Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship 2027-28 at Oxford: Eligible Countries, Courses and Deadline

The Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann Scholarship pays 100% of University and college fees plus a living grant for a one-year graduate course at the University of Oxford, and adds a year-long leadership programme on top. It is open to graduates and early-career professionals who live in about 140 low and middle income countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Europe. For 2026-27 the living grant was £21,805, and the 2027-28 rate has not been published yet.

There is no separate scholarship deadline. You must apply for an eligible Oxford course by that course’s December or January deadline in the 2027-28 cycle, tick the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships in the funding section and upload the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement at the same time. For most eligible courses the Deadline falls between 1 December 2026 and 27 January 2027, at 12:00 midday UK time.

Key facts about the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship

1. Offered by: the University of Oxford and the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust.
2. Fees: 100% of University and college fees for the full period of fee liability on your course.
3. Living grant: £21,805 for 2026-27, per the Trust. Oxford sets the 2027-28 figure later; expect it to be at least this amount.
4. Leadership Programme: about 200 hours of training, discussion and cultural activities from mid-September to early July, included in the award.
5. Study level: one-year master’s and other graduate taught courses on a fixed list. DPhil (PhD) courses are not funded.
6. Who it is for: people from developing and emerging economies who plan to return home and work for the public good.
7. Track record: Oxford says more than 175 scholars from 57 countries, studying in 30 departments, have taken part since 2007.
8. Separate application form: none. You use the Oxford graduate application plus the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement.

Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship eligible countries

You qualify through your country of ordinary residence on Oxford’s list. The list below is the one Scholars4Dev publishes for this cycle. Oxford’s own scholarship page is the final word, so check your country there before you apply.

Almost every African country is on the list (Seychelles is a notable gap), which makes this one of the widest fully funded Oxford awards for African applicants. Gulf states, Singapore, South Korea and most of the European Union are not on it.

Eligible courses for 2027-28

The award funds a fixed set of 40 courses. All are full-time and most last one year (the MBA and MPP run about a year; the BCL and MJur are graduate law degrees).

If your subject is not here, the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann route is closed to you for this cycle, even if the course is at Oxford.

Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship deadline by course

Each Oxford course sets its own application deadline, and the scholarship follows it. To be considered, your complete application (references included) must be in by the December or January deadline for your course. A March deadline is too late. These are the 2027-28 dates published on Oxford course pages, all at 12:00 midday UK time.

For courses not in the table, open the Oxford course page and use the last deadline listed before March. Oxford advises submitting at least two weeks before a deadline if you want to be considered for its scholarships, because references must arrive by the same cut-off. Noon UK time in December and January is 12:00 in Accra, 13:00 in Lagos and 15:00 in Nairobi.

Who is eligible: the full rules

1. You are ordinarily resident in a country on the eligible list.
2. You apply to start a new full-time graduate course at Oxford in 2027-28, on the eligible course list.
3. You intend to return to your country of ordinary residence after the course.
4. You can show a link between your subject and your long-term career, and how your work will benefit public life in your country or region.
5. You are not holding a deferred offer to start in 2027-28.
6. You are not a current Oxford student, unless you are already a Weidenfeld-Hoffmann scholar.
7. You meet the English language requirement for your course.

The Trust says there is no age limit and no work experience requirement, but most scholars are early-career professionals with five or more years of employment. A fresh graduate can apply. You will compete against people who have already run projects, offices or campaigns.

Edge cases

• Dual nationals and people living abroad: eligibility follows ordinary residence. A Kenyan working in Dubai for several years may not count as ordinarily resident in Kenya. Ask the Oxford funding team.
• Bringing family: the grant is for one person. UK rules since January 2024 allow master’s students to bring dependants only in limited cases, such as government-funded students, so plan to come alone.
• Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann: a joint award applied for through Chevening, with Oxford as your first choice. It has its own deadline and conditions.

How to apply, step by step

1. Choose an eligible course: check the course list above and the course page for entry requirements and the deadline.
2. Start the Oxford graduate application: the application fee is £75. Applicants ordinarily resident in about 45 low-income countries, and refugees, can get the fee waived through the form.
3. Tick the scholarship: in the Funding section, select the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme.
4. Complete the statement: download the 2027-28 Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement from the Oxford scholarship page, fill it in and upload it with your application.
5. Upload the rest: CV, transcripts, references, English test results and any written work or course statement your department asks for.
6. Submit before the deadline: ideally two weeks early, so your references are in on time.
7. Interview if shortlisted: shortlisted candidates may be interviewed.

Documents checklist

Our recommendation letter guide explains what to send your referees.

How to write the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann statement

The selectors judge you on your Oxford application, your statement and, for some, an interview. The statement is where you prove the “return and serve” part of the rules. Build it around one problem in your country and your record of working on it.

1. The problem: one specific public issue, with a number if you have one.
2. What you did: a project you led and what changed because of it.
3. Why this course: name two modules or methods you need and say why.
4. Your plan on return: the post, organisation or policy area you will work in, and what you aim to change within five years.
5. Leadership: what you expect to take from the Leadership Programme and how you will use it.

A sample opening (invented for illustration): “In Kano State, two in five health posts I inspected in 2024 had no working cold chain for vaccines. I set up a solar fridge pilot in six clinics with the state primary health board, and I now need the MSc Global Health Science and Epidemiology to measure what works before it scales.”

What happens after you apply

Your department reviews your course application first. Only applicants who get an offer, or are being considered for one, move into the scholarship round. Oxford’s main page does not set interview or result dates. In past cycles shortlisted candidates were interviewed online in spring and decisions came by late May, and unsuccessful applicants were often not contacted. If you hear nothing by June, assume the award went to someone else and look at your other funding.

Scholars start the Leadership Programme in mid-September, before Oxford term begins, and it runs alongside the degree until early July.

Costs the scholarship does not cover

The Trust lists three things the award pays for: fees, the living grant and the Leadership Programme place. Budget for the rest yourself unless your award letter says otherwise:

• UK Student visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
• Flights to and from the UK.
• English test fees and the £75 application fee (unless waived).
• Costs for family members.
• Rent above what the living grant covers. Oxford is an expensive city, and the grant is set for a single student.

Common mistakes

• Applying at a March deadline and expecting scholarship consideration.
• Picking a course that is not on the list because it looks close (for example, an MSc in a related subject).
• Forgetting to tick the scholarship in the Funding section.
• Uploading an old statement form from a previous year.
• Writing a statement about personal ambition with no plan to return home.
• Leaving references until the last week.

Weidenfeld-Hoffmann compared with similar awards

For more fully funded options across countries, see our scholarships for African students list.

Who should apply, and who should not

Apply if you live in an eligible country, have a strong first degree, already work on a public problem at home, and want one of the 40 listed courses. Applicants with a few years in government, NGOs, health, education, law or enterprise fit best.

Skip it if you want a PhD, plan to settle in the UK after graduating, or your course is not on the list. In that case look at the Cambridge International Scholarship for doctoral study, or the Manchester and Cardiff awards for partial funding.

FAQ

Which countries are eligible for the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship?

About 140 low and middle income countries across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Eastern Europe, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, Pakistan and Brazil. Eligibility depends on your country of ordinary residence.

What is the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship deadline for 2027?

There is no single date. Apply by your course’s December or January deadline, which runs from 1 December 2026 to 27 January 2027 for most eligible courses, at noon UK time.

Does the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship cover living costs?

Yes. It pays a living grant on top of full fees. The grant was £21,805 for 2026-27, and Oxford will confirm the 2027-28 amount.

Can I apply for a PhD with the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship?

No. It funds only the listed one-year master’s and graduate taught courses. For a funded doctorate, look at schemes such as the Cambridge International Scholarship.

Sources and updates

The programme description, scholar numbers and the Chevening route come from the University of Oxford’s Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme page. The 2026-27 living grant, Leadership Programme hours, age and experience guidance come from the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust FAQ. Deadlines come from the 2027-28 Oxford course pages and the Saïd Business School MBA page; the application fee and waivers from Oxford’s graduate application guide. The country and course lists follow Scholars4Dev’s summary of the Oxford page and were cross-checked against other listings. Checked on 25 October 2026. I will update the living grant when Oxford publishes the 2027-28 rate.

Jude Chinecherem

I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.