A total of 32 American students have been chosen to join the University of Oxford as part of the esteemed Rhodes Scholarship program for the upcoming year. They will join a diverse international cohort that represents over 70 different countries, as announced by scholarship officials recently.
Approximately 3,000 students from the U.S. initiated the application process to secure the scholarship, which covers all educational expenses at the renowned Oxford University in England, enabling recipients to work towards their graduate degrees starting in October 2025. This update was released by the Office of the American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust located in McLean, Virginia, early on Sunday.
The selected scholars come from 19 states in addition to the District of Columbia, hailing from 20 different colleges and universities across the United States. Throughout the application stages, 865 candidates received endorsements from 243 various institutions. Ultimately, committees across 16 U.S. districts identified 238 finalists to be interviewed for the scholarships.
Remarkably, four of the chosen scholars are affiliated with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York—the highest number from a service academy in a single year since 1959. Additionally, the latest round of selections marked a historic achievement for Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia and Pepperdine University in California, as both institutions celebrated their first Rhodes scholars.
Coe College in Iowa and Davidson College in North Carolina also celebrated milestones, each selecting their first scholarship recipient in over five decades and 25 years, respectively. This renewed interest highlights the colleges’ commitment to contributing to the scholarship tradition.
The Rhodes Trust praised the diverse talents and backgrounds of this year’s scholarship winners, which include a DJ who integrates AI in music and healthcare, a student of religious studies fluent in six languages, an amateur boxer, and the youngest elected official in Missouri.
According to Ramona L. Doyle, the American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, a Rhodes Scholar embodies not only academic excellence but also a strong desire for social impact and the capability to collaborate effectively with others to reach their aspirations. She emphasized the importance of being dedicated to effecting positive change in the world and being aware of social inequities.
The Rhodes Scholarship was established in 1902 based on Cecil Rhodes’ will, the founder of the diamond mining company De Beers. The scholarship began its program with the first class at Oxford in 1903, followed by the arrival of the first American Rhodes Scholars the following year. Award winners pursue advanced studies in various fields, including social sciences, humanities, biological sciences, and physical sciences, as outlined by the trust.
Doyle described the Rhodes Scholarship as the “oldest and most prestigious award for international study,” considered by many to be the most recognized academic accolade available to American college graduates.
With this latest announcement, the overall count of American Rhodes Scholars reaches 3,674, representing 329 different colleges and universities. Notably, 675 American women have received the scholarship since they gained eligibility in 1976.
The 2024 class marks the first group of U.S. scholars to have undergone in-person screenings since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as previous procedures had shifted to an online format over the prior three years.
Typically, Rhodes Scholarships are awarded for two to three years, with the potential to extend to four. The scholarship covers all necessary fees, provides a living stipend, and covers travel costs between the U.S. and the UK. The overall value of the scholarship is estimated at around $75,000 per year, potentially totaling about $250,000 if recipients maintain their enrollment for four years.