Fully Funded Clarendon Scholarship 2027 at Oxford University

Oxford Clarendon Scholarship

Updated on 22 October 2026

The Clarendon Scholarship helps excellent students from any country study a Master's or a DPhil at the University of Oxford. It pays course fees in full and gives full-time scholars a living grant.

Provider	Clarendon Fund, University of Oxford
Country	United Kingdom
Level	Master's and DPhil (PhD), full-time or part-time
Benefits	Full course fees and a living grant (at least £20,780 in 2025-26 for full-time scholars)
Deadline	31st January 2027
Official link	Clarendon Scholarship page

Contents

• What it covers
• Who can apply
• Documents to prepare
• How to apply
• Selection timeline
• Mistakes to avoid

What the scholarship covers

The scholarship pays your course fees in full, at the Home or the Overseas rate. Most African applicants pay the Overseas rate, which is the higher one.

Full-time scholars also receive a living grant. It is at least equal to the UK minimum doctoral stipend (UKRI rate), which was £20,780 for 2025-26. The amount for 2027-28 has not been published yet.

Part-time scholars receive a smaller study support grant: one sixth, one third or half of the UKRI rate, depending on the course.

The award normally lasts as long as you pay fees for your course. Oxford does not say that it covers visa costs or flights. Plan to pay for your visa application, the UK health surcharge and your travel yourself.

Who can apply

The scholarship is open to all nationalities and all subjects. There is no restriction based on your country of residence.

You must be applying for a new Master's or DPhil at Oxford, and you must submit your application by the December or January deadline of your course.

You cannot be considered if you already hold a deferred offer for a graduate place, or if you are a current Oxford student continuing the same degree.

Competition is very strong. Most scholars hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent. Oxford gives a GPA of 3.7 out of 4 as an example. Your references, your personal statement and, for a DPhil, your research proposal also count a lot.

Documents to prepare from Africa

There is no separate Clarendon form and no extra document. You are judged only on your course application, so that file has to be strong.

Each course page gives the exact list. Most courses ask for official transcripts, a CV, a statement of purpose or a research proposal, references and proof of English.

If your transcripts and diplomas are in French, Arabic or Portuguese, you will need official English translations. Allow two to four weeks, because universities in many African countries are slow to issue certified copies.

Contact your referees early. They submit their letters online, and a late letter can leave your file incomplete on the deadline day.

Book your English test early too. Test centres in some African cities fill up quickly in November and December.

How to apply, step by step

• Step 1: choose your Master's or DPhil course and note its deadline on the course page.
• Step 2: prepare your documents and contact your referees.
• Step 3: submit your graduate application to Oxford by the December or January deadline. That one application also puts you forward for Clarendon.
• Step 4: wait for the department's decision on your place, then for news about funding.

You do not pay anything extra to be considered for Clarendon. However, the Oxford graduate application itself may carry a fee, and some low-income countries can get it waived. Check both on the official Clarendon page and your course page.

See the official Clarendon page

Selection timeline

December 2026 or January 2027	Course deadlines for 2027-28 entry
After the deadline	Academics in your field review your application, and the department decides on your place
February to March 2027	Departments put forward their best candidates, and divisions shortlist them
By the end of April 2027	Most first scholarship offers (CB1 letters) are sent
April to summer 2027	The funding letter (CB2) and your college place are confirmed

Oxford does not contact unsuccessful candidates. If you have heard nothing by mid-June, you have not received the scholarship. A few late offers can still come during the summer.

Mistakes to avoid

Applying after the January deadline rules you out. A later application cannot be considered for Clarendon, however strong it is.

• Waiting for a separate scholarship form. There is none.
• Sending transcripts without official English translations.
• Choosing referees who do not know your work well, or who reply late.
• Applying with a deferred offer, which makes you ineligible.

You can also look at the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the Emile Boutmy Scholarship at Sciences Po or the University of Twente Scholarship. If you would rather study without leaving home, you can also consider the online degrees offered through Unicaf.

Read also

• Gates Cambridge Scholarship for international students
• Emile Boutmy Scholarship at Sciences Po
• University of Twente Scholarship in the Netherlands

To get new scholarships as soon as they are published, join our WhatsApp channel Accès Bourses Afrique.