Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee publishes something most US colleges keep quiet: the actual aid outcomes of international applicants. Its financial aid page carries three worked examples – Kyrgyzstan, China, Brazil – showing the family contribution, the scholarship, the grant, the work study and the out-of-pocket cost for each.
The headline numbers are also clear. Rhodes offered more than US$2.4 million in merit scholarships and need-based assistance to international students admitted last year, meets demonstrated need for admitted international students on student visas, and is need-aware – which means asking for a large award makes admission harder.
Rhodes College financial aid for international students at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | Rhodes College – automatic merit scholarships from US$20,000 a year to full tuition, plus need-based grants and work study for international students on student visas |
| Last date to apply | 1 November 2026 (Early Decision I), 15 November 2026 (Early Action), 15 January 2027 (Early Decision II and Regular Decision) |
| Official website | rhodes.edu – international student financial aid |
Need-aware admission and what Rhodes actually promises
Rhodes states three things that belong together. First, it offered over US$2.4 million in merit scholarships and need-based financial assistance to international students admitted last year. Second, it meets demonstrated need for admitted international students on student visas, often through a combination of merit scholarships, institutional financial aid and work study. Third, its international admission process is need-aware and extremely competitive for students seeking significant aid.
So the promise is real but conditional: if you are admitted, the package is built to cover demonstrated need. Whether you are admitted depends partly on how much you ask for. An Indian applicant needing close to a full ride is competing in the hardest part of the pool, and the realistic strategy is to apply with strong academics and to a college that has already shown it funds international students.
Merit scholarships from US$20,000 a year to full tuition
Every applicant is considered automatically for Rhodes’ general merit scholarships, which range from US$20,000 per year to full tuition. No separate merit application exists. Named awards such as the Diehl and Presidential scholarships appear in the sample cases below, and Rhodes also considers international students for on-campus work study.
Over 80% of Rhodes students receive some form of financial assistance, according to the admission site – a useful sanity check that aid is not a rare exception at this college.
Rhodes does not need the CSS Profile
International applicants file the Rhodes Non-Citizen Financial Supplement instead – a free form that appears in the Rhodes portal after the Common Application is submitted – together with a bank statement supporting the funding the family declares.
- The CSS Profile is not required for international students, and neither is the FAFSA.
- You may choose to send the CSS Profile, but Rhodes offers no fee waivers for it, so for most Indian families the free supplement is both sufficient and cheaper.
- The financial form doubles as the aid request: it is where need-based aid is asked for, so file it with accurate numbers rather than a placeholder.
Cost of attendance at Rhodes, 2026-27
| Charge, 2026-27 | Amount |
| Tuition | US$60,240 |
| Mandatory fees | US$820 |
| Housing and meal plan | US$15,196 |
| International health insurance | US$1,600 |
| Total | US$77,856 |
Rhodes states that its financial aid does not cover transportation, textbooks, SEVIS fees, housing during winter or summer breaks, and other personal expenses – so add those to the US$77,856 when planning. Aid is renewable for all four years assuming satisfactory academic progress, which means the package should not shrink between years.
Three aid outcomes Rhodes publishes itself
These are Rhodes’ own worked examples, with names and identifying details changed. They are the clearest picture available of how the money actually lands for an international applicant.
- Family contribution US$25,000: admitted with a Diehl scholarship of US$34,000 a year, a Rhodes grant of US$12,000 and up to US$2,500 in on-campus work study, out of pocket US$23,830.
- Family contribution US$30,000: admitted with a Presidential Scholarship of US$37,000 plus a US$4,000 Rhodes grant and up to US$2,500 in work study, out of pocket US$28,830.
- Family contribution US$65,000: admitted with a Diehl scholarship of US$34,000 and eligibility for up to US$2,500 in work study, out of pocket US$35,830.
Two patterns stand out. The award is assembled from a merit scholarship plus a smaller need-based grant, and the family contribution stated in the financial documents is broadly what the family ends up paying. Declaring a contribution you cannot actually meet does not produce a bigger grant.
Deadlines for 2027 entry
- Early Decision I: 1 November 2026. Binding. Rhodes begins reviewing ED I applications that seek financial aid on 1 October.
- Early Action: 15 November 2026, with notification by 15 January.
- Early Decision II: 15 January 2027. Binding. Aid review for ED II begins 15 November.
- Regular Decision: 15 January 2027, with notification by 15 March.
Rhodes says ED and scholarship decisions normally go out within two weeks of receiving all materials, so an early file gets an early answer – which matters when a family has to plan funding.
Documents and English requirements
- Common Application, submitted through the Rhodes portal.
- High school transcript translated into English.
- SAT or ACT scores are optional; applicants who do not submit them may be asked to sit a virtual interview.
- English test if your schooling was not in English: Rhodes says the most competitive applicants score at least 5.0 on the TOEFL (95 on the pre-January 2026 TOEFL scale), 7.0 on IELTS, or 130 on the Duolingo English Test.
- Teacher recommendation and the school report form.
- Rhodes Non-US Citizen Financial Information Form in the portal, plus a bank statement.
- An InitialView or Vericant interview is recommended but not required.
Rhodes typically starts visa paperwork at the beginning of May for enrolling students and issues the I-20 then, so an admitted student should have the financial documentation finalised well before that point.
Frequently asked questions
Rhodes states that it meets demonstrated need for admitted international students on student visas, often through a combination of merit scholarships, institutional financial aid and work study. Admission is need-aware, so the aid request is considered alongside the application.
No. Rhodes describes its international admission process as need-aware and extremely competitive for students seeking significant financial aid.
General merit scholarships range from US$20,000 per year to full tuition, and every applicant is considered automatically without a separate application.
No. International applicants use the free Rhodes Non-Citizen Financial Supplement in the Rhodes portal plus a bank statement. The CSS Profile is optional, is not required, and Rhodes does not offer fee waivers for it.
1 November 2026 for Early Decision I, 15 November 2026 for Early Action, and 15 January 2027 for Early Decision II and Regular Decision.
For 2026-27 the total is US$77,856 – tuition US$60,240, mandatory fees US$820, housing and meal plan US$15,196 and international health insurance US$1,600. Travel, textbooks, SEVIS fees and vacation housing are not covered by that figure.
Yes. Rhodes states that its financial aid is renewable, so assuming satisfactory academic progress the student should have the same financial aid package for all four years.
Official links
- Rhodes College – international student financial aid and 2026-27 charges
- Rhodes College – international application checklist
- Rhodes College – application plans and deadlines
- Rhodes College – cost and affordability
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