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Rhodes Scholarship

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Rhodes House in Oxford, designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

The Rhodes Scholarship is the world's oldest and arguably most prestigious international fellowship. It is a postgraduate 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.

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, nor from 1939 to 1970.

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]

Country2006
allocation		1903
allocation
U.S.3232
Canada112
South Africa
(originally Southern Africa)		105
Australia96
India5-
Germany25
New Zealand31
Caribbean Commonwealth1-
Kenya2-
Pakistan1-
Zimbabwe
(formerly Rhodesia)		23
Newfoundland
(now part of Canada)		11
Bermuda11
Jamaica11
Zambia1-

Notable Rhodes Scholarship recipients

See also: Rhodes scholars category

Early years (before 1920)

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

  • James H. Billington (New Jersey & Balliol 1950), U.S. Librarian of Congress, 1987-
  • John Brademas (Indiana & Brasenose 1950), American politician, President of New York University, 1981-1992, U.S. Congressman (Indiana), 1959-1981
  • Tanjore R. Anantharaman (India & Trinity 1951), Indian metallurgist
  • Richard N. Gardner (New York & Balliol 1951), U.S. Ambassador to Italy (1977-1981) and to Spain (1993-1997)
  • Stuart Hall (Jamaica & Merton 1951), British cultural theorist
  • Thomas A. Bartlett (Oregon & University 1951), President of the American University in Cairo, 1963-1969, Interim President of AUC, 2002-2003; Chancellor of the University of Alabama System, 1981-1989; Chancellor of the State University of New York, 1994-1996
  • John R. Searle (Wisconsin & Christ Church 1952), American philosopher
  • James A. Gobbo CVO AC QC (Melbourne & Magdalen 1952), Victorian Supreme Court Judge and Governor of Victoria
  • Elliott H. Levitas (Georgia & University 1952), U.S. Congressman (Georgia), 1975-1985
  • Guido Calabresi (Connecticut & Magdalen 1953), American legal academic, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, Professor and Dean at Yale Law School
  • Ronald M. Dworkin (Rhode Island & Magdalen 1953), American legal philosopher
  • Edward de Bono (Malta & Christ Church 1953), Maltese writer
  • Julian Ogilvie Thompson (Diocesan College & Worcester 1953), businessman
  • Robert J. L. (Bob) Hawke (Western Australia & University 1953), Prime Minister of Australia, 1983-1991
  • Laurie Ackermann (Cape Province & Worcester 1954), Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa
  • Lord (Leonard) Hoffman (South African College School & Queen's 1954), UK Lord Justice of Appeal
  • Norman F. Cantor (Manitoba & Oriel 1954), Canadian historian of the Middle Ages
  • Richard G. Lugar (Indiana & Pembroke 1954), U.S. Senator for Indiana, 1977-
  • Paul S. Sarbanes (Maryland & Balliol 1954), U.S. Senator for Maryland, 1977-2007
  • Robert O. Paxton (Virginia & Merton 1954), American historian of France
  • Ranjit Roy Chaudhury (India & Magdalen 1955), medical scientist
  • John H. Morrison (New Mexico & University 1955), former senior partner, Kirkland & Ellis, and former President of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars
  • Reynolds Price (North Carolina & Merton 1955), American poet and novelist
  • Lord (Johan) Steyn (Cape Province & University 1955), UK Lord Justice of Appeal
  • Virendra Dayal (India & University 1956), Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
  • Neil L. Rudenstine (Connecticut & New College 1956), American educator, President of Harvard University, 1991-2001
  • Arthur Kroeger CC (Alberta & Pembroke 1956), Canadian civil servant and diplomat, Chancellor of Carleton University, 1993-2002
  • Ranjit Bhatia (India & Jesus 1957), Indian Olympic athlete
  • Erich S. Gruen (Columbia & Merton 1957), Austrian-American classical scholar
  • Robert I. Rotberg (New Jersey & University 1957), American political scientist
  • Aaron Sloman (South African College School & Balliol 1957) Philosopher, AI researcher, Cognitive Scientist.
  • Michael Fried (Princeton & Merton 1958), American art historian and critic
  • Kristoffer Kristofferson (California & Merton 1958), American actor and musician
  • Joseph S. Nye, Jr. (New Jersey & Exeter 1958), American political scientist, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council (1993-1994), Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (1994-1995), Dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
  • Jonathan Kozol (Massachusetts & Magdalen 1958), American writer and social activist
  • Manmohan Malhoutra (India & Balliol 1958), Assistant Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
  • Desmond Morton (historian) (Royal Military College of Canada Ontario), Canadian historian and author
  • Pete Dawkins (Michigan & Brasenose 1959), 1958 Heisman Trophy Winner, Brigadier General, US Army (Ret. 1983), Chairman and CEO of Diversified Distribution Services, Travelers Group
  • Benjamin Bernard Dunlap 1959, President of Wofford College, Professor of humanities

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

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

Former trustees

References

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

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