Oxford Ertegun Scholarship 2027–28

The Oxford Ertegun Graduate Scholarship 2027–28 is a fully funded award for outstanding students beginning an eligible full-time graduate degree in the humanities at the University of Oxford. It covers course fees in full and provides an annual grant for living costs for the full period of the course’s fee liability. Oxford currently lists the 2026–27 living grant as £21,805; the 2027–28 rate has not yet been published, so applicants should not assume that exact figure will apply next year.

Illustrative artwork for the Oxford Ertegun Graduate Scholarship 2027–28, offering full course fees and a living-cost grant. — Illustrative artwork — not an Oxford campus photograph.

Oxford Ertegun Scholarship 2027–28 at a glance

Host: University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Study level: Eligible full-time taught master’s, MPhil and DPhil courses
Eligible applicants: Students from every country and background
Funding: Full course fees plus an annual living-cost grant
Duration: Full period of fee liability for the approved course, subject to satisfactory progress for multi-year awards
Number of awards: Around 15 in a typical year
Deadline: The relevant January deadline shown on the chosen course page; the programme does not publish one universal date or cutoff time
Separate scholarship form: No separate portal, but applicants must select Ertegun funding and upload the required Ertegun supporting statement with the Oxford application

What does the Ertegun Scholarship cover?

Every Ertegun Scholarship pays the successful applicant’s Oxford course fees in full. Scholars also receive an annual living-cost grant. The official programme states that the 2026–27 grant is £21,805 and describes it as normally sufficient for one student living in Oxford. Because Oxford has not yet posted the 2027–28 amount, this guide does not invent or project a new figure.

The award normally continues for the full duration of the student’s fee liability. For programmes longer than one year, renewal depends on satisfactory academic progress. Scholars also receive dedicated access to Ertegun House, including workspace, lectures, performances, cultural activities and an interdisciplinary humanities community.

Who is eligible?

You may apply if you are starting a new, full-time Oxford graduate course that appears on the programme’s official eligible-course list. Nationality is not restricted: the official FAQ welcomes applicants from all countries and backgrounds, including UK students.

Eligible areas include Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; Classics and classical archaeology; English; selected Fine Art study; History, History of Art and History of Architecture; Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics; Medieval and Modern Languages; Music; Philosophy; Theology and Religion; and named interdisciplinary humanities courses. A limited group of Global and Area Studies and classical archaeology courses is also included.

Part-time courses are not eligible. Current Oxford graduate students cannot seek Ertegun funding merely for a later year of the same programme, although they may apply when starting a genuinely new eligible course. The scholarship cannot be held together with another award.

Deadline for 2027–28 entry

There is no single safe deadline to quote for every applicant. Oxford requires the graduate application and Ertegun materials by the relevant January deadline stated on the chosen course page. The Ertegun programme also explains that applicants whose humanities course has a later deadline must still meet the scholarship’s early-January timing. Certain eligible Global and Area Studies courses follow the deadline specified for those courses.

Oxford has not stated one shared cutoff time or time zone on the Ertegun scholarship page. Applicants should therefore use the exact deadline and submission instructions displayed on their own 2027–28 course page and submit early.

Documents and application requirements

The documents required for admission vary by course. Applicants should use the “Completing your application” section on the relevant Oxford course page as the controlling checklist. Common requirements include:

Oxford online graduate application;
official academic transcript, with a certified English translation if needed;
course-specific statement of purpose or personal statement;
CV or résumé where the course requests one;
written work, research proposal, portfolio or other course-specific material where required;
three registered referees, with at least two references received by the assessment deadline;
English-language evidence if the course requires it; and
the separate Ertegun supporting statement uploaded as a PDF.

The Ertegun statement answers three questions linked to the programme’s aims and mission. It is essential: the scholarship committee cannot review an application without it.

Application fee and English tests

Oxford currently charges £75 for taught-course applications and £20 for research-course applications. Fee-waiver routes are available to eligible applicants, including certain applicants from low-income countries, refugees and displaced people, and qualifying UK applicants. Applicants must check the current application-fee page before paying.

English requirements depend on the chosen course and may be set at Oxford’s standard or higher level. Do not assume a score from another programme applies. Check the course page and Oxford’s current English-language guidance for accepted tests, minimum component scores and waiver rules.

How to apply for the Oxford Ertegun Scholarship

Choose an eligible course. Confirm it appears on the official Ertegun eligible-course list.
Read the course page. Note its January deadline, entry requirements, documents, fee and English level.
Prepare the Oxford application. Register three referees and gather all course-specific supporting material.
Select Ertegun funding. Choose “Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Postgraduate Scholarships in the Humanities” in the funding section.
Complete the Ertegun statement. Answer all three required questions and upload the document as a PDF.
Submit by the correct January deadline. Make sure the application fee is paid or a valid waiver has been granted.
Prepare for possible interview. Faculties identify shortlisted candidates, who are normally interviewed before nomination to the central selection committee.

Apply Now on the Official Ertegun Scholarship Website

Selection and competitiveness

The programme reports more than 1,500 applications for a maximum of around 15 awards each year. It lists average success rates of approximately 1.5% for master’s applicants and 1.3% for doctoral applicants. Shortlisted applicants are considered by their faculty and may be interviewed before the central Ertegun selection committee makes final decisions.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ertegun Scholarship fully funded?

Yes. Oxford states that it covers course fees in full and provides an annual living-cost grant for the course’s fee-liability period.

Can international students apply?

Yes. Students from all countries and backgrounds may apply, provided their course and study mode are eligible.

What is the exact 2027 deadline?

It varies by course. Applicants must meet the relevant January deadline on their Oxford course page. No single universal date, cutoff time or time zone is stated for all candidates.

Is the £21,805 grant confirmed for 2027–28?

No. £21,805 is the published 2026–27 rate. Oxford has confirmed a living grant for successful scholars but has not yet published the 2027–28 amount.

Do I need a separate scholarship application?

You apply within the Oxford graduate application by selecting Ertegun funding and uploading the required Ertegun supporting statement. There is no separate external scholarship portal.

Oxford Ertegun Scholarship 2027–28: Full Fees + Living Grant