Canada constituencies.

For applicants in these constituencies, eligibility includes:

• graduating seniors or recent alumni who will have completed a bachelor’s degree before the start of the Scholarship
• being within the age limits specified by the Rhodes Trust, i.e., under the age of 24 on October 1 of the application year
• a GPA of 3.7 or higher
• U.S. citizenship (for the U.S. constituency) or Canadian citizenship or permanent residency (for the Canada constituency)

Applicants in the U.S.A. and Canada must be endorsed by Harvard in order to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship.

• Full tuition and a living stipend for two to three years of study at Oxford University
• Funding for travel to and from the United Kingdom
• Access to the global Rhodes Scholar community of change-makers and world leaders and programming at Rhodes House

Students at Harvard submit an application to be considered for nomination for Harvard’s endorsement. Endorsed candidates then proceed to the national Rhodes competitions.

Selection for the Rhodes Scholarship is based on criteria established by the Rhodes Trust. Applicants are expected to be familiar with these criteria, which are outlined in the Rhodes Trust’s Information for Candidates for each constituency (USA Information for Candidates; Canada Information for Candidates).

These criteria include:

• literary and scholastic attainments, academic excellence and preparation for study at Oxford
• energy to use one’s talents to the full, as demonstrated through sustained engagement and accomplishment beyond the classroom
• truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness, and fellowship
• moral force of character and instincts to lead, including a demonstrated commitment to others and the ability to contribute meaningfully to the wider world

At Harvard, endorsement applications are reviewed by House Fellowships Tutors and the Harvard Endorsement Committee. The Harvard Endorsement Committee, composed of senior faculty members, evaluates applications with reference to these criteria, considering the full range of materials submitted. The Committee selects applicants for endorsement in early September.

Endorsed applicants submit a full application to the Rhodes Trust. Finalists are invited to interview in November, and Scholarships are awarded shortly thereafter.

Selection for both endorsement and the Rhodes Scholarship itself is highly competitive. The number of scholarships available varies by constituency and is publicly available.

Canada and US Rhodes Procedure

Applicants must apply for Harvard’s endorsement via the Harvard University Funding Portal (see link below). 

• Current students use HarvardKey to login.
• Recent alumni will need to Create a New Account.

Those whose applications are endorsed then move on to the national competitions.

To apply for Harvard’s endorsement, students must:

1. Submit Intent to Apply
   (deadline: Wednesday, July 1, 11:59 PM EST)
2. Submit Endorsement Application (becomes available once Intent to Apply completed in HUFP)
   (deadline: Tuesday, July 21, 11:59 PM EST)

The Intent to Apply represents the initial stage of the endorsement application, asking you to share information about your proposed course of study at Oxford as well as your slate of potential references. Applicants submit this Intent to Apply. Once submitted, applicants then gain access to the complete Endorsement Application. 

The full endorsement application asks you to submit the following materials for our deadline.

• Three Short Essays. View the Rhodes essay prompts. Answer these three prompts in one document with essay number and prompt before each response. Do not submit a response to the Rhodes Personal Statement; candidates may not receive assistance with the Rhodes Personal Statement.
• Two letters of recommendation. References can be either academic or character. Be sure to read the guidance for referees (US guidance; Canadian guidance)
• Resume (no more than two pages). Indicate significant activities, achievements, and experiences in college that demonstrate your values and trajectory.
• Unofficial transcript. Download your unofficial transcript from my.harvard.edu, it should include your spring grades and fall course registration.

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the application process and to engage with available resources as they prepare their materials.

URAF offers several information sessions relevant to the Rhodes application process, including:

• Distinguished UK Fellowships: The Rhodes and Marshall Information Session
• Postgraduate Awards Information Session
• UK Study and Admissions Information Session 

Students are also encouraged to consult with URAF advisors and their House Fellowships Tutors.

URAF Advisors suggest that applicants propose an academic program that’s a logical extension of their undergraduate studies and heavily research the details of the academic program they propose, and include the most exciting/relevant aspects of that program in the application essay(s). Avoid proposing programs for which you don’t meet the basic qualifications or programs which are funded by the Rhodes Scholarship. It is imperative not to get feedback on writing that could become your Rhodes Personal Statement.