Clarendon Fund Scholarships

Clarendon Fund Scholarships are among the most generous graduate awards at the University of Oxford, and they don’t ask you to fill in a separate scholarship form. If you apply for a new master’s or DPhil course by your course’s December or January deadline, you’re automatically considered. Oxford says it offers over 200 new, fully funded Clarendon scholarships each year, with no restrictions on nationality, country of residence or subject.

That sounds simple, and in one way it is. In another way it’s demanding: because your course application is your scholarship application, every part of it has to be strong. This guide explains what the scholarship covers, who qualifies, how selection really works and how to avoid the mistakes that cost applicants their chance.

Key Benefits: What Clarendon Fund Scholarships Cover

For full-time courses, Oxford says Clarendon scholarships cover:

Course fees in full, for both Home and Overseas fee status students
An annual living-expenses grant of at least the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend rate. In 2025-26 that was at least £20,780, which Oxford says is normally enough for a single student living in Oxford.

The figure on the official page is for 2025-26, so check the current rate before you plan your budget.

Part-time courses

Part-time scholars receive a study support grant instead of a full living grant. It may be a sixth, a third or half of the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend rate, depending on the course. For courses with a modular fee structure, the scholarship covers the compulsory academic fees (such as the annual award fee, for a maximum of two years, plus registration and dissertation fees).

How long the funding lasts

Clarendon Fund Scholarships are normally offered for your period of fee liability, meaning the time you’re liable to pay course fees. Some scholarships cover extra time at the discretion of the academic divisions, but only a living grant is paid during that extra period. Your offer letter will state the exact duration.

What Clarendon doesn’t cover

Continuation charges, which apply after your fee liability ends, are not paid by the Clarendon Fund. If you’re doing a DPhil, keep that in mind when you plan your timeline.

Beyond the money

Oxford describes Clarendon as a community of scholars as well as a funding source, with over 700 scholars on course from around 70 nations. Successful candidates are also matched with “Partnership Awards,” which are put together into a bespoke funding package between April and the summer, with final college placements confirmed alongside them.

Who Clarendon Fund Scholarships Are For: Undergraduate, Graduate and Postgraduate Students

Undergraduate students

You can’t use this scholarship for a bachelor’s degree. Clarendon is for new graduate courses, so if you’re an undergraduate it’s a goal to plan toward. Our guides to the Gates Cambridge Scholarship and Chevening Scholarships also focus on postgraduate study.

Master’s students

All full-time master’s courses are eligible if you apply by the correct deadline. That includes students re-applying for a second master’s.

DPhil and doctoral students

All full-time DPhil courses are eligible. Part-time master’s and DPhil applicants are also considered for a study support grant.

Students already at Oxford

Candidates who are currently studying for a master’s at Oxford can be eligible if they’re reapplying for a DPhil or applying for a second master’s. But students who will continue the same degree next year aren’t eligible.

Clarendon Fund Scholarships Eligibility Criteria

The basic rules

You are eligible if you:

Apply for a new Oxford master’s or DPhil course (full-time or part-time).
Apply by the December or January deadline that applies to your course.
Aren’t holding a deferred offer. Oxford says applicants with a deferred graduate offer aren’t eligible for Clarendon.

There’s no nationality restriction, and the official page lists Nigeria among the countries its scholars come from.

How applicants are assessed

Oxford gives three guideline criteria:

Outstanding academic record. The majority of successful scholars usually have at least a first-class honours degree or equivalent, for example a GPA of at least 3.7 out of 4. Many score higher. An exceptional master’s degree can compensate for a moderate first-degree result. Requirements vary by discipline and by year.
Future potential and aptitude. Assessed through references and research proposals, looking for evidence of research aptitude and the likelihood of contributing to the field.
Student motivation. Judged from your personal statement and your referees’ reports.

Evidence of strong achievement can include individual marks, prizes, your position in your cohort and publications, where relevant.

What the pages don’t tell you

Oxford doesn’t publish a fixed cut-off, and the criteria vary slightly between subjects and between taught and research degrees. The page says Clarendon scholarships are highly competitive, so treat the guidelines as a baseline, not a guarantee.

How to Apply: Step-by-Step Process for Clarendon Fund Scholarships

There’s no scholarship application form and no extra documents to send. Here is how to approach the process.

Step 1: Choose your course carefully

Because each course sets its own entry requirements and deadlines, pick a course you genuinely fit. Read its page on the graduate admissions site, including its funding deadline.

Step 2: Check the deadline for your course

Almost all courses use a December or January deadline, which is also the funding deadline. Deadlines close at 12 noon UK time. As an example of how they differ, one Oxford department lists 2 December 2026, 7 January 2027 and 26 January 2027 for different courses in its 2027-28 cycle. Yours could be different.

Step 3: Build your application early

Your statement, research proposal (if required), transcripts, CV and references are all read by academics in your field. Start drafting weeks before the deadline.

Step 4: Ask your referees well in advance

References must arrive by the deadline too. Give your referees clear notice and a copy of your draft materials.

Step 5: Submit at least a week early

Oxford strongly recommends applying at least a week before the deadline, because late submissions are unlikely to receive an application check before the deadline passes.

Apply here: Oxford graduate Application Guide and course applications

Step 6: Let the process run

After you apply, academics in your department assess your application and nominate candidates for Clarendon scholarships in parallel with the admission decision. Applications for admission and for funding are separate decisions, so you may receive an admission offer before you hear anything about scholarships.

Step 7: Plan backup funding

Oxford says an offer of a place doesn’t necessarily mean a scholarship will follow, and recommends considering external scholarships, loans and other sources. You can apply without having your funding finalised.

Required Documents Checklist

There are no Clarendon-specific documents. Oxford says you don’t need to submit anything beyond your course application. What you submit depends on your course, so use your course page and the University’s Application Guide as the final authority. Courses commonly ask for items like these:

Completed online application form for your chosen course
Academic transcripts
CV or résumé
Personal statement or statement of purpose
Research proposal (for research courses that require one)
Written work (if your course requires it)
References from your referees
Evidence of English language proficiency, if required for your situation
The application fee, or details of any fee waiver (check the Application Guide)

This list is a general guide. Your course may ask for more or fewer items.

Important Deadlines and Timeline

Application deadlines

For 2027-28 entry, the cycle opened in September 2026. Almost all courses use a December or January deadline, and you must apply by that date to be considered for Clarendon Fund Scholarships. Deadlines fall at 12 noon UK time.

Things to know:

November deadlines. If your course uses one, it counts the same as a December or January deadline for scholarship purposes, and you usually hear the outcome earlier.
March deadlines. These give a later chance to apply, but you won’t be eligible for most Oxford scholarships.
Multiple applications. You can apply for up to three graduate courses for 2027-28 entry, though Oxford encourages you to focus on one.

What happens after you apply

Departments review applications and nominate candidates for Clarendon in parallel with admission decisions.
February to March: the academic divisions meet to review nominations. Top-ranked nominees in each division are shortlisted.
By the end of April: most initial offer letters are sent.
April to summer: bespoke funding packages and Partnership Awards are put together.
Mid-June: if you haven’t heard from the Clarendon Fund by then, Oxford says to assume you haven’t been awarded a scholarship. Unsuccessful applicants aren’t contacted individually.

Oxford says most of its scholarships are awarded between late February and June.

A practical timeline

Now: shortlist courses and read the entry requirements.
October: contact potential supervisors (for DPhil applicants) and ask your referees.
Early November: draft your statement and research proposal.
Late November: collect feedback and finalise.
At least a week before your deadline: submit.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Missing your course’s deadline. It varies by course, and you can’t be considered for Clarendon without meeting it.

Treating the application as just admission. There’s no second chance to add a “scholarship” section, so your course application must do all the work.

Applying for the March deadline and expecting Clarendon. You’d be ineligible for most Oxford scholarships.

Holding a deferred offer. Deferred offer holders aren’t eligible for Clarendon.

Assuming the same-degree rule doesn’t apply to you. Current students continuing the same degree aren’t eligible.

Submitting in the final week. Oxford warns it’s unlikely to check last-minute applications.

Relying on one funding source. Clarendon is highly competitive, and unsuccessful applicants aren’t contacted.

Forgetting continuation charges. They aren’t covered, so a DPhil that runs over could cost you.

Insider Tips to Improve Your Chances

These come from reading how the process is built, not from any official guarantee.

Remember that departments nominate first. Academics in your field decide who goes forward, so write for specialists, not for a general audience.
Make your research case specific. The criteria explicitly mention research proposals and aptitude. Show you know the field and where your work fits.
Let your references do real work. Referees’ reports feed directly into the motivation and potential criteria, so brief them properly.
Be honest about your academic record. Oxford gives a benchmark of a first or a 3.7 GPA, but allows an exceptional master’s to offset a moderate first degree. If that’s your story, make it visible.
Prioritise an earlier deadline if your course offers one. A November option has the same funding benefits and an earlier outcome.
Don’t defer if funding matters. Deferred offer holders aren’t eligible for Clarendon.
Apply for backup funding at the same time. The vast majority of Oxford scholarships are open to new graduate students only, and options for on-course students are very limited.
Use the University’s funding search tool. Oxford offers a Fees, Funding and Scholarship Search that lists other awards you might qualify for.
Look beyond Oxford. Our guides to the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, Knight-Hennessy Scholars and the MPOWER Global Citizen Scholarship cover other routes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to apply separately for a Clarendon scholarship?
No. You’re automatically considered when you apply for a master’s or DPhil by the right deadline.

Who can apply?
Anyone applying for a new master’s or DPhil at Oxford. There are no restrictions on nationality, country of residence or subject.

How much does it pay?
It covers course fees in full and gives a living grant of at least £20,780 in 2025-26 for full-time scholars. Check the current rate.

How many scholarships are there?
Oxford says over 200 new Clarendon scholarships each year.

Is there a minimum GPA?
There’s no published cut-off, but most successful scholars have at least a first-class degree or equivalent, such as a GPA of at least 3.7 out of 4.

Can part-time students get one?
Yes, they receive a study support grant instead of a full living grant.

Can I apply if I already hold a master’s?
Yes, for a new course. That includes a second master’s or a DPhil.

Can current Oxford students apply?
Only if they’ll be starting a new degree. Those continuing the same degree aren’t eligible.

What if I hold a deferred offer?
You aren’t eligible for Clarendon.

What if I apply in March?
You’d be ineligible for most Oxford scholarships.

When will I hear back?
Most initial offers go out by the end of April. If you haven’t heard by mid-June, assume you weren’t successful.

Will unsuccessful applicants get feedback?
Oxford says unsuccessful applicants won’t be contacted individually.

Can I apply to more than one course?
Up to three graduate courses for 2027-28 entry, though Oxford encourages a single focused application.

Conclusion: Your Next Steps

Clarendon Fund Scholarships reward outstanding academic ability and potential, and they remove the usual scholarship paperwork. That’s good news if your application is strong, because everything rides on the quality of your course application. It also means preparation matters more than any scholarship-specific trick.

Here is what to do this week:

Identify the Oxford course that fits your goals.
Find its funding deadline on the course page.
Check the entry requirements, especially academic benchmarks.
Line up your referees and share your timeline.
Start drafting your statement or research proposal.
Build a backup funding list in case the answer is no.

A final word of encouragement: even if Clarendon doesn’t come through, a strong Oxford application builds work and relationships that help with every other scholarship you pursue. Start early and keep going.

A note from the author: scholarship values, deadlines, eligibility rules and processes change often, and details differ between courses. This article reflects what Oxford’s official pages said at the time of writing. Please verify everything on the University of Oxford’s graduate admissions and Clarendon Fund pages before you apply.