The Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa provide a fully funded, full-time, postgraduate award that enables talented young people from the region to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Two scholarships are offered each year through this programme.

Overview

The Rhodes Scholarship is a prestigious opportunity that covers all costs associated with pursuing a postgraduate degree at Oxford. The Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa are specifically intended for candidates who are citizens of and have been resident in eligible West African countries. The programme supports study in any academic discipline at the postgraduate level.

Funding and Benefits

The scholarship provides comprehensive financial support for the duration of the chosen course of study. Benefits include:

• Full coverage of Oxford University course fees
• An annual stipend to cover living expenses

Funding duration is dependent on the length of the degree programme. For example, funding for a PhD is available for up to three years.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for the Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa:

• Be a citizen of one of the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the island of Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Príncipe, or Togo.
• Have been resident in one or more of the listed countries for at least five of the last ten years.
• Meet the age requirements specified by the Rhodes Trust.
• Be at the First Stage Researcher (R1) career level, up to the point of PhD.

Deadline and Timeline

Deadline: 27 August 2026

Applications must be submitted by this date. The scholarship is intended for candidates seeking to begin their studies at the University of Oxford.

Contact Information

Organisation: Rhodes Trust
Country: United Kingdom

For more information, applicants may visit the official programme page at https://www.scientifyresearch.org/grant/rhodes-scholarships-west-africa/.