About
Queen’s students planning graduate studies (or a second undergraduate degree) at Oxford University, may be eligible for a Rhodes Scholarship.
The Rhodes scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students and covers all university course fees, a personal stipend from which Scholars pay living/accommodation expenses, two economy class flights (one at the start of the scholarship and one at the end of the scholarship) to study at Oxford University.
Up to 11 Rhodes Scholarships are awarded annually in Canada. The scholarship is normally held for two years but may be one year only, depending on the degree program pursued by the scholar. A scholarship may be renewed, at the complete discretion of the Trustees, for a third and final year for those who were initially admitted to Oxford to pursue a doctoral degree. Scholars may follow their own course of study.
Funded by the estate of Cecil J. Rhodes (the Rhodes Trust), the Rhodes Scholarships support students who demonstrate a strong propensity to emerge as 'leaders for the world's future.'
Timeline and Details
| January-September |
Become familiar with the Rhodes Scholarship and decide whether the Rhodes Scholarship is suitable for you. Consult rhodessupport@queensu.ca and connect with Career Services as you begin to make long-term decisions, research options, prepare your curriculum vitae, academic statement of study, and personal statement. |
| March - May |
1) Review overall fit, taking into account requirements for admission to Oxford University. 2) Liaise with your referees to confirm their willingness to provide a positive reference letter by the Rhodes endorsement letter deadline. 3) If considering a DPhil, reach out to Oxford University professors whose programs interest you to seek any necessary informal support prior to application. 4) Work on and finalize your personal statement, academic statement of study, and curriculum vitae. |
| Mid - late May | Information for Candidates - Canada document for current cycle will become available online. |
| June 1st | Online application opens. |
| Mid-August (exact date coming soon) | Deadline to apply to Queen's for institutional endorsement. |
| Mid-September | Students will be notified of their endorsement status via email. |
| Late September (exact date coming soon) | Deadline to apply to Rhodes Trust for the Rhodes Scholarship. |
| Early October (exact date coming soon) | Deadline for reference and endorsement letters. |
| Variable | Apply to Oxford University by the deadline(s) for your academic program of study. Research individual program deadlines. |
| November | Rhodes will invite selected candidates to regional interviews and social engagement in November. |
| November | Interviewees can work with Career Services, and other Queen's-based supports, to prepare for the Rhodes interview process. |
Overview of Application and Endorsement Support
The primary source of information about the Rhodes Scholarship is the Rhodes Scholarship Canada webpage.
A very important document is the Rhodes Scholarship Canada Information for Candidates - Canada PDF found on this webpage. This PDF provides detailed information about eligibility and requirements for the current application cycle.
All applicants to Rhodes must be endorsed by their post-secondary institution. Candidates will be unable to submit an application to Rhodes without institutional endorsement, which acts as authorization.
The application materials that candidates must submit to Queen's to be considered for endorsement very closely mirror the application requirements for the Rhodes Scholarship.
Application and Endorsement Process
There are eligibility requirements for applicants from Canada related to citizenship, education and domicile, age, and academic achievement which are in the Rhodes Scholarship Canada Information for Candidates - Canada PDF found on this webpage. You can also access the Rhodes Eligibility Checker via the central Rhodes website.
Review overall fit, and consider what Rhodes says about minimum GPA requirements for admission to Oxford University (which varies between 3.5 and 3.7 out of 4.0 depending on the program).
A Rhodes Scholarship does not automatically guarantee entry to Oxford University. Check the Oxford University website for specific requirements, deadlines, and instructions for applying to programs of interest.
Queen's students will need to estimate their GPA on a 4.0 scale (which is what Oxford uses) by converting their Queen's GPA (which is calculated on a 4.3 scale) using an undergraduate grade conversion table.
Each year, a committee at Queen’s University decides who will receive an institutional endorsement.
For your application for endorsement, please create a single PDF containing all required components in the correct sequence (listed) and save as: LastName_FirstName_Rhodes.pdf.
Submit your application by the deadline as an attachment in an email addressed to: rhodessupport@queensu.ca
Queen’s students will be notified of their endorsement status via email by mid-September.
| Requirements for Endorsement by Queen’s University | Requirements for online Rhodes Scholarship Application |
|
Cover Page with the following:
|
n/a |
| n/a |
|
| Transcript: Digital official transcript (request in additional comments field in SOLUS) | Transcript: Digital official transcript (request in additional comments in SOLUS) |
| n/a | Institutional endorsement from Queen’s (uploaded by the university directly and acts as authorization for your application) |
| n/a | Evidence of English proficiency if English is not your first language http://www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/englishproficiency |
| Curriculum Vitae | Curriculum Vitae |
| n/a | Photo (colour) of head and shoulder - jpg format |
| Personal Statement (750 words) | Personal Statement (750 words) |
| Academic Statement of Study (350 words) | Academic Statement of Study (350 words) |
| References - six (include titles and relationship to you) | References – six |
If you have been successful in securing an endorsement from Queen’s University, you will then personally submit your Rhodes Scholarship application.
You can then register Principal Patrick Deane and the institutional email address (rhodessupport@queensu.ca) in the online application form endorser registration section. Your endorsement letter will then be uploaded directly by the university via the emailed link.
You are responsible for following up on your Rhodes application with the appropriate application to academic programs. Full details will be given from Rhodes upon selection.
The Rhodes Scholarship is confirmed only upon successful admission to the University of Oxford. Students must apply separately to the University of Oxford for admission. Successful applicants will need to apply to the University of Oxford very soon after selection.
For candidates who are successful in securing an interview, Queen’s, and Career Services, in particular, can support interview preparation. Please note that the interview is a mandatory part of the Rhodes Scholarship selection process.
Please email rhodessupport@queensu.ca once you have been invited for an interview.
Additional Resources
Resources at Career Services
Books
Perfect Personal Statements by Mark Alan Stewart. This series of books contains guidance on writing a personal statement for graduate programs. [Career Services Call Number: QCP E PERS 4]
How To Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae by Jackson & Geckeis. [Career Services Call Number: J.SRC.RSME.33]
Tipsheets
Workshops
Consider attending the following Career Services workshops to support your preparation for a Rhodes scholarship application:
Developing your curriculum vitae (CV): The Ramp Up Your Resume workshop will help you develop customization strategies, which you can use to target your Curriculum Vitae for your Rhodes Scholarship application.
Finding a program of study at Oxford and writing an academic statement of study: A strong Rhodes Scholarship application will require a well thought-out graduate application which is almost complete by the time of application to Rhodes for a scholarship. The Grad School workshop will show you databases and strategies for finding programs that are a potential fit. You will also learn ways to overcome common logistical and communication hurdles in applying to graduate or professional school.
Preparing for your Personal Statement: The Career Services Grad School workshop will help you with the reflection process and writing strategies in. Be aware that Rhodes applicants are expected to write their personal statement without receiving feedback on written drafts. Please bear this in mind when participating in this workshop.
Interview Preparation: The Winning Interviews workshop introduces interviewing strategies and an opportunity to practice responding to common (and challenging) questions.
These workshops are offered in the Fall and Winter terms and students can register for workshops in MyCareer which lists dates and times under the Events / Workshops tab. Rhodes Scholarship applicants who wish to participate in these workshops can expect to adapt these general strategies for the Rhodes context and are advised to follow up by booking 1-to-1 Rhodes appointments.
Becoming Rhodes Scholars: preparing the application - The most helpful advice the authors received was ‘show, don’t tell.’ - BY CONSTANCE BOURGUIGNON & VIRGINIE SIMONEAU-GILBERT | AUG 05 2021
Becoming Rhodes Scholars, Part 2 : the interview process and beyond! - The aim of the interview committee is to deeply challenge you by asking a variety of questions and getting you out of your comfort zone. - BY CONSTANCE BOURGUIGNON & VIRGINIE SIMONEAU-GILBERT | SEP 09 2021
Please email rhodessupport@queensu.ca with questions.
Past Recipients
- 2022 - Jane Hutchings B.Comm (Honours) '21
- 2021 - Matthew Hynes, Meds '22 and Jevon Marsh, MSc '20
- 2018 - Iain Sander, Sci '17
- 2017 - Claire Gummo, Arts '17
- 2010 – Nithum Thain, BSc '06
- 2009 – Raed Joundi, Meds '09
- 2006 – Michael Urban, BA '06
- 2002 – Susan Bartlett, Arts '02, BSc '03
- 2000 – Nick Pacheco, ArtSci, ’00
- 1999 – Robert McGill, Arts ’99
- 1998 – Samir Sinha, ArtSci ’98
- 1997 – Sarah Eddy, Arts ’97
- 1995 – Richard Zugic, Sci ’95 and Darren Littlejohn, Arts ’96
- 1994 – Brett House, Arts ’94
- 1993 – Caroline Roberts, Arts ’92
- 1992 – Emily Moore, Sci ’92
- 1991 – Daniel Moore, Sci ’91 and Edward Iacobucci, Arts ’91
- 1990 – Jennifer Howard, Sci ’90
- 1988 – Drago (Charlie) Galunic, Sci ’99 and Stephen Beke , Arts ’89
- 1987 – Paul Beke, Arts ’88
- 1985 – Liyanda Lekaleke (Botswana), Arts ’84
- 1984 – Steven J. Hankey (Bermuda), Arts ’84
- 1983 – Keith Collins, Arts ’83
- 1982 – Gregor Smith, Arts ’81
- 1978 – Banuta Rubess, Arts ’77
- 1977 – Jessie Sloan, ArtSci ’77
- 1976 – Douglas S. Hutchinson, Arts ’76 and Chesley Crosbie, Arts ’76
- 1968 – D. Bruce Amos, Sc ’68
- 1966 – Keith J. M. Mercer, Law ’69
- 1965 – Douglas McCalla, Arts ’64
- 1963 – Harley S. Smyth, Arts ’60, Meds ’63
- 1958 – David M. Nowland, Sc ’58
- 1956 – Anthony S. King, Arts ’65
- 1954 – Ian A. Stewart, Arts ’53, MA ’54
- 1948 – Neill Currie, BA ’45 and E. Michael V. Howarth, Arts ’49
- 1947 – Frank G. Hooton, BA ’46
- 1941 – Gordon (Gary) S. Bowell, Arts ’41 and Richard S. Rettie, Sc ’41
- 1939 – George P. Grant, BA ’39, LLD ’76
- 1938 – George M. Brown, MD ’38
- 1937 – J. Gordon Davoud, BA ’37
- 1927 – Douglas A. Skelton, BA ’27
- 1926 – Leroy F. Kendall-Leicester, BA ’26
- 1923 – Alban D. Winspear, BA ’23
- 1920 – Henry R. MacCallum, BA ’19
- 1918 – Kenneth E. Taylor, BA ’20
- 1915 – Ambrose A. Pooli, BA ’15, BSc ’22
- 1914 – Allan G. Cummings, MA ’14
- 1913 – Walter Dyde, MA ’11
- 1912 – Herbert Somerville Smith, MA ’12
- 1911 – Stanley Scott, BA ’16
- 1907 – Norman S. MacDonnell, BA ’09
- 1906 – A. M. Bothwell, MA ’05 and Arthur G. Cameron, BA ’06
- 1905 – James M. MacDonnell, MA ’05, LLD ’41
Support & Appointment Requests
Questions about the process? Email rhodessupport@queensu.ca.
Once the process and deadlines have been published for the current year, and you have researched all requirements, you should develop a tentative list of your references and prepare a draft of your curriculum vitae (CV). Once complete, you can then make a Career Services appointment to review your draft CV and Academic Statement of Study, and plan for your references.
Please email rhodessupport@queensu.ca for an appointment.
Career counsellors can also help Rhodes Scholarship applicants prepare for their interviews if they are successful in being selected for this stage of the process. If you are invited to interview, instructions will be sent to you by email.