University of Oxford Scholarships for International Students 2026

Yes—there are some Oxford-linked scholarships that support specific distance/online formats (for example, certain Commonwealth Distance Learning opportunities run through parts of the University).

Oxford scholarships cover a very wide range of subjects, often across all departments, so you’ll see funding in STEM and engineering, business, humanities, and health-related fields (and more). In the recipient stories, Antonio is funded in Engineering/Materials, Avanish studied Engineering Science, and Pallavi Mahajan pursued an “MBA at Oxford.” For medicine/medical sciences, examples in the stories include Hendy Kristyanto (Integrated Immunology) and Fidelity Ndali (Modelling for Global Health). For humanities/social sciences, Zeen Naeem notes, “My work focuses on violence prevention and response,” while David studied Criminology and Criminal Justice. Medicine note for international students: Oxford does accept international applicants for Medicine, but Medicine is a special case with an international quota/limit (so it’s significantly more competitive for overseas applicants than most other Oxford courses).

Many major Oxford scholarships are open to applicants of any nationality, while some others are targeted (by region, country, background, college, or course). The Oxford recipient stories show how global the pool is: Antonio (Spain), David (USA), Zeen (Maldives), Fidelity (Zimbabwe), Avanish (Mauritius), Hendy (Indonesia), and Pallavi (India). Practically, that means you should search both “open-to-all nationalities” scholarships and any country-specific options you qualify for.

Often yes, if English isn’t your first language (or you don’t meet Oxford’s waiver criteria), Oxford typically requires accepted English-test evidence such as IELTS or TOEFL (or alternatives like Cambridge English). In the recipient stories, Antonio explains that “Once you have secured a place… you have to be able to demonstrate your English level,” and he adds, “I took the Cambridge Proficiency Exam (CPE).” If you do qualify for a waiver, you may not need IELTS/TOEFL, so it’s worth checking the exact waiver rules for your course and background.

Yes, but it depends on the course and level. For graduate admissions, many courses expect at least a strong upper-second class (2:1) or sometimes a First (or international equivalents). In the recipient stories, successful applicants often show very strong academics; for example, David lists a 3.93/4.00 GPA in his prior degree, and Antonio reports “outstanding academic results” with a 9.68/10 and 9.58/10. Use these as a “what winning profiles often look like” reference, then verify your course’s published minimum requirement.

Oxford scholarships are competitive, and a strong academic record is usually the baseline and is often equivalent to a First-class profile (and/or top marks in a relevant master’s). From the stories, the “winning pattern” is clear: David says committees look for “signals,” and that “academic performance can… differentiate a candidate.” Fidelity advises applicants to “Demonstrate clear research interests” and to be ready to explain goals and impact, while Antonio links funding to “previous academic performance” and prior projects/papers. Minimum eligibility varies by scholarship, but if you’re aiming for top Oxford funding, assume you’ll need excellent grades plus a clear academic fit (and, for research routes, a credible proposal and supervisor alignment).

It varies by course, but common Oxford graduate requirements include transcripts, a CV/résumé, a statement (personal/statement of purpose), references, and sometimes written work and/or a research proposal. The recipient stories match that reality: Antonio says, “You also have to prepare a proposal of the topic that you want to focus during your research,” and he describes interviews where you present prior projects. Pallavi highlights the practical side too; she’d “allocated more time to assist my referees,” which is a good reminder that references are part of your document workload and timeline.

Yes, Oxford lists an application fee for taught courses and a lower fee for research courses, and there are fee-waiver schemes for eligible applicants. For undergraduates, UCAS fee is charged.