Rhodes Scholarship
US, Canada, and Global Applicants
> Intent to Apply Deadline: April 13, 2025
> Recommender Deadline: April 20, 2025
> Preliminary Review & Decisions: Late April / early May
Global Applicants (that have been Provisionally Endorsed)
> Campus Deadline: June 22, 2025
> Campus Endorsement Decision: late June (TBA)
> National Deadline: TBA (likely early August)
US and Canada Applicants (that have been Provisionally Endorsed)
> Campus Deadline: August 17, 2025
> Campus Endorsement Decision: early September (TBA)
> National Deadline: TBA (likely early October)
Important: Only applicants who submit an 'Intent to Apply' form by their respective deadlines will be considered for endorsement. No exceptions will be made.
Eligibility requirements:
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident on April 15 in the year of application
- DACA students
- Minimum GPA of 3.7
- Students attending colleges/universities in the U.S. and U.S. territories
- At least 18 but not yet 24 years of age on October 1 in the year of application, or up to a maximum age of 28 years old upon entry to Oxford if first undergraduate degree was completed within the last 2 years
- Bachelor's degree before October 1 in the year of application
Award summary and conditions: The Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship awards in the world. Each year 32 young Americans are selected as Rhodes Scholars, through a decentralized process representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Applicants from more than 320 American colleges and universities have been selected as Rhodes Scholars. In addition, four newly expanded Rhodes Scholarships in Singapore, East Africa and two Global. In most years, even after a century of competition, a Rhodes Scholar is selected from an institution which has not formerly supplied a successful applicant.
The Rhodes Scholarship covers the costs of all tuition fees (such as matriculation, tuition, and certain other set charges), as well as a maintenance stipend (except for those receiving fourth-year fees) of not less than £12,300 per annum paid directly to the Scholar in installments during the term of the Scholarship. The Rhodes Trust will assist successful candidates with their traveling expenses to and from Oxford.
Application process: online
Application requirements:
- Application form
- Proof of citizenship or lawful permanent resident status
- Official transcript(s)
- List of principal activities
- Passport-sized photograph
- Letters of recommendation (5-8). Letters are submitted electronically through the online Embark application system). Recommenders will receive an email prompt to upload their letters after the applicant registers them.
- Institutional endorsement (submitted electronically through the online Embark system). The institutional endorser will receive a prompt to upload their letter after the applicant registers their email address. The email address to use is: hernand2@whitman.edu
- Personal statement not exceeding 750 words which must be certified by the applicant as wholly truthful and his or her own work
- Academic statement of study of no more than 350 words
Faculty representative: Director for Fellowships and Grants
Campus nomination required: Yes
National committee interview: Yes
Students and recent alumni interested in applying for the Rhodes Scholarship are required to submit a completed intent to apply form by their respective deadlines (see deadlines at the top of this page).
Note: Late submissions of the intent-to-apply form will not be accepted; no exceptions will be made.
Intent to apply form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdTKut7gRJ7jFOiedOfTfKSglblXuzgU5Dxblzax8nOFbVmw/viewform
The Campus Endorsement Committee will review each applicant's completed intent to apply form and recommendation letter in late April / early May, and decide whether to provisionally endorse or not endorse each applicant.
- Provisionally Endorsed: The applicant is encouraged to continue developing their application materials over the summer.
- Not Endorsed: The Committee decides that the applicant is not yet competitive for the award.
Applicants that have been Provisionally Endorsed by the Campus Endorsement Committee are invited to submit a preliminary application by the campus deadline (see above).
Preliminary application materials
- Resume (2-page maximum)
- Unofficial transcript
- List of Principal Activities
- Personal Statement (750 word maximum)
- Academic Statement of Study (350 word maximum)
- Three (3) letters of recommendation
- The names of other recommenders who will submit a letter, if you are endorsed
Application materials can be emailed to Jenny Stratton, Administrative Assistant for Fellowships and Grants at strattjm@whitman.edu. Recommenders can email their letters directly to Jenny.
The Committee Endorsement Committee will review revised application materials and make their final decision about endorsing each candidate. Applicants will be notified via email by the Director for Fellowships and Grants.
It is the responsibility of the Endorsed applicant to:
- continue refining their application materials
- ensure that all 5-8 letters of recommendation are submitted
- register an institutional endorser that will submit an institutional endorsement letter on their behalf; the email address to use is hernand2@whitman.edu
- hit 'Submit' by the national deadline