How to Become a Rhodes Scholar
Live in a country that has been allocated Rhodes Scholarships., Meet the age requirement., Cultivate academic excellence., Develop an interest in a sport., Provide service to your community., Be ready to complete your degree within the year...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Live in a country that has been allocated Rhodes Scholarships.
There are only 14 locations where citizens are eligible for the Rhodes Scholarship.
The chosen countries have varied some over time.
New locations are being considered for the scholarship.
Currently the Rhodes Scholarship is only available for those who live in:
Australia Bermuda Canada Germany Hong Kong India Jamaica and the Commonwealth Caribbean Kenya New Zealand Pakistan Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland) United States Zambia Zimbabwe -
Step 2: Meet the age requirement.
You must be a minimum of 18 years old to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship.
In most countries, you cannot be older than 24 by October 1 of the year following your selection.
A few countries may extend this age limit to 25 or even to
28.
Check with your home country's guidelines.The Rhodes Scholarship maintains a list of country-specific information here: http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/about/rhodes-countries. , The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world.
Mr.
Rhodes set “literary and scholastic attainments” as the first criteria for the scholarship in his will.You will be required to submit your academic transcripts, and you will want to make sure they look stellar.
Take advanced classes.
Double or triple up on majors.
Get really good grades.
Aim for a
4.0 GPA.
While there is no minimum GPA to become a Rhodes scholar, the organization says that “if it is unlikely that you would be admitted to one of the very most selective U.S. graduate programs in your primary field, it is unlikely that you will win a Rhodes Scholarship.”, Rhodes mentions using “one's talents to the full, as exemplified by fondness for and success in sports” as one of the qualities of a Rhodes scholar.If you have a disability that prevents you from participating in sports, don't worry.
The idea is to demonstrate that you have extraordinary energy and drive.
You can participate in other extracurricular activities, such as debate, drama, or chess club, to demonstrate that you are pursuing using your talents "to the full."
This service element of a Rhodes scholar is crucial.
Years of volunteer work, or other kinds of service to others, contribute a fundamental piece to winning applications.
Padding your resume by suddenly volunteering is frowned upon.
Establish a record of service early in your high school career.
Protection and sympathy for the weak is specifically mentioned by Mr.
Rhodes in his will.
Service that emphasizes community engagement for marginalized groups, such as volunteering at a homeless shelter or serving elderly shut-ins, will demonstrate your commitment in this area., A person who wins the Rhodes Scholarship must have completed or be expected to complete an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution by October 1 in the year following selection.
If this is not the case, you will be ineligible for the scholarship.Scholarship offers cannot usually be deferred., Because you will need to have five to eight letters of recommendation, developing good relationships with your professors is crucial.
Take special efforts to work with your professors, teachers and mentors.
They can not only help you by writing letters of recommendation, but they can also help guide your growth toward your scholastic goals.Visit your professor's office hours.
Be engaged and respectful in class.
Get a cup of coffee with them. -
Step 3: Cultivate academic excellence.
-
Step 4: Develop an interest in a sport.
-
Step 5: Provide service to your community.
-
Step 6: Be ready to complete your degree within the year.
-
Step 7: Develop relationships with your professors.
Detailed Guide
There are only 14 locations where citizens are eligible for the Rhodes Scholarship.
The chosen countries have varied some over time.
New locations are being considered for the scholarship.
Currently the Rhodes Scholarship is only available for those who live in:
Australia Bermuda Canada Germany Hong Kong India Jamaica and the Commonwealth Caribbean Kenya New Zealand Pakistan Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland) United States Zambia Zimbabwe
You must be a minimum of 18 years old to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship.
In most countries, you cannot be older than 24 by October 1 of the year following your selection.
A few countries may extend this age limit to 25 or even to
28.
Check with your home country's guidelines.The Rhodes Scholarship maintains a list of country-specific information here: http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/about/rhodes-countries. , The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world.
Mr.
Rhodes set “literary and scholastic attainments” as the first criteria for the scholarship in his will.You will be required to submit your academic transcripts, and you will want to make sure they look stellar.
Take advanced classes.
Double or triple up on majors.
Get really good grades.
Aim for a
4.0 GPA.
While there is no minimum GPA to become a Rhodes scholar, the organization says that “if it is unlikely that you would be admitted to one of the very most selective U.S. graduate programs in your primary field, it is unlikely that you will win a Rhodes Scholarship.”, Rhodes mentions using “one's talents to the full, as exemplified by fondness for and success in sports” as one of the qualities of a Rhodes scholar.If you have a disability that prevents you from participating in sports, don't worry.
The idea is to demonstrate that you have extraordinary energy and drive.
You can participate in other extracurricular activities, such as debate, drama, or chess club, to demonstrate that you are pursuing using your talents "to the full."
This service element of a Rhodes scholar is crucial.
Years of volunteer work, or other kinds of service to others, contribute a fundamental piece to winning applications.
Padding your resume by suddenly volunteering is frowned upon.
Establish a record of service early in your high school career.
Protection and sympathy for the weak is specifically mentioned by Mr.
Rhodes in his will.
Service that emphasizes community engagement for marginalized groups, such as volunteering at a homeless shelter or serving elderly shut-ins, will demonstrate your commitment in this area., A person who wins the Rhodes Scholarship must have completed or be expected to complete an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution by October 1 in the year following selection.
If this is not the case, you will be ineligible for the scholarship.Scholarship offers cannot usually be deferred., Because you will need to have five to eight letters of recommendation, developing good relationships with your professors is crucial.
Take special efforts to work with your professors, teachers and mentors.
They can not only help you by writing letters of recommendation, but they can also help guide your growth toward your scholastic goals.Visit your professor's office hours.
Be engaged and respectful in class.
Get a cup of coffee with them.
About the Author
Jonathan Ruiz
Creates helpful guides on practical skills to inspire and educate readers.
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