Reach Oxford Scholarship 2027 In The Uk: Fully Funded Undergraduate Study At The University Of Oxford For Students From Developing Countries — Deadline 26 January 2027

Reach Oxford Scholarship 2027 in the UK: Fully Funded Undergraduate Study at the University of Oxford for Students from Developing Countries — Deadline 26 January 2027

The Reach Oxford Scholarship is the University of Oxford's flagship fully funded undergraduate award for talented students from low-income countries — covering full course fees, a grant for living costs and one return airfare per year for three or four years of study. It is also one of the most competitive scholarships in the world: Oxford awards only around two to three Reach Oxford Scholarships each year. The scholarship application deadline for 2027 entry is Monday 26 January 2027.

Read this first, because it decides whether this scholarship is for you: you cannot apply for Reach Oxford unless you already hold an offer of a place at Oxford. Oxford states clearly that it cannot consider scholarship applications from students who have not been offered a place. The UCAS deadline for Oxford undergraduate applications was 15 October 2026, and that date has now passed. So this opportunity is a final call for students who applied to Oxford by 15 October 2026 and have received — or are about to receive — an offer. If that is you, the scholarship application form opens on Oxford's website in January 2027 and closes on 26 January 2027. If you did not apply to Oxford this cycle, this award is not open to you for 2027 entry — but keep it on your list for next year.

What the Reach Oxford Scholarship covers

The scholarship is funded jointly by the University, participating colleges and Oxford students, and it is designed to remove the financial barrier entirely for students who could not otherwise afford an Oxford degree:

• Course fees in full — the scholarship covers your University and college course fees for the full duration of your undergraduate course
• A grant for living costs — an annual grant towards your living and accommodation costs in Oxford
• One return airfare per year — a return flight between your home country and the UK each academic year
• Three or four years of funding — the award lasts for the full length of your undergraduate course, depending on the course, subject to satisfactory academic progress
• Around 2–3 awards a year — the scheme is deliberately small and highly selective, so only the strongest applicants are chosen

Who is eligible?

• Nationality — you must be a national of a country that receives official development assistance from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD. The list includes Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and many other developing countries
• An Oxford offer is essential — you must have applied for an eligible new undergraduate course at Oxford through UCAS by 15 October 2026 and received an offer of a place (conditional or unconditional). Oxford cannot consider you without one
• New undergraduate students only — the scholarship is for students starting their first undergraduate degree; priority is given to students who have not studied at undergraduate level before
• All subjects except Medicine — every subject in Oxford's undergraduate course listing is eligible, except Medicine
• Highest academic ability — the scheme is only suitable for candidates of the highest academic ability, and competition is very high
• Financial need and social commitment — you must demonstrate significant financial need, a strong social commitment, and that you cannot study for a degree in your own country for political or financial reasons, or because suitable educational facilities do not exist
• Intention to return home — applicants should intend to return to their country following their studies
• College is not a barrier — not all colleges offer Reach Oxford Scholarships every year, but if you are accepted by a college that is not participating, this will not prevent you from applying or being awarded the scholarship; arrangements will be made to transfer you between colleges

Key dates for 2027 entry

• 15 October 2026: UCAS deadline for Oxford undergraduate applications — now closed
• January 2027: Reach Oxford Scholarship application details and the online form are published on Oxford's official Reach Oxford page; Oxford offer-holders can then apply
• Monday 26 January 2027: Scholarship application deadline for 2027 entry (Oxford's published deadline; 12 noon UK time per the university's 2027 guidance)
• April 2027: Selection takes place
• By the end of May 2027: Applicants are informed of the outcome
• October 2027: Studies begin at Oxford

How to apply

1. Confirm you hold an Oxford offer for an eligible undergraduate course starting in October 2027. If you do not have an offer, Oxford cannot consider you for this scholarship.
2. Watch Oxford's official Reach Oxford page in January 2027 — the university will publish the 2027 application details and the link to the online scholarship form there. Do not use unofficial portals or agents; the form comes from Oxford itself.
3. Complete the online scholarship form before 26 January 2027, setting out your financial need, your social commitment and why you cannot study for a degree in your home country. Give yourself time — do not leave it to the final day.
4. Wait for the outcome by the end of May 2027. If you are successful, you will be expected to write an annual report about your academic and social activities and achievements, and the award continues each year subject to satisfactory academic progress.

A note on deferred entry: if you hold an offer for deferred entry and will start your course in October 2027, apply for the scholarship in January 2027 — the January of the year you will actually start. Oxford can only consider applications for undergraduate scholarships once.

Why this one is worth noting

Oxford is consistently ranked among the very best universities in the world, and Reach Oxford is its most generous undergraduate scholarship for students from developing countries — a genuine full funding package of fees, living costs and flights, for the whole degree. The catch is the scale: with only around two or three awards a year, it is extraordinarily competitive, and it is only open to students who have already won an Oxford offer. But if you are one of those offer-holders — especially a Nigerian student with strong grades, real financial need and a record of service to your community — this is the scholarship that can turn an Oxford offer into an Oxford degree. The form opens in January 2027 and the deadline is 26 January 2027, so mark the date now and prepare your case while you wait.

Official links

• University of Oxford — Reach Oxford Scholarship (official page)
• University of Oxford — Undergraduate Admissions (official site)

Details verified against the University of Oxford's official Reach Oxford Scholarship page on 5 November 2026. The UCAS deadline of 15 October 2026 has passed, so this scholarship is only open to 2027-entry offer-holders; the scholarship application form opens in January 2027 and closes on 26 January 2027. Deadlines and requirements can change, so always confirm them on the official page before you apply.