How Titus Malunga, a Zambian Scholar, Secured a Fully Funded Master’s in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom Through the Rhodes Scholarship - Zambia

My name is Titus Malunga, and I am from Lusaka, Zambia. I am a 2025 Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. Before Oxford, I studied Business and Project Management at the Copperbelt University (CBU) and later worked in banking. My professional experience exposed me to corporate banking, credit, risk, treasury, and sustainable finance, which deepened my interest in the relationship between finance, climate change, energy, and development.

At Oxford, I pursued the MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment. I wanted to understand sustainability not only as an environmental issue, but also as a financial and development challenge. My dissertation focused on climate variability, hydrological stress and electricity security in Zambia, using Lake Kariba as a case study. I am continuing my academic journey at Oxford in African Studies, which allows me to examine these questions from a broader African development perspective.

Rhodes Scholarship Details

• Institution: University of Oxford
• Scholarship: Rhodes Scholarship - Zambia
• Scholarship Year: 2025
• Funding: Fully funded

The Rhodes Scholarship covers Oxford course and college fees and provides a living stipend. For the 2025-26 academic year, the stipend was approximately £20,400 per year (£1,700 per month). It also supports costs such as the student visa, Immigration Health Surcharge, travel to and from the UK, and a settling-in allowance. Beyond the financial support, one of its greatest benefits is access to the Rhodes community and a global network of scholars working across many fields.

Educational Background

I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Project Management at CBU, graduating with Distinction and as the Best Graduating Student in my programme. Under the programme’s points system, I graduated with 51.5 out of 60 points.

After university, I joined First Capital Bank Zambia as a Graduate Trainee and worked across branch operations, corporate banking and credit, internal audit, risk management and treasury. This experience helped me connect business and finance with wider questions around energy, infrastructure, climate risk and economic development. It also gave me a practical foundation for postgraduate study in sustainability.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Oxford?

I first tried to understand why I wanted postgraduate education rather than beginning with the prestige of a particular university. I knew I was interested in finance, sustainability, energy and development, so I looked for programmes that allowed those interests to intersect.

For Oxford, I studied the programme carefully and tried to show a clear progression from my undergraduate degree, through my banking experience, to the questions I wanted to explore academically. My main lesson was that a strong application should explain why a particular programme makes sense for the problems you genuinely want to work on.

How Did You Find Information About Rhodes Scholarship and University of Oxford?

I used university and scholarship websites, LinkedIn, information sessions, and conversations with people who had gone through similar processes. For Rhodes, I would especially recommend using the official Rhodes Trust information for your constituency because requirements can differ by country.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

I did not take the SAT, ACT, GRE, or GMAT for these programmes. English-language requirements depend on the programme and an applicant’s previous education, so prospective students should always check the requirements for their own circumstances.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Rhodes Scholarship?

The Rhodes application required more reflection than a normal university application. Academic performance matters, but the process also asks you to think seriously about leadership, service, character, and what you hope to do with the opportunities you receive.

I reflected on my academic journey, student leadership at CBU, community and church involvement, and my professional experience in banking. The important part was not simply listing achievements, but understanding how those experiences connected. I also prepared seriously for the interview, focusing on understanding my own views rather than memorising perfect answers. I learnt that it is acceptable to say you do not know something; what matters is being thoughtful, honest and open to challenge.

How is Your Experience at the University of Oxford?

Oxford has been intellectually demanding and deeply enriching. One of the biggest adjustments was learning how much independent thinking is expected. You are encouraged to question assumptions, engage critically with evidence and develop your own position rather than simply reproduce what you have read.

I have especially valued the opportunity to connect academic work to challenges back home in Zambia. Oxford is also highly international, and support comes through the University, departments, colleges and, for Rhodes Scholars, Rhodes House. My college, Linacre, has also provided a very international community. Teaching and assessment are conducted in English.

What Did You Pursue After the Rhodes Scholarship?

My Rhodes journey is still ongoing. After the MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment, I am continuing my studies at Oxford in African Studies. My longer-term interests remain at the intersection of sustainable finance, energy, infrastructure, and African development, particularly how countries such as Zambia can finance development and the energy transition without creating new fiscal or debt vulnerabilities.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I cannot know exactly what the selection committee saw in my application, but I believe one strength was coherence. My application connected academic performance, leadership, service, professional experience, and a genuine interest in Zambia’s development. I tried not to write what I thought a Rhodes Scholar was supposed to sound like; I focused on explaining my actual journey and why the next step made sense.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

I would start earlier, not because the application itself necessarily takes months, but because a strong application requires reflection. I would also speak to more former applicants and scholars earlier, worry less about making every sentence sound impressive, and keep a better record of activities, responsibilities, and achievements throughout university and professional life.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

My biggest advice is simple: apply. Do not reject yourself on behalf of the selection committee. Coming from Zambia, it can be easy to assume that institutions such as Oxford or scholarships such as Rhodes are meant for people from particular schools or backgrounds. That is not necessarily true.

At the same time, prepare seriously. Understand the scholarship criteria, protect your academic performance, develop meaningful interests beyond the classroom, serve others in ways that matter to you, and build genuine relationships with people who can later write strong references. Most importantly, do not manufacture a heroic story. Connect the dots of the life you have actually lived, know why your proposed study matters, and be willing to have your ideas challenged.

The scholarship itself should not be the destination. It is an opportunity and a platform. The more important question is what you intend to do with the education, networks, and opportunities that follow.