Rhodes scholarship

American  

noun

1. one of a number of scholarships at Oxford University, established by the will of Cecil Rhodes, for selected students Rhodes scholars from the British Commonwealth and the United States.

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Rhodes scholarship British  

noun

1. one of 72 scholarships founded by Cecil Rhodes, awarded annually on merit to Commonwealth and US students to study for two or sometimes three years at Oxford University

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Rhodes scholarship Cultural  

1. A scholarship for study at Oxford University. Cecil Rhodes, an English financier of the late nineteenth century, established the scholarships to train potential leaders. They are designed for students from Germany and from nations formerly part of the British Empire, including the United States. Rhodes scholars are chosen for ability, moral character, and success in sports.

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Other Word Forms

• Rhodes scholar noun

Etymology

Origin of Rhodes scholarship

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Cardinale graduated from Harvard, where he was on the crew team and was awarded a Rhodes scholarship to study at Oxford.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

In June of this year, Balwit wrote about A.I. regulation for Asterisk Magazine; her bio mentions her roles at Anthropic and FHI, and that she was selected for a Rhodes scholarship.

From Slate • Dec. 13, 2023

The prize is awarded by a new $1 billion initiative supported by a former Google CEO, in partnership with the same foundation that funds the prestigious Rhodes scholarship.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 4, 2023

Liu also attended Oxford University on a Rhodes scholarship and earned a master’s degree in philosophy and physiology.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2021

Bill Clinton traded in a hand of low cards with the help of a college education and a Rhodes scholarship and emerged decades later with four face cards.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times