The Rhodes Scholarship is a highly prestigious international award for study at the University of Oxford. Rhodes Scholars may study any full-time postgraduate course offered by the University except for the MBA – whether a taught Master’s programme, a research degree, or a second undergraduate degree (senior status).

The Scholarship is for two years in the first instance, though may be held for one year only; applications for a third year are considered during the course of the 2nd year.

University and College fees are paid by the Rhodes Trust. In addition, Scholars receive a monthly maintenance stipend to cover accommodation and living expenses. Although all scholars become affiliated with a residential college while at Oxford, they also enjoy access to Rhodes House, an early 20th century mansion with numerous public rooms, gardens, a library, study areas, and other facilities.

The scholarships were initiated after the death of Cecil John Rhodes and have been awarded to applicants annually since 1902 by the Rhodes Trust in Oxford on the basis of academics and strength of character.

Standards

Rhodes' legacy specified four standards by which applicants were to be judged:

• literary and scholastic attainments;
• energy to use one's talents to the full, as exemplified by fondness for and success in sports;
• 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.

This legacy originally provided for scholarships for the British colonies, the United States, and Germany. These three were chosen so that "an understanding between the three great powers will render war impossible."

Rhodes, who attended Oxford University, chose his alma mater as the site of his great experiment because he believed its residential colleges provided the ideal environment for intellectual contemplation and personal development.

Rhodes' original aim with the Scholarship, and subsequent changes

There has been some controversy over the original aim of the scholarships, as it has been alleged that Rhodes held racist opinions about the superiority of the Anglo race, and that his intention was to use the scholarships to educate future foreign leaders in Britain so that they could help spread British influence when they returned to their home countries. The Secretary of the Rhodes Trust 1925-1939 was Philip Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian who was a progressive imperialist, and an ex-member of Milner's Kindergarten.

To explore possible controversies about the Rhodes Scholarship, much can be found in two books by Dennis Cuddy PhD, The Globalists and Secret Records Revealed.

An early change was the elimination of the scholarships for Germany during World Wars I and II. No German scholars were chosen from 1914 to 1932^[1], nor from 1939 to 1970. Also, between the wars, for political and propoganda reasons Erich Vermehren was prevented by the German government from taking up a Rhodes Scholarship.

Rhodes' bequest was whittled down considerably in the first decades after his death, as various scholarship trustees were forced to pay taxes upon their own deaths. A change occurred in 1929, when an Act of Parliament established a fund separate from the original proceeds of Rhodes's will. This made it possible to expand the number of scholarships. For example, between 1993 and 1995, scholarships were extended to other countries in the European Community.

Because the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 in the United Kingdom did not affect wills, it took another Act of Parliament to change the Rhodes' will to extend selection criteria in 1977 to include women.

For at least its first 75 years, scholars usually studied for a Bachelor of Arts degree. While that remains an option, more recent scholars usually study for an advanced degree.

Allocations

Approximately 90 Scholars are selected worldwide each year. From 2006, 11 scholarships will be suspended for a period of 5 years, and the scholarship for Hong Kong were abolished, following its withdrawal from the Commonwealth since the transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China in July 1997. However, with the benefaction as described by the Rhodes Trust as "substantial and generous" from the Lee Hysan Foundation, the Rhodes Scholarships for Hong Kong is to be reintroduced.[1][2]

Country	2006 allocation	1903 allocation
U.S.	32	32
Canada	11	2
South Africa (originally Southern Africa)	10	5
Australia	9	6
India	6	-
Germany	2	5
New Zealand	3	1
Caribbean Commonwealth	1	-
Kenya	2	-
Pakistan	1	-
Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia)	2	3
Newfoundland (now part of Canada)	1	1
Bermuda	1	1
Jamaica	1	1
Zambia	1	-

Notable Rhodes Scholarship recipients

A table of Notable Rhodes Scholarship recipients can be found at Notable Rhodes Scholars.

See also: Rhodes scholars category

Centenary degrees

In recognition of the centenary of the foundation of the Rhodes Trust in 2003, four scholars were awarded honorary degrees by the University of Oxford:

• John Brademas (Indiana & Brasenose 1950), President of New York University, U.S. Congressman (Indiana), 1959-1981
• Robert J. L. (Bob) Hawke (Western Australia & University 1953), Prime Minister of Australia, 1983-1991
• Rex Nettleford (Jamaica 1957), Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, author, dance director
• David R. Woods (Rhodes & University 1963), Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University

Current trustees

• Lord Waldegrave of North Hill
• Olav Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard
• Miss Rosalind Hedley-Miller
• The Rt Hon Lord Fellowes GCB GCVO QSO
• The Rt Hon Lord Butler of Brockwell KG GCB CVO
• Mr Julian Ogilvie Thompson
• Professor John Bell
• Mr Thomas Seaman
• Professor Elizabeth Fallaize
• Professor Sir John Vickers FBA

Former trustees

• Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey
• Douglas Hogg, 1st Viscount Hailsham
• Rudyard Kipling

Notes

References

http://www.rhodesscholar.org/
http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/history.htm
http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/infoscholar.htm

External links

• The Rhodes Trust
• The American Secretary, Rhodes Scholarship Trust
• The Australian Rhodes Scholarship
• Bermuda Selection Committee
• The Rhodes Trust in Germany
• Indian Rhodes Scholarships
• Committee for Jamaica and the Commonwealth Caribbean
• New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee page on Rhodes Scholarships
• New Zealand Rhodes Scholars, listed for 1903 to 1964
• The Mandela Rhodes Foundation in South Africa
• Southern African Rhodes Scholarships
• Rhodes University — South Africa
• The first in-depth study of Rhodes women
• United States Naval Academy Rhodes Scholars

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