Check If You Qualify for the Rhodes Scholarship From Pakistan: Two Places a Year, Age 18 to 23

Short answer: Pakistan gets two Rhodes Scholarships a year for study at Oxford. The 2027 round ran from 1 June to 23:59 PKT on 5 August 2026 and is closed. In the previous round, you had to hold a Pakistani passport, have studied in Pakistan for four of the last ten years, and be aged 18 to 23 on 1 October of the application year.

Two places a year is a narrow door. A student who wants one should start preparing early. If you are in your second or third year of a bachelor's, today is not too early.

We read the Rhodes House page for Pakistan and the 2026 round "Information for Candidates" document for Pakistan on 14 October 2026. The 2027 version of that document was not available to us, so the age and degree rules below are from the previous round. Check the new document when the next round opens.

The dates: closed now, next round not announced

Rhodes House lists the Pakistan form as open from 1 June 2026 and closing at 23:59 PKT on 5 August 2026. It is available only inside those dates. No dates are posted for the next round.

The last two rounds ran from early June to early August, so prepare for a similar window in 2027. That is a pattern we saw, not a promise.

The page says selection happens inside each country's constituency, overseen by a National Secretary and team. It also links an information session, an application checklist and a guide for referees. Join an information session if one is open.

You do not pay to apply. The previous round's document says there is no application fee, and that only the online form is accepted.

Who qualified in the previous round

The 2026 round document asked for a Pakistani passport, four of the last ten years of study in Pakistan, and a Pakistani school exam or degree. Candidates were 18 to 23 on 1 October 2025, or under 27 with a recent first degree.

Only one of the two places could go to candidates who studied their undergraduate degree outside Pakistan, together with inter-jurisdictional candidates. That rule protects the local places.

Because the age line moves by a year each round, count your own dates from the next document, not from this table.

What the application asks for

The form asks for a CV, an academic statement, a personal statement of up to 1,000 words, transcripts, a CNIC or passport copy, a photograph and four referees. The CV must not exceed two A4 pages. Documents not in English need translations.

The personal statement answers three prompts about your strongest Rhodes quality, what you can learn and give in Oxford, and how you will take on humanity's pressing challenges. The document warns that details will be checked, and any fake reference or transcript can end the application.

It also points applicants to guidance on the use of generative AI. Write the statements yourself, in your own voice.

Your transcripts need certification by the Registrar or another responsible officer of your school or university. Start that request early. If your degree papers need verification, see how to get your degree attested by HEC online.

What you win and how often you can try

The document says the Rhodes Scholarship covers at least two years of study at the University of Oxford, and most full-time graduate courses are covered. You may apply again once if your first try fails, in the same constituency, if you still meet the rules.

Rhodes House checks the courses covered in a "Conditions of Tenure" document, which we did not read. We also did not read the funding amounts, so we state none.

1. Check your age and degree dates against the next round's document.
2. Pick an Oxford graduate course and note its entry rules and English level.
3. Ask four referees early and give them the Rhodes referee guidance.
4. Write the personal statement and academic statement in your own words.
5. Submit before the closing time, in Pakistan time, with every document.

If Rhodes does not fit, look at the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the Commonwealth Scholarship through HEC or the Chevening Scholarship. For English tests, see IELTS fees and booking in Pakistan.

Common questions

How many Rhodes Scholarships does Pakistan get?

Two a year, according to the Rhodes House Pakistan page.

Is the 2027 round still open?

No. The page says the form closed at 23:59 PKT on 5 August 2026. It gives no date for the next round.

Is there an application fee?

No fee was listed in the previous round's document. Only the online form is accepted.

How many referees do I need?

Four, in the previous round's document. Check the new document for the round you apply in.

Can I apply twice?

Yes, once more, in the same constituency, if you meet the rules. Rhodes House counts an application submitted by the deadline as one try.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Rhodes House page for Pakistan and its 2026 round Pakistan information document. We did not read the 2027 information document, the Conditions of Tenure or the funding terms. Age, degree and referee rules may differ in the next round.