Oxford Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship is one of the largest philanthropic scholarship programmes at the University of Oxford. It funds a one-year master’s degree completely – 100% of course fees plus a grant for living costs – and adds a separate Leadership Programme with mentoring, business skills and communication training.
There is no separate scholarship form and no application fee. You apply for the scholarship inside the normal University of Oxford graduate application: tick the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme under the Oxford scholarships section and upload the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement along with your course application. The deadline is the December or January deadline of the Oxford course you choose, which for the 2027-28 intake falls in December 2026 or January 2027.
Oxford Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship 2027-28
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust together with the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. It is part of the Oxford Graduate Scholarships. |
| Study level | One-year taught master’s courses at Oxford, studied full-time. The scholarship does not support DPhil or other doctoral courses. |
| Who can apply | Outstanding graduates and early-career professionals from developing and emerging economies who would not otherwise be able to fund their studies, and who intend to return to their home country after the course. |
| What is covered | 100% of course fees plus a grant for living costs (£21,805 for 2026-27 according to the Trust; Oxford states a grant of at least £20,780) and the full cost of your Leadership Programme place. The award runs for the whole fee liability of the course, normally 9 to 12 months. |
| Last date to apply | You must submit your Oxford graduate application by the relevant December 2026 or January 2027 deadline of your chosen course – course deadlines differ, so check your course page on the Oxford website. |
| How to apply | Select Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme in the Oxford scholarships section of the university’s graduate application form, and upload the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement with it. Do not send the application to the Trust. |
| Official website | whtrust.org – Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust |
What the Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann Scholarship covers
- 100% of your Oxford course fees – the scholarship pays the full course fee for the agreed master’s course.
- A grant for living costs (a stipend) of £21,805 for 2026-27 as stated by the Trust; the University of Oxford page quotes a living-cost grant of at least £20,780. The exact rate is set for each academic year.
- The full cost of your place on the Leadership Programme, which runs from mid-September to early July and is a compulsory part of the award.
- Award length of 9 to 12 months, matching the fee liability period of your course.
- Transfer to one of WHT’s partner colleges at Oxford when you take up the scholarship, because the college contributes part of the funding.
- Access to the Trust’s mentoring, networking and alumni community, which continues after the course ends.
The scholarship does not cover the costs of dependants, and family members can normally join a scholar in the UK only if the scholar holds a government award or is studying a research degree – check the University of Oxford visa rules before you plan around this.
Oxford Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship eligibility
- You must be applying to start a new full-time graduate course at Oxford – the scholarship is for applicants, not for students already studying at Oxford. Current Oxford students are eligible only if they are already Weidenfeld-Hoffmann scholars.
- You must be ordinarily resident in one of the eligible countries listed on the University of Oxford scholarship page. The programme is aimed at developing and emerging economies, and scholars from India have held the award – the Trust’s current scholar list includes three Indian scholars.
- You should be intending to return to your country of ordinary residence once the course is completed.
- You must show a connection between your subject and your longer-term career objectives – how your work will contribute to public life in your country or region.
- You must be offered a place on an eligible Oxford master’s course. Only candidates who receive an offer are considered for the scholarship.
- The scholarship is not open to candidates who hold deferred offers to start in 2026-27.
- Applicants must have met the English language requirement of their Oxford course.
How to apply for the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship
- Choose an eligible one-year master’s course at Oxford and check its December or January application deadline on the course page.
- Prepare your Oxford graduate application – it is the same application you would submit for admission.
- In the scholarships section of the graduate application form, select Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme as the scholarship you want to be considered for.
- Complete and upload the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement together with the graduate application, before the deadline.
- Submit everything by the December 2026 or January 2027 course deadline. Applications held over to the March deadline, or placed on a waiting list, are not considered for this scholarship.
- If you are shortlisted, attend the online interview with the selection panel of Oxford academics, WHT staff, advisers and alumni.
- Decisions are communicated around May, and applicants who have not heard by that time should assume the application was unsuccessful.
Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship important dates
| September 2026 | Oxford graduate applications and the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann scholarship applications open |
| December 2026 / January 2027 | Deadline for your Oxford course application and for the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement (the deadline depends on your course) |
| March to June 2027 | Shortlisted candidates are contacted by the Trust and interviews are held online |
| Around May 2027 | Successful applicants are informed by the University of Oxford |
| September 2027 | Scholars arrive in Oxford for the compulsory introductory days of the Leadership Programme |
The Leadership Programme – what you get beyond the money
- Philosophical discussions and seminars that build the way you think about leadership and public life.
- Practical business and enterprise skills, including the WHT business challenge.
- Communication training for media appearances, public speaking and writing.
- Access to mentors, coaches and a network of scholars and alumni across countries and sectors.
- A one-year cohort experience that starts with a compulsory introductory session in September, before teaching begins.
Documents needed for the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann application
- The University of Oxford graduate application for your chosen course, with your degree transcripts, references and English test evidence as the course requires.
- The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement – this is the extra document for the scholarship and it is judged with your graduate application.
- Your nationality and ordinary residence details in the application form, which the university uses to check country eligibility.
- Any course-specific supporting documents listed on your Oxford course page – these vary by department.
It is a fully funded scholarship at the University of Oxford for a one-year master’s course, run by the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust with the university. It covers 100% of course fees, a grant for living costs and the full cost of the Trust’s Leadership Programme.
There is no separate scholarship deadline. You must submit your Oxford graduate application and the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement by the December or January deadline set for your course, which falls in December 2026 or January 2027 for the 2027-28 intake.
Yes. The programme is aimed at graduates from developing and emerging economies, and the Trust’s current list of scholars includes candidates from India. You must be ordinarily resident in one of the eligible countries listed on the University of Oxford scholarship page.
The Trust states that the scholarship is fully funded and covers 100% of course fees, a grant for living costs of £21,805 for 2026-27, and the full cost of the Leadership Programme place. The University of Oxford page quotes a living-cost grant of at least £20,780, reviewed each year.
No. The scholarships fund a limited number of one-year master’s level courses at Oxford. Doctoral courses are not supported by the programme.
No. Everything goes through the University of Oxford. You apply for your course, select the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme in the scholarships section of the application form, and upload the scholarship statement there.
You apply for the scholarship at the same time as your course application, but only candidates who are offered a place on an eligible Oxford course go forward for the scholarship.
Official links
- Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust – scholarship application and annual cycle
- Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust – scholarship FAQ
- University of Oxford – Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme
- University of Oxford – graduate scholarship search
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