How to write the Rhodes academic statement
So you’ve started your Rhodes application and are starting in on your academic statement. As a reminder, the Rhodes Academic Statement is a short essay (no more than 350 words) including:
Your reasons for wishing to study at Oxford, what course you’d want to study there, and how it fits into your academic path thus far
Your qualifications for the course – how you are prepared for your chosen course of study academically or otherwise
If you’re hoping to do a DPhil, outline your proposed research, the department in which you’d like to undertake the research, and one or more researchers with whom you’d like to work
The Academic Statement is your opportunity to clarify what you’d like to get out of your education at Oxford. What would you like to learn, who would you like to work with, and what opportunities would you seize? It’s also an opportunity to convince the Rhodes Selection Committee that you’re academically prepared to embark on a program of graduate study at Oxford.
I was a finalist for the Rhodes in 2022. I was applying to the BPhil in philosophy, so in my academic statement, I noted that Oxford is the preeminent university in the world for the discipline. I explained that while my undergraduate university had one professor specializing in the subfield I wanted to pursue, Oxford had five. I highlighted my interest in the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, which I tied into my passion for bringing philosophy to bear on contemporary problems. I also mentioned a particular researcher on campus who I wanted to learn from, both academically and career-wise.
Notice that I included specifics about my chosen course of study, Oxford’s particular centers and resources, and how my interest intersected with them. Nothing I included was random: each detail about my desire to study at Oxford was connected to my broader application and interests.
When writing your academic statement, you can consider:
Does the course at Oxford you’ve chosen have a particular research focus or method that’s not taught anywhere else?
Is there a professor at Oxford who is an expert in exactly what you want to research?
Are there centers or programs at Oxford that play to your specific academic research interests?
You will also want to make sure you are illustrating that you are qualified to pursue your chosen course of study at Oxford. If you’re applying for the Rhodes, you probably are qualified for graduate study at Oxford. In your academic statement, make sure you include experiences you’ve had that illustrate your aptitude for graduate study, including any advanced coursework, research/senior thesis, academically-oriented extracurriculars or awards.
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The unwritten rules of writing a great resume
Sample emails to help your recommenders write winning letters of recommendation
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