Rhodes Scholarship 2027 for West African Students
Applications are open for the Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa 2027, a fully funded postgraduate scholarship for study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
The West Africa constituency offers three Rhodes Scholarships each year to eligible applicants from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and other West African countries. Successful candidates selected in 2026 will begin their studies at Oxford in October 2027.
Application deadline: 27 August 2026 at 23:59 GMT
References must be submitted by 3 September 2026 at 23:59 GMT.
Scholarship benefits
The Rhodes Scholarship covers:
- University of Oxford course and college fees;
- an annual living stipend;
- Oxford application fee;
- student visa fee;
- UK Immigration Health Surcharge;
- economy-class flights to and from the UK; and
- a settling-in allowance on arrival in Oxford.
The current published stipend for 2025/2026 is £20,400 per year, or £1,700 per month. The amount for scholars beginning in 2027 may be adjusted.
Eligible West African countries
Applicants must be citizens of one of the following:
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Principe, Togo, or the listed British South Atlantic territories.
Applicants must also have lived in one or more of the eligible countries for at least five of the last ten years.
Academic requirement
Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree by the scholarship deadline and normally need a First Class Honours degree or equivalent.
Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy applicants are assessed according to the highest classification available in their university system.
Age requirement
Applicants must generally be 18–24 years old on 1 October 2026.
An upper age limit of 25 applies to some Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law and Engineering candidates completing professional internships.
There is also an alternative provision for some applicants under 27 who completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual. Applicants should use the official eligibility checker rather than assuming they qualify based on age alone.
What you will need
Applicants should prepare:
- proof of citizenship, age and residency;
- university transcript;
- evidence of English-language proficiency or eligibility for a waiver;
- details for the CV section of the online application;
- an academic statement;
- a personal statement; and
- four to six referees.
At least three referees should normally be academic referees, while at least one should be able to comment on the applicant's character, leadership and service.
How to apply
Applicants should apply for the Rhodes Scholarship first, before submitting an application for their intended Oxford graduate course.
Successful Rhodes candidates are subsequently supported in applying to the University of Oxford. There is no application fee for the Rhodes Scholarship application itself.
Check your eligibility and start the application process
Select your country in the eligibility checker. Eligible West African applicants will be directed to the appropriate application process.
Official Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa page
Read the 2027 West Africa Information for Candidates
Check which Oxford courses are covered
Read the Rhodes Scholarship application guide
Important
Applicants should contact their referees early. The scholarship application closes on 27 August, but referees have until 3 September 2026 to submit their recommendations.
The Rhodes Trust also advises applicants to write their personal statements in their own authentic voice and provides specific guidance on assistance and generative AI in preparing application materials.
Current status: Applications are open. Deadline: 27 August 2026.
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