Rotary Scholarships

Rotary invests more than $7 million a year in our future leaders and philanthropists by funding scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study.

Global Grant Scholarships are for graduate overseas study. Scholarships are generally for one year of study and generally around US$30,000. Scholarships can be awarded for up to four years of study. Students must be studying on a course that fits under one of Rotary’s seven Areas of Focus: 

1.  Promoting peace
2. Fighting disease
3. Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
4. Saving mothers and children
5. Supporting education
6. Growing local economies
7. Protecting the environment

 

Scholarships are awarded by the Rotary Foundation, within Rotary International. Students are normally funded partly by a home Rotary District where the student may currently live, work or study, and partly from central Rotary Foundation funds. The scholarships are only awarded for study in a different country. Family members of Rotarians are not eligible to apply. There is no restriction on holding other scholarships alongside a Rotary Scholarship. Applicants must first secure a university place before a Rotary Scholarship can be awarded.

 

However, before submitting this application, there must be support from a Rotary club and Rotary district. Each Rotary district will have its own application process and deadlines, so applicants are advised to contact their local Rotary club and district in November or December prior to the year of study.

An offer from a University is not required at the first stage of the Rotary application process (run by clubs or districts), but IS required before the application is submitted to the Rotary Foundation in June.

Rotary clubs in and around Oxford partner with overseas clubs to support Rotary Scholars; however, they do not provide funding for the scholarships. Applicants wanting to study in Oxford should contact Rotary in their home country, not Rotary in Oxfordshire.

Oxford University has around 25 – 30 Rotary Global Grant Scholars each year. There have been 7 – 8 Rotary Scholars in the Law Faculty in the last 10 years. These have been for both taught and research degrees.

The attached global grant scholarship document is written for Rotary clubs and Rotarians, but would also be useful for applicants.