A number of Oxford colleges offer Reach Oxford scholarships (formerly Oxford Student Scholarships) to students from developing countries who, for political or financial reasons, or because equivalent educational facilities do not exist, cannot study for a degree in their own countries.
Nationality
All countries in the list defined by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD except Saudi Arabia (see note 1 on their list):
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte D’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, FYR Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestinian Administered Areas, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Other criteria
This scheme is only suitable for candidates of the highest academic ability who have outstanding examination results. However, financial need and social commitment are also major criteria for selection.
Level of study: Undergraduate degrees
Subject: All undergraduate subjects except Medicine due to the length and expense of this course
Duration: Full course duration
Type of student: New students
Value: University and college fees, full grant for living expenses; return flight to the UK at the start and end of the course
Number: A small number of awards will be made, yet to be confirmed
Application procedure
You must apply to Oxford by the undergraduate closing date (15 October). If successful, you can apply for Reach Oxford from January to 26 February 2010.
To be considered for the scholarship, you must also write a supporting statement that answers the following two questions in Section E of the application form:
1. Why are you applying for this scholarship and what impact will it have on your career?
2. How would you use the education you receive at Oxford for the benefit of your community?
Downloads
Application form for undergraduate scholarships
Closing date
Apply to UCAS and Oxford by 15 October 2010 and for the scholarship by 26 February 2011
Applicants should be aware that competition for the scheme is very high and the University does not have additional funding for those candidates who are not offered a scholarship
Other information
This scheme was formerly known as Oxford Students Scholarship (OSS)
About the donor
The Scholars are funded through a partnership between various Colleges, Common Rooms and the University. If your application is successful, you may be asked to transfer to a college that is providing a Reach Oxford scholarship