Full Program Details
Most big scholarships make you write a second set of essays. Oxford's Clarendon Fund does not. If you apply for a master's or DPhil by your course's December or January deadline, you are already in the running for one of more than 200 new, fully funded Clarendon scholarships offered each year. Some courses close at 12 noon UK time on 2 December 2026 and others on 6 January 2027, so the real work is getting your course application in on time.
Full course fees plus a living grant of at least the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend (at least £20,780 in 2025-26), open to students of every nationality in every subject, with no separate scholarship form.
Details at a glance:
- Funder: Clarendon Fund, University of Oxford
- Awards: more than 200 new scholarships each year
- Level: new full-time and part-time master's and DPhil courses
- Covers: course fees in full, for both Home and Overseas fee status, plus a living grant
- Nationality: no restrictions on nationality, residence or subject
- How to be considered: apply to your course by its December 2026 or January 2027 deadline
- Example deadlines: 2 December 2026 for the DPhil in Computer Science, 6 January 2027 for the MSc in Advanced Computer Science, both at 12 noon UK time
Eligibility note: the scholarship deadline is your course's December or January admissions deadline. Each course page lists its own date, so check yours before anything else.
What the Scholarship Covers
- Course fees in full, whether you pay Home or Overseas fees
- For full-time scholars, a yearly living grant of at least the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend. In 2025-26 that was at least £20,780.
- For part-time scholars, a study support grant of a sixth, a third or half of that stipend, depending on the course
- Funding for your period of fee liability. Some divisions add extra time beyond that, with a living grant only.
Clarendon also brings you into a community of more than 700 current scholars from around 70 countries, from Nigeria to Norway.
Who Can Apply
- Anyone applying for a new master's or DPhil course at Oxford, in any subject
- Applicants of any nationality or country of residence
- Current Oxford master's students who are applying for a DPhil or a second master's
You are not eligible if you hold a deferred graduate offer, or if you are a current student continuing the same degree next year.
What Oxford Looks For
- An outstanding academic record: most scholars have a first class degree or equivalent, such as a GPA of at least 3.7 out of 4. A strong master's can make up for a weaker first degree.
- Future potential: judged through your references and, for research degrees, your research proposal
- Motivation: your commitment to the course, shown in your personal statement and references
How to Apply
- Choose your course on the Oxford graduate courses pages and note its December or January deadline.
- Line up your referees early. Their letters are part of what selectors read.
- Write your personal statement and, for research degrees, your research proposal.
- Submit your full graduate application before 12 noon UK time on your course's deadline. There is no separate Clarendon form.
- Your department reviews your application, then nominates its strongest candidates to the division for Clarendon.
Selection Timeline
- Divisions meet in February or March 2027 to review nominations
- Most scholarship offers go out by the end of April 2027
- Funding packages and college places are confirmed from April into the summer
- If you have not heard by mid-June 2027, assume you were not selected
How competitive is it?
Clarendon offers more than 200 new fully funded scholarships each year, and Oxford reported over 230 new scholars in 2025/26. The Humanities Division alone awards around 35 a year. Across the whole university, Oxford expects to offer more than 1,200 full or partial graduate scholarships for new students in 2027-28, so Clarendon is only one of several routes to funding through the same application.
Who is excluded
There are no restrictions on nationality, residence or subject, and both full-time and part-time Master's and DPhil courses qualify. You are not eligible if you are deferring an offer, or if you are a current Oxford student continuing on the same degree. Part-time scholars are funded for their fee-liable period only; continuation charges after that are not covered.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to apply separately for the Clarendon Scholarship?
No. Apply to your course by its December or January deadline and you are considered automatically.
When will I hear?
It depends on the department. Humanities applicants, for example, are notified by the end of March 2027.
Does Clarendon cover living costs?
Yes. It pays course fees and a grant for living expenses for the fee-liable length of your course.
GizPulse Verdict
Who this is for: Top graduates from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, the US or anywhere else, with a first class degree or close to it, who want a fully funded master's or DPhil at Oxford.
Who should pause: Applicants with modest grades and no standout master's record, and anyone planning to apply after the January deadline, when Clarendon is no longer an option.
One tip to stand out: Since there is no Clarendon essay, your course application is your scholarship application. Ask referees to comment directly on your research potential and your standing in your class, because selectors read exactly that.
Read the full rules on the official Oxford Clarendon Fund page and find your course deadline on the Oxford graduate courses pages.
