Oxford Scholarships: International Students' Opportunities Explored

Scholarships for international students at Oxford University are limited, with students usually expected to find funding in their country of origin. However, there are some scholarships available for international students, such as the Reach Oxford Scholarship, which is offered to students from low-income countries who are unable to study for a degree in their own country. Additionally, the university offers scholarships for graduate students, including the Clarendon Fund Scholarships, which provides full funding for outstanding graduate scholars, and the Refugee Academic Futures Scholarship, which is open to applicants with lived experience of displacement.

Scholarships for international undergraduate students

The University of Oxford offers a range of scholarships to international undergraduate students based on eligibility criteria. However, scholarships for overseas students following undergraduate courses are very limited, and students are usually expected to find an appropriate source of funding in their own country. Here are some of the scholarships available for international undergraduate students at Oxford:

• Reach Oxford Scholarship: Offered to students from low-income countries who cannot study for a degree in their own countries due to political or financial reasons or a lack of suitable educational facilities. Applicants must be nationals of countries that receive official development assistance from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The scholarship covers course fees, a grant for living costs, and one return airfare per year.
• The Oxford and Cambridge Society of India Scholarships: Applicants must be citizens of India and have completed 12th grade. It covers tuition and fees.
• Helmore Graduate Scholarships: The deadline for this scholarship varies depending on the course and follows the January or December intakes. It covers tuition fees.

In addition to the scholarships offered by the University of Oxford, there are also external scholarships that international undergraduate students can apply for. These include:

• Chevening Scholarships
• Indian Department of Higher Education
• J.N Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship

Scholarships for international students studying medicine

The University of Oxford offers scholarships to international students, but these are very limited for undergraduate courses. Scholarships for international students are not usually available for Medicine due to the duration of the course and the costs involved. However, there are scholarships available for graduate students.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the University of Oxford expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships for new students. Scholarships are typically awarded based on academic merit and potential and can cover course fees and/or provide a living cost grant. The eligibility criteria vary for different scholarships, with some open to most new graduate students and others restricted by characteristics such as degree subject or country of residence.

• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships: In partnership with the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), these scholarships are available to applicants from specific developing Commonwealth countries. The scholarship covers course fees and provides a living cost grant.
• Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarships: Offered in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, these scholarships are for African candidates applying for eligible taught postgraduate courses. The scholarship covers course fees and provides a living cost grant.
• Oxford-Nizami Ganjavi Graduate Scholarships: Available for applicants pursuing full-time or part-time Master's or DPhil courses in the Humanities or Social Sciences Division, with research related to the study of the history, languages, and cultures of Azerbaijan, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The scholarship covers course fees and provides a living cost grant.
• Oxford-Moh Family Foundation Global Health Scholarship: This scholarship is open to any graduate student applying to a course related to global health, with a preference for those in the area of pandemic sciences. The scholarship covers course fees, provides a living cost grant, and includes a Research Training Supplementary Grant (RTSG).
• Oxford-Hoffmann Graduate Scholarships in Medical Sciences: Available for applicants pursuing studies within the Medical Sciences Division, these scholarships are made possible through the support of André Hoffmann, an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. The scholarship covers course fees and provides a living cost grant.

These are just a few examples of the scholarships offered by the University of Oxford for international graduate students. For a comprehensive list of scholarships, be sure to check the University of Oxford's website and consult the Fees, Funding, and Scholarships search tool. Additionally, consider exploring external scholarships administered outside of the university.

Reach Oxford Scholarship

The Reach Oxford Scholarship is a fully-funded undergraduate scholarship programme at the University of Oxford, previously known as the Oxford Student Scholarship. The scholarship is offered to students from low-income countries who are unable to study for a degree in their own countries due to political or financial reasons or because suitable educational facilities do not exist.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Reach Oxford Scholarship, applicants must:

• Be nationals of countries that receive official development assistance from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Eligible countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza Strip, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• Demonstrate the highest academic ability.
• Have financial need and be involved in community service.
• Intend to return to their home country after completing their studies.
• Not have previously studied at the undergraduate level.

Benefits

The Reach Oxford Scholarship covers course fees, provides a grant for living costs, and includes one return airfare per year until the completion of the course. The scholarship is awarded for 3 or 4 years, depending on the course length.

Application Process

To apply for the Reach Oxford Scholarship, students must first apply for admission to the University of Oxford through UCAS by the specified deadline (usually around October). If they are offered a place at the university, they can then proceed to apply for the scholarship. The scholarship application typically involves submitting an online form, including details such as personal information, course details, financial information, supporting statements, and references. Shortlisted candidates may be invited for interviews.

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria for the Reach Oxford Scholarship include:

• Good academic record.
• Motivation for the course.
• Commitment to returning to their hometown after completing the course.

Clarendon Fund Scholarships

The Clarendon Fund is a major graduate scholarship scheme at the University of Oxford, offering around 140 new scholarships every year. The scholarship was established in 2000 and launched in 2001 to assist the best overseas graduate students who obtain places to study at the University, regardless of financial capability. In 2011, the scholarship was expanded to include all nationalities and fee statuses.

Clarendon Scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence and potential across all degree-bearing subjects at the graduate level at the University of Oxford. All applicants, regardless of nationality, ordinary residence, or field of study, are automatically considered for the Clarendon Scholarship if they apply by the December or January deadline, whichever is relevant to their course. There is no separate scholarship application form.

The scholarship covers tuition and college fees in full, as well as a grant for living expenses for the period of fee liability. The grant for living costs for full-time students is at least £18,622 for 2023-24. Scholars on part-time courses will receive a study support grant to assist with non-fee costs.

Oxford Bursaries for students with Home fee status

The University of Oxford offers bursaries to students with Home fee status who are from lower-income households. This includes UK students and Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals living in the UK or Ireland. The bursary amount depends on the student's annual household income and can be up to £6,090 per year. It is non-repayable and helps cover study and living costs.

There is no separate application process for the Oxford Bursary. Students must apply for UK government funding and ensure that they are financially assessed by their regional funding agency. They must also agree to share their household income with the University. Eligible students will be notified of their entitlement from mid to late September of the year they start their course.

In addition to the Oxford Bursary, students who live more than 80 miles from Oxford may also be eligible for the Oxford Travel Supplement, which provides additional support for travel costs between their home address and Oxford.

Frequently asked questions