Rhodes Scholarship Information
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South Australian Rebecca Richards is the first indigenous Australian to receive a prestigious Rhodes scholarship to study at Oxford University |
Established in the will of Cecil Rhodes in 1902, the Rhodes is the oldest and perhaps the most prestigious international graduate scholarship program in the world. A class of 82 Scholars is selected each year from Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica and Commonwealth Caribbean, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Southern Africa (including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, and Swaziland), United States, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Intellectual excellence is required of Rhodes Scholars, but it is not enough to earn this outstanding educational opportunity. Rhodes' vision in founding the Scholarship was to develop outstanding leaders who would be motivated to "esteem the performance of public duties as their highest aim."
His will outlines four criteria to be used in the election of Scholars:
- literary and scholastic attainments
- energy to use one's talents to the full
- 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 one's fellow beings.
At Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world, Rhodes Scholars join just over 20,000 students from more than 140 countries currently studying at the University, and are enriched by the stimulating and rigorous education and the vibrant cultural and community life. Over 7,000 Rhodes Scholars have gone on to serve at the forefront of government, the professions, commerce, the arts, education, research and other domains. They are well known advocates for expanded social justice, and have advanced the frontiers of science and medicine.
The Rhodes Scholarships reflect one of the most visionary acts of educational philanthropy in history, making the Rhodes legacy one that is felt the world over.
Applications will next be accepted for Rhodes Scholarships to study at the University of Oxford in 2012. The Rhodes Trust offers eleven scholarships in Australia each year, one awarded in each state and five for Australia at large.
The following information is provided for applicants for the Rhodes Scholarship from South Australia. For clarification of any matter herein or about any aspect of a proposed application please contact the Honorary Secretary for South Australia. More information on the Rhodes Scholarships is available from the Rhodes Scholarships home page.
- Closing Date
- Qualifications
- Profile of a Rhodes Scholar
- Value
- Eligibility
- Subject of Study
- Prospectuses
- One-year courses
- A note on Doctorial Fees
- Important Considerations
- Who to contact for advice and an application form
- List of South Australian Rhodes Scholars
- Rhodes Scholarships home page
- University of Oxford home page
Download PDF of this page
Closing Date
The closing date for applications for all states is 1 September each year. Where 1 September falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the closing date is the following Monday, that is, 2 or 3 September. In 2011, applications for the Rhodes Scholarships for 2012 will close at 5:00 pm on Thursday 1 September 2011.
Qualifications
Cecil Rhodes listed in that section of his Will in which he attempted to define the type of Scholar he was seeking:
Literary and scholastic attainment; fondness of and success in outdoor sports; qualities of truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship; exhibition of moral force of character and instincts to lead and take an interest in one's contemporaries. The Will also directs that "no student shall be qualified or disqualified for election to a Scholarship on account of race or religious opinions".
A Rhodes Scholar should not be one-sided or selfish. Intellectual ability must be founded upon sound intellect. Success in being elected to office in student organisations may or may not be evidence of unself-seeking leadership. It was Cecil Rhodes' hope that a Rhodes Scholar would come to esteem the performance of public duties as the highest aim. Physical fitness and skill and a liking for joining in exercise are activities usually sought in a Rhodes Scholar but continuing physical vigour to enable a Scholar to make an effective contribution to the world may be as important as prowess in a particular sport.
Profile of a Rhodes Scholar
1. Academic achievements
Outstanding record leading to an honours degree where appropriate (that is, where honours are awarded -- some faculties and/or universities have differing practices in this regard). Though academic competence is essential, academic distinction need not be an overriding factor in the selection of a Rhodes Scholar. Cecil Rhodes expressly desired that his scholars should not be mere bookworms, and what has given the Rhodes Scholarships their unique character is that they were never intended for the brilliant academic without more to offer.
2. Community work
Shows a concern for others. Willing to give up leisure time to help in community work. Community work can embrace:
Charity work such as helping the underprivileged or taking part in door-knocks.
Surf life-saving, volunteer ski patrol, sport coaching or instructing, umpiring or refereeing.
Honorary service to university organisations, such as the students' union, sporting clubs, students' representative council.
Honorary service to community organisations such as legal aid offices outside normal degree requirements.
3. Leadership
Recognition by peers as a leader -- election to office in university and other organisations.
Recognition by seniors as a leader -- appointment as team captain or vice-captain, appointment as school captain, prefect. Selection to sit for examinations such as cadet under officer examinations.
Success in Duke of Edinburgh awards.
4. Sporting and similar activities
The Rhodes scholar is not necessarily a University Blue. Rather he or she will be a keen participant in the sport(s) of choice
- Football in its various forms, Basketball, Netball.
- Athletics, cycling, marathon running and recreational running.
- Water sports which can range from those in the water such as swimming, diving and water polo to those on the water such as canoeing, rowing, sailing and windsurfing.
- Bat and ball games such as cricket, baseball, softball, tennis and hockey.
- Sports which may or may not be team games such as wrestling, boxing, fencing, judo.
- Outdoor activities such as orienteering, bushwalking and hang-gliding -- even competitive frisbee throwing.
This list is not exhaustive, but aims to illustrate that the 'traditional' sports of football and cricket certainly are not the only ones.
Value
Financial need gives no special claim to a Rhodes Scholarship. A Rhodes Scholar receives a personal allowance, or stipend, fixed from time to time by the Trust. For 2012 - 2013 not less than £977 per month. In addition, all fees are paid by the Trust direct to the College.
Tenure of other awards in conjunction with a Rhodes Scholarship is not permitted without prior consultation with the Secretary of the Trust in Oxford.
The Rhodes Trust will pay the cost of direct economy class airfares to Oxford at the start of the Scholarship and back to Australia at the conclusion of the Scholarship.
Applications for the Scholarship for the year 2012 will close on 1 September 2011.
Candidates must -
(1) be of an age that they will have passed their eighteenth and not reached their twenty-fifth birthday by 1 October, 2011
(2) be Australian citizens, have been resident in Australia for at least five of the last ten years, and be available for interview in Australia at the time of selection in October 2011. Interview dates vary in different states. It is presently anticipated in SA that interviews will be on 13th October 2011. Candidates for the Australia at Large Scholarships are usually interviewed in Canberra in the first week of December.
Candidates with dual citizenship may not apply in more than one country of which they are citizens.
(3) have achieved academic training in a degree-awarding body in Australia or overseas sufficiently advanced to assure completion of a Bachelor's degree (at Honours level or the equivalent) by December 2011, but certainly no later than the end of the first semester in 2012.
(4) candidates must apply in the State where they obtained their first degree.
Subject of Study
A Scholar-elect may apply to read for any graduate degree by the University, except an MBA, or a Masters in Financial Economics (MFE). The MFE is tenable only in the second year of a scholarship. The proposed course of study must be available at Oxford (but see note below on one-year courses). A Scholar will generally be planning to read for a higher degree such as the MLitt, BCL/MPhil (see note below on one-year courses), BPhil, MPhil, DPhil.
PhD Scholars should note:
- A two-year MPhil; subject to Department/Faculty agreement on the basis of performance in the MPhil, a third year of funding may be given to convert the MPhil into a DPhil;
- A two-year MSc by research; Scholars who take a two-year MSc by research are not eligible for a third year of funding;
- A DPhil either by the route of the preliminary MSt as a PRS; the third year of funding at the discretion of the Trustees will be upon satisfactory reports from supervisors;
- Many one-year Mscs are in fact routes into doctoral work, and moreover Scholars sometimes discover the desire to do a DPhil in that field when working on the MSc. Scholars may take such a route and receive a third year of funding (under the usual conditions) if they agree this with the Warden before the end of their first year. In the case of both MPhil and Msc conversions to DPhil, it is necessary for the doctoral thesis to be clearly an outgrowth of work done in the Masters course, since beginning a wholly new topic inescapably leads to unfunded overruns.
or a Scholar may read for the Oxford BA in any of the Final Honour Schools (the BA can normally be taken in two years rather than three).
- A BA with Senior Status (two years). Scholars who do a BA with Senior Status are not eligible for a third year funding.
Details of courses may be found in the Oxford University Undergraduate Prospectus and the Graduate Studies Prospectus copies of which are available either on the web or in book form in most University libraries or (subject to very limited availability) on loan only from the Honorary Secretary to the Selection Committee.
The Undergraduate Prospectus has information on courses such as the BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). The Undergraduate Prospectus also tends to have more extensive college information.
You are strongly advised to go to the Oxford web site and review the information on courses in the faculty or department in which you plan to study. There is a wealth of information on most departmental web sites, and simply by "drilling down" through the layers of information, you should find most of information you are seeking. Certainly, most departmental web sites contain much more detail than the more general information in the prospectus.
Candidates planning to do a course that may appear unrelated to their undergraduate studies in Australia should ensure that they are aware of any prerequisites or co-requisites for the Oxford course. This can be an issue when, for example, a candidate without a strong background in Common Law seeks to study for a Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL)/Master of Philosophy (MPhil) combination where the Magister Juris (MJur)/MPhil combination might be more appropriate. If you are not sure whether you have the necessary prerequisites, you should contact the relevant department at Oxford. This is the responsibility of the candidate as State Honorary Secretaries cannot give any more than very general guidance in this area.
Prospectuses
While both web versions of the prospectuses do not have all the information that is in the printed books, they do have most of the relevant information. However, you will find it useful to obtain your own copy of the Graduate Studies Prospectus. You can do this by writing to :
The Graduate Admissions Office
University Offices
Wellington Square
Oxford OX1 2JD
email: graduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk
website: www.admin.ox.ac.uk/gsp
One-year courses
The Rhodes Trustees have decided that, on election, a Rhodes Scholar will be able to opt to pursue a one-year course at Oxford.
The MJur (Magister Juris) and BCL (Bachelor of Civil Law which, despite its title, is a Master's degree) are the main courses that are affected, although there are others. The BCL, which was previously a one- or two-year course, is now a one-year course exclusively. The two-year Law program is now the BCL/MPhil or MJur/MPhil. Refer to the Oxford Graduate Studies Prospectus or, for more complete details, see the Oxford Faculty of Law web pages for further details.
Scholars who undertake a one-year taught Masters degree, followed by another in their second year are subject to a satisfactory outcome to the first year; Scholars who take two one-year Masters degrees are not eligible for a third year of funding
General information on The University of Oxford, and links to other Oxford publications can be found at the main Oxford University web site.
A note on Doctorial Fees
With effect from October 2006 the University has introduced new fee regulations which will affect any Scholar who intends to proceed to the DPhil via a Master's Degree. The three terms of the one-year MSc cannot be counted towards the 9-term fee liability for the DPhil; similarly, only three terms of the two-year MPhil may be counted towards the 9-term fee liability for the DPhil. Therefore any Scholar proceeding to DPhil via a Master's course will be liable for three terms of fees beyond the tenure of the Rhodes Scholarship. Nonetheless, in a number of cases, there may be individual leeway on this. Scholars wanting to proceed to the DPhil need to talk to the Warden in good time.
Important considerations
The following needs to be borne in mind:
1. An outstanding academic record leading to an honours degree or its equivalent is needed. Potential applicants need to understand that competition for the Rhodes Scholarship is very keen, and the standard of academic achievement required is very high (candidates should also be aware that the standards for acceptance at Oxford are equally rigorous). You will certainly be reading for an honours degree or, if you are not formally enrolled in an honours year, you expect to be awarded honours on graduation (in some Law, and other faculties, honours are awarded on the basis of final year marks, rather than on a thesis or similar research which has formed part of a formal honours year). Applicants with a lesser average will find it extremely difficult to make the short list.
You should either have already completed your degree, or expect to do so this year. If you do not expect to complete your degree until the end of the first semester next year, you should discuss your application with the Secretary to the Selection Committee.
2. Watch the age limit. You must not have passed your 25th birthday by 1 October in the year you apply for the scholarship.
3. Referees should be chosen carefully. You will be required to nominate six referees, at least three of whom should be academic referees, plus one who can speak of your school days and at least one who can write concerning your other activities.
4. If you are planning to do a research degree at Oxford (that is, a DPhil, or a Master's degree by research, not by coursework), the Selection Committee will usually expect to see evidence that you have been in touch with the appropriate person in the relevant department at Oxford, and that he or she has indicated that your planned project could be supported by the department. There is no point in attempting to do a research degree in a discipline that is not within the area of expertise of any Oxford department or faculty. Plainly, a candidate needs to get in touch with the appropriate person(s) at Oxford sooner, rather than later, as it can take some months to sort out such matters. See below for information on graduate degrees by coursework.
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Some advice: It is, therefore, important to make it clear when emailing or writing to a contact at Oxford that you are not seeking any special consideration, and that you understand you will need to go through the normal Oxford admissions process. Mention that selection committees in Australia like to have some comfort that, should they select you as the Rhodes Scholar for your state, your area of research would be one that that can be supported at Oxford. Once they are aware you understand that they can't give any iron-clad guarantees, most departments will be as helpful as they can. Certainly, letters along the lines of"if you are successful in winning a scholarship, and gaining admission to the University, we will be happy to have you join our research group" are not unknown. |
Email is the recommended method of communication. Check the Oxford web site for the appropriate department to which to direct your inquiries. A letter simply addressed to the Registrar is likely to wait its turn in being answered, so go directly to the department in which you want to study -- there is frequently a staff member designated to oversee graduate studies. If your honours supervisor, or other member of the academic staff at your university has a contact at Oxford, so much the better.
If you are doing a graduate degree by course work, or limited research, such as the BCL, MPhil or an undergraduate degree such as PPE, there is no need to contact the relevant department at Oxford. In fact, it is probably a good idea not to. It wastes time at Oxford as all the information you need can be found in the Graduate or Undergraduate Prospectus or on the Oxford department's web site.
NOTE: Election to the Rhodes Scholarship does not carry with it a guarantee of admission to Oxford.
Who to contact for advice and an application form
Should you wish to submit an application, you must contact the Honorary Secretary to the State Selection Committee in your state. While application forms are not usually available before May each year. You are encouraged to get in touch with the Honorary Secretary, as early in the year as possible to ensure that your preparations are on track -- particularly contact with Oxford concerning your research project (if you are planning to do a research degree), and to ensure that you will be able to submit a competitive application.
Should you wish to make an application you must contact the Honorary Secretary in your state to gain access to the online application form.
Honorary Secretary to the South Australian Selection Committee
Postal Address
Ms Sonja Cenic
Executive Officer to the Vice-President (Strategy & Planning)
Flinders University
Sturt Road, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042
Telephone: (08) 8201 3585
Fax: (08) 8201 3934
Email: sonja.cenic@flinders.edu.au
