Clarendon Scholarships 2027 at the University of Oxford

About

The Clarendon Fund is the University of Oxford’s flagship graduate scholarship scheme. It offers more than 200 new, fully funded scholarships every year to outstanding graduate students. Today the Fund supports over 700 scholars on course at the same time, from around 70 countries. Support from partner organisations makes about 85 extra scholarships possible each year.

Clarendon matters because it is open to everyone. There are no limits on nationality, country of residence or subject. Selection is based on academic merit and potential, and competition is very strong. You do not fill in a separate scholarship form. If you apply to an eligible Oxford master’s or DPhil course by its December or January deadline, you are considered automatically. For 2027-28 entry, course deadlines include 2 December 2026 and 6 January 2027, so check the exact date on your own course page.

Host institution / country

The University of Oxford is in the city of Oxford, England, in the United Kingdom. Graduate students belong both to an academic department and to a college. Clarendon Scholars also join a large, international and multidisciplinary community of fellow scholars across the university.

Financial benefits

• Course fees paid in full, at the Home or Overseas rate
• For full-time students: a yearly living grant of at least the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend (at least £20,780 in 2025-26)
• For part-time students: full course fees plus a study support grant worth a sixth, a third or a half of the UKRI rate, depending on the course
• Funding normally lasts for your full period of fee liability
• Continuation charges are not covered

Eligibility criteria

• Open to applicants of any nationality and any country of residence
• Any subject area
• You must apply for a new master’s or DPhil course at Oxford by the December or January deadline for that course
• Current Oxford master’s students applying for a DPhil or a second master’s are eligible
• Not eligible: applicants holding a deferred offer, and current students continuing the same degree
• An excellent academic record is essential. Oxford says this is usually a first-class honours degree or equivalent, such as a GPA of at least 3.7 out of 4. An outstanding master’s can make up for a less strong first degree

Required documents

There are no extra documents for Clarendon. You are judged on your normal graduate application. Typical supporting documents are:

• A CV of one or two pages (some courses use a standard online CV form)
• A statement of purpose and/or a research proposal, as your course page asks
• Written work, if your course requires it
• Transcripts of your university studies (with certified English translations if needed)
• At least two reference letters, submitted by the deadline
• Files in PDF, JPG or PNG format, under 4MB each when uploaded directly

How to apply

1. Choose your Oxford graduate course and find its 2027-28 deadline on the course page. Courses differ.
2. Prepare your CV, statement or research proposal, written work and transcripts. Ask your referees early.
3. Submit the full application, including at least two references, by the December or January deadline. Oxford advises submitting at least two weeks before the deadline.
4. Do not apply after these deadlines if you want funding. Applications to a March or later deadline are not considered for Oxford scholarships.
5. There is no extra Clarendon form. You are considered automatically.

Selection process and timeline

• Your department first assesses your application and decides on your place. You usually hear from the department about 8 to 10 weeks after your deadline.
• At the same time, academics in each department nominate strong candidates to their division.
• Divisions review the nominations in February or March, looking at academic merit and future potential.
• Top-ranked nominees receive an initial offer letter, mostly by the end of April.
• From April into the summer, the Fund builds each scholar’s final funding package. A second letter confirms the package and your college place.
• Unsuccessful applicants are not contacted. If you have heard nothing by mid-June, you should assume you did not receive an award.
• Across Oxford, most scholarship decisions are made between late February and June.

Tips for a strong application

• Apply to the earliest deadline you can. It gives you more time and keeps you in the funding round.
• Your references matter. Choose academics who know your work well and can speak about your potential.
• Make your statement or research proposal specific. Show clear motivation for this exact course at Oxford.
• Check every document against the course page limits. Over-length documents may be removed, and you cannot upload new versions later.
• Look for other Oxford scholarships too. Some need a separate application, and you can find them in the university’s scholarship search.