Oxford’s Clarendon Scholarship: Full Funding for Master’s and DPhil Students

The Clarendon Scholarship Oxford awards more than 200 new scholarships every year to outstanding graduate students. There is no separate application form. You are considered automatically when you apply for your course.

What the Clarendon Scholarship Oxford Pays For

The word “scholarship” can mean many things. At Clarendon, it means two clear things.

First, it covers your course fees. You do not pay tuition.

Second, it gives you a grant for living expenses. This is money for rent, food, and daily life while you study.

The funding lasts for the period of fee liability of your course. In simple words: it covers you for the normal length of your degree. If your Master’s takes one year, the funding covers that year.

One honest point: the page does not state the exact living grant amount. Amounts can change, so check the official page for current figures before you plan your budget.

Key Facts at a Glance

Detail	What the official page says
University	University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Scholarship name	Clarendon Fund scholarships
Number available	Over 200 new scholarships each year
What it covers	Course fees plus a grant for living expenses
Who can apply	Applicants to new full-time or part-time Master’s or DPhil courses, any subject, any nationality
Separate application	No — automatic consideration
Deadline	The December or January course deadline, whichever applies to your course
Selection basis	Outstanding academic merit and potential

Who Should Aim for Clarendon?

This part matters more than most people think. Clarendon is open to everyone, but it suits some applicants better than others.

You are a strong fit if:

• You are applying for a new Master’s or DPhil at Oxford
• Your academic record is excellent — top grades, strong references, clear potential
• You are applying in any subject — science, arts, medicine, law, anything
• You are from any country — there are no nationality limits

You should probably look elsewhere if:

• You are already studying at Oxford and continuing the same course — Clarendon is for new applicants
• You are applying for an undergraduate degree — this fund is for graduate study only
• Your course is not a Master’s or DPhil — confirm your course is eligible first

Be honest with yourself here. The page calls these scholarships “highly competitive.” That is Oxford’s polite way of saying most applicants will not get one. Apply anyway if you qualify — but have a backup funding plan too.

The Best Part: No Separate Application

Many famous scholarships make you fill in long extra forms. Clarendon does not.

Here is how it works. You apply for your Oxford graduate course through the normal admissions process. If you submit by the December or January deadline for your course, you are automatically considered for Clarendon.

That is the whole process. There is no box to tick and no extra essay to write.

This makes the course deadline doubly important. Miss it, and you lose both your chance at admission and your chance at Clarendon. Mark the deadline for your specific course and work backwards from it.

What “Highly Competitive” Really Means

Let us be direct. Over 200 scholarships sounds like a lot. But Oxford receives thousands of graduate applications from around the world.

The page says scholars are chosen for “outstanding academic merit and potential.” Notice the word “potential.” Oxford is not only looking at your past grades. They are asking: will this person do remarkable work in the future?

This means your application must show more than good marks. Your research proposal, your statement of purpose, and your references all need to show depth and original thinking.

There is also a community side. Clarendon supports over 700 scholars from around 70 nations at any one time. Winners join an active, international network — not just a funding scheme.

How to Strengthen Your Oxford Application

Since there is no separate Clarendon form, your course application IS your scholarship application. Every part of it counts.

• Start early. Oxford’s graduate deadlines fall in December or January depending on the course. References and transcripts take time to arrange.
• Write a sharp statement of purpose. Explain clearly what you want to research and why. Vague statements do not win competitive funding.
• Choose referees who know your work well. A detailed letter from a professor who supervised you beats a generic letter from a famous name.
• Show evidence of potential, not just grades. Prizes, publications, research experience, or original projects all help.
• Check your course’s exact deadline. The page says “December or January deadline, whichever is relevant to your course.” Do not guess — confirm it on your course page.

If you are weighing Oxford options, also look at the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship Oxford — a fully funded Oxford award for graduates from developing and emerging economies that adds a leadership programme on top. For funded routes beyond the UK, see the MOPGA 2027 Visiting Fellowship in France (€2,500 a month for early-career researchers) and the OFC Scholars Programme 2027.

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