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Clarendon Fund Scholarship

The Clarendon Fund is Oxford University's flagship graduate scholarship programme, funded primarily by Oxford University Press. It awards over 200 scholarships annually across all academic disciplines, covering full tuition, college fees, and a generous living stipend. Crucially, there is no separate Clarendon application — every eligible graduate applicant who applies to Oxford by the relevant January deadline is automatically considered. For Sri Lankan postgraduate applicants this is one of the most accessible high-tier UK funding routes, since it lives inside the standard Oxford application.

Automatic consideration for 2026 entry — main January 2026 deadlines passed; 2027 entry opens September 2026

University of Oxford

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Living Stipend

£20,000+/yr (2025 rate)

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Duration

Full Length of Course

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Extras

Full Tuition + College Fees

info How this award actually works

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Who awards it

University of Oxford — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.

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What it covers

Full Tuition + £20,000+ Stipend. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.

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Where we come in

We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Applying to an Oxford Graduate Course

You must apply for a full-time or part-time matriculated master's or DPhil at Oxford. Almost all academic departments participate; PGCE, non-matriculated, and visiting student courses are excluded.

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Open to All Nationalities

Sri Lankan students are fully eligible. The Clarendon Fund makes no distinction between domestic and international applicants — selection is purely on academic merit and proven potential.

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Outstanding Academic Record

You need to be ranked in the top tier of applicants to your chosen Oxford course — typically a first-class Bachelor's (and a strong Master's for DPhil applicants). The Clarendon receives 5+ applications per scholarship.

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No Separate Application

There is no separate Clarendon form. Tick the funding consideration box on the standard Oxford graduate application, submit by the relevant January deadline, and your application is automatically ranked.

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Submit Oxford graduate application by January

Apply via the Oxford Graduate Application portal at ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate. Most departments have a January deadline (typically 6-10 January) for funding consideration including Clarendon.

Department review + ranking

Your chosen department reviews academic suitability first. If admitted, the department then ranks you against other applicants for Clarendon nomination.

Central Clarendon selection

Nominated candidates are reviewed centrally by the Clarendon Fund Committee. There is no interview specifically for the Clarendon — decisions are based on the original application materials.

Award notification

Clarendon offers are made on a rolling basis from January through April, alongside or shortly after the academic admission offer. You must hold your offer to receive the scholarship.

Why Clarendon at Oxford?

Around 200 new Clarendon Scholars join Oxford each year, swelling the cohort to over 600 in residence at any time. Clarendon Scholars are admitted to a formal scholar community with networking events, seminars, and lifelong alumni connections.

200+

Scholars / Year

#3

QS World Ranking 2026

150+

Countries Represented

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

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