The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships are fully funded master’s awards at the University of Oxford for graduates and professionals from developing and emerging economies. They pay your course fees and a living grant, and they add something most scholarships don’t: a year-long leadership programme with mentoring and a network of fellow scholars. If you’re an African applicant with a clear plan to use your Oxford degree to improve public life back home, this scholarship was built for you.
It’s also a demanding one. You need an offer from an eligible Oxford course first, then a strong scholarship statement, and you have to be comfortable with one rule many applicants overlook: you should intend to return to your country of ordinary residence after the course. This guide covers what you get, who qualifies, how to apply and how to avoid the mistakes that end applications early.
Key Benefits: What the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Cover
Oxford’s official page says the scholarship covers:
- 100% of your course fees
- A grant for living costs of at least £21,805
- Funding for the full duration of your fee liability on the agreed course
The living-grant figure is the minimum Oxford states on its page. It can change from year to year, so confirm the current amount before you plan your budget. For many taught master’s courses, fee liability is one year, but check your own course page.
The leadership programme
This is what sets the scheme apart. Oxford describes the Leadership Programme as a unique part of the scholarship. Over the course of a year, scholars take part in philosophical discussions, learn business skills and receive communication training within a supportive community. The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust, which runs the programme, also emphasises long-term mentoring and networking. The programme details are published by the Trust, so read its materials as well.
Where the money comes from
The scholarships are part of the Oxford Graduate Scholarships, a matched-funding initiative. The University contributes 40% and donors supporting the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust provide 60%, including Fondation Hoffmann. The programme began in 2015 to mark Lord Weidenfeld’s 95th birthday. In 2017, trustee and chairman André Hoffmann added a £9 million donation, matched by £6 million from the University, which doubled its size.
Partnership awards and your college
The Trust also works with the Oxford Pakistan Programme and with Chevening. In addition, several Oxford colleges contribute part of the funding. That has one practical consequence: successful candidates are transferred to a partner college to take up the scholarship, even if they listed a different college preference.
What the page doesn’t say
The official page doesn’t mention extras such as airfare, visa costs or family allowances. Don’t assume they’re covered. Ask the Trust directly if they matter to your plan.
Who the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Are For: Undergraduate, Graduate and Postgraduate Students
Undergraduate students
This scholarship isn’t for bachelor’s degrees. It funds new full-time graduate courses only. If you’re an undergraduate, treat it as a future goal and start building the academic record and leadership experience it rewards.
Master’s students and professionals
This is the core audience. The eligible course list on Oxford’s page includes about 40 master’s-level courses, such as the BCL, MJur, MBA, MPP and many MSc and MSt programmes. Examples include:
- MSc African Studies
- MSc Economics for Development
- MSc Global Health Science and Epidemiology
- MSc Energy Systems
- MSc Water Science, Policy and Management
- MSc Migration Studies
- MSc Refugee and Forced Migration Studies
- MSc Social Data Science
- MSc Law and Finance
- MSc Global Governance and Diplomacy
Oxford’s official page frames the scholarship around “outstanding university graduates and professionals,” so work experience can strengthen your case.
Doctoral (DPhil) students
The eligible course list I reviewed contains master’s-level courses only. A DPhil doesn’t appear on it. If you want to fund a doctorate, look at other awards, such as the Clarendon Fund Scholarships.
Current Oxford students
Students already at Oxford can’t apply unless they’re already Weidenfeld-Hoffmann scholars.
Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Eligibility Criteria
Oxford says you must meet all of the following. They’re assessed using your graduate application form, your Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement and, if shortlisted, your interview.
- Apply to start a new full-time graduate course at Oxford.
- Intend to return to your country of ordinary residence once your course is completed.
- Show a connection between your subject and your longer-term career goals, explaining how your professional work will contribute to improving public life in your country of origin or more widely, regionally or internationally.
- Not hold a deferred offer to start in 2027-28.
- Not be a current Oxford student, unless you’re already a Weidenfeld-Hoffmann scholar.
- Be offered a place on an eligible course.
- Be ordinarily resident in an eligible country.
The scholarship aims to support people who “would not otherwise be able to support themselves to study at Oxford.”
The country list
The official country list is long. Many African countries appear on it, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Cameroon, Egypt and Morocco. Check the full list on the official page, because it’s the only source that counts.
Oxford uses the “Nationality and ordinary residence” section of your graduate application form to assess your country of residence, so complete that section carefully and read the Application Guide’s definition. If you indicated on your course application that you’re a refugee or displaced, you’re considered eligible if your nationality is on the list.
Why the admission rule matters
This is the detail that catches people out: to be considered, you must be offered a place after your application is assessed in the December or January round. Applications that are held over until the March deadline, or placed on a waiting list, aren’t eligible for scholarship consideration.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step Process for the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships
There’s no separate scholarship portal. You apply through Oxford’s graduate application and add a statement.
Step 1: Choose an eligible course
Start with the official eligible course list. Then read your course page for entry requirements and its December or January deadline.
Step 2: Check your country and residence
Confirm that the country where you’re ordinarily resident is on the eligible list.
Step 3: Select the scholarship in your application
In the University of Oxford Scholarships section of the graduate application form, select the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme. Missing this step means you won’t be considered.
Step 4: Write your Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement
Download the statement template from Oxford’s scholarship page. Reports on the previous cycle describe it as a place to set out your long-term goals and motivations for study, but read the current template for the exact questions. Upload it with your application.
Step 5: Strengthen your course application
Your course application and your statement are assessed together. Prepare transcripts, references and any course-specific materials early.
Step 6: Choose a college preference (or leave it open)
You can state a preference or let the University allocate a college. If you win, you’ll move to a partner college anyway.
Step 7: Submit before your deadline
Aim to submit well ahead of it. Oxford deadlines typically close at 12 noon UK time.
Apply here: Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme: official Oxford page and statement template
Step 8: Prepare for an interview
If you’re shortlisted, you’ll be interviewed. Oxford says the interview is likely to be held online in April 2027.
Applying through Chevening instead
The Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships are applied for through the Chevening website, not Oxford’s. To be considered, you must list the University of Oxford as your first-preference university, and you’ll be subject to Chevening’s terms and conditions. If you’re also thinking about Chevening, our Chevening Scholarships guide covers it.
One application, several schemes
By applying for the Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann programme, you also consent to being considered for other partnership schemes, including those with the Oxford Pakistan Programme. Those selections are handled separately by the Trust and its partners.
Required Documents Checklist
There’s no separate scholarship application form beyond the statement. Your course page and Oxford’s Application Guide set the full list for your course. Expect items like these:
- Completed Oxford graduate application form, with the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Programme selected
- Completed “Nationality and ordinary residence” section
- Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement (uploaded with your application)
- Academic transcripts
- CV or résumé
- Personal statement or statement of purpose, if your course requires one
- References (the number and type depend on your course)
- Written work or other course-specific materials, if required
- English language evidence, if required for your situation
This is a general guide, not a complete list. Your course may ask for more or fewer items.
Important Deadlines and Timeline
Application deadline
For 2027/28 entry, you must apply by the December or January deadline for your course. Check your course page. As an example of how much dates vary, one Oxford department lists 2 December 2026, 7 January 2027 and 26 January 2027 for different courses in this cycle. Yours could be different.
What happens afterwards
- After the deadline: your course application is assessed. You must be offered a place on that round.
- April 2027 (likely): interviews for shortlisted candidates, probably online.
- By the end of May 2027: decisions are expected. If you haven’t heard by then, Oxford says to assume you were unsuccessful. It can’t contact unsuccessful applicants individually or give feedback.
A practical timeline for a December deadline
- Now to mid-October: confirm your course and country eligibility.
- October: ask your referees and download the statement template.
- Early to mid-November: draft your scholarship statement and course materials.
- Late November: get feedback and finalise.
- At least a week before the deadline: submit.
For a January deadline, keep the same working time, but remember that referees can be slow during the holidays.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Forgetting to select the scholarship. It must be chosen in the Scholarships section of the form.
Skipping the statement. It’s required, and it must be uploaded by the deadline.
Applying to a course that isn’t on the list. Check the official eligible course list first.
Holding a deferred offer. It makes you ineligible for the 2027-28 cycle.
Letting your application be held over or waitlisted. Those applications aren’t eligible for scholarship consideration.
Entering the wrong country of residence. It determines your eligibility.
Ignoring the return intention. The scholarship expects you to go back to your country of ordinary residence after the course.
Writing a generic leadership essay. The criteria ask for a specific connection between your subject and your career goals.
Relying on one funding source. Oxford says it can’t provide feedback or contact unsuccessful applicants.
Insider Tips to Improve Your Chances
These come from reading how the scheme is designed, not from any official guarantee.
- Treat admission as step one. The scholarship only considers applicants who receive an offer in the December or January round, so a weak course application can end your scholarship chances before the statement is read.
- Tie your subject to a real problem. The criteria ask how your work will improve public life in your country or beyond. Name the problem, your role in it and why this specific degree is the next step.
- Make the return plan credible. Don’t just say you’ll return. Show the job, organisation or sector you’d return to, and the experience that makes it believable.
- Show leadership with evidence. The programme exists to develop leaders, so use real examples of initiative, not job titles.
- Check your course carefully. Many eligible courses are in development, public policy, health, governance, energy and environment, and the match between course and mission matters.
- Prepare for an online interview. Practise explaining your plans concisely.
- Be comfortable with a college move. Winners move to a partner college, so don’t build your decision around a particular college.
- Consider both routes if you’re eligible. If you also qualify for Chevening, remember that the Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann route needs a separate Chevening application with Oxford as your first choice.
- Apply for backup funding at the same time. Our guides to the Clarendon Fund Scholarships, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship and the MPOWER Global Citizen Scholarship cover other options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships?
Graduates and professionals ordinarily resident in an eligible country who are applying to start a new full-time eligible Oxford course.
Is it open to undergraduates?
No. It’s for new full-time graduate courses only.
Can I use it for a DPhil?
The eligible course list contains master’s-level courses only, and DPhil isn’t on it.
What does it cover?
100% of course fees and a living grant of at least £21,805, for the full duration of your fee liability.
Is there a leadership component?
Yes. Scholars join a year-long programme with philosophical discussions, business skills and communication training, plus mentoring and networking through the Trust.
Do I have to return home after my course?
You should intend to return to your country of ordinary residence once your course is completed.
Do I need an offer from Oxford first?
Yes. You must be offered a place on an eligible course after the December or January round.
Is there a separate scholarship application?
No separate application, but you must select the scholarship in the form and upload the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement.
Can I apply if I’m a refugee?
If you indicated that on your course application, you’re considered eligible if your nationality is on the country list.
Will I get an interview?
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed, likely online in April 2027.
When will I find out?
Decisions are expected by the end of May 2027. If you haven’t heard, assume you were unsuccessful.
Will I get feedback if unsuccessful?
No. Oxford can’t contact unsuccessful applicants individually or give feedback.
Can I apply through Chevening as well?
Yes, for the Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships, through the Chevening website, listing Oxford as your first preference.
What if I held a deferred offer?
Candidates with deferred offers to start in 2027-28 aren’t eligible.
Will I choose my college?
You can state a preference, but successful candidates move to a partner college.
Conclusion: Your Next Steps
The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships offer more than funding. They pair a fully paid Oxford master’s with a leadership community, and they’re aimed squarely at people who want to use what they learn to improve public life at home. That purpose is also what the selectors look for in your application.
Here is what to do this week:
- Check whether your target course is on the eligible list.
- Confirm that your country of ordinary residence is on the country list.
- Find your course’s December or January deadline.
- Download the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement template.
- Ask your referees and start your course application materials.
- Draft a clear, specific link between your degree and your return plan.
- Build a backup funding list.
Even if this scholarship doesn’t come through, the work of clarifying your purpose will strengthen every other application you make. Start early and keep going.
A note from the author: scholarship values, eligible courses, countries, deadlines and rules change from cycle to cycle. This article reflects what Oxford’s official pages said at the time of writing. Please verify every detail on the University of Oxford’s website, and the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust’s materials, before you apply.