Reach Oxford Scholarship
The Reach Oxford Scholarship (formerly the Oxford Student Scholarship) is one of the very few fully-funded undergraduate awards at Oxford for students from low-income countries — Sri Lanka included. It covers tuition, college fees, and a maintenance grant for the full duration of a three- or four-year Bachelor's degree. Around 5-10 are awarded each year and competition is severe; applicants must demonstrate that they would otherwise be unable to study at undergraduate level in their home country.
2027 entry: UCAS application due 15 October 2026; Reach Oxford form due January 2027
University of Oxford
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
Fully Funded (tuition + stipend)
Duration
3 to 4 Years (full degree)
Awards
5 to 10 per Year
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University of Oxford — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
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.
What it covers
Full Tuition + College Fees + 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.
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
Citizen of an Eligible Country
Sri Lanka is on the eligibility list of low- and lower-middle-income countries. You must also be ordinarily resident in Sri Lanka at the time of application — not already studying overseas.
Exceptional Academic Record
Oxford undergraduate admissions are extraordinarily competitive. Sri Lankan applicants typically have 3 As or 4 As at A/L (Cambridge or Edexcel), supplemented by strong subject-specific test scores (TSA, MAT, BMAT) and a polished personal statement.
Demonstrated Financial Need
You must show that, without the scholarship, you would be unable to fund undergraduate study even at a university in Sri Lanka. The application includes a detailed financial statement covering household income.
Conditional Oxford Offer
Reach Oxford is awarded only to applicants who receive a conditional offer through the normal Oxford undergraduate admissions process (October UCAS deadline, interviews in December).
account_tree Application Process
Submit UCAS application by 15 October
Apply to Oxford through UCAS by the standard 15 October deadline. Indicate on your UCAS form that you wish to be considered for the Reach Oxford Scholarship.
Sit subject-specific tests
Most Oxford courses require a written admissions test (TSA, MAT, BMAT, LNAT, HAT) taken at a registered test centre — the British Council in Colombo is the standard centre for Sri Lankan applicants.
Attend the Oxford interview
Shortlisted applicants are invited for interviews in December. Sri Lankan applicants are typically interviewed online via Microsoft Teams. Conditional offers are released in early January.
Submit Reach Oxford supplementary form
Conditional offer holders complete the Reach Oxford financial application by the January deadline, including a household income statement and a referee letter on financial circumstances. Awards are confirmed by April.
Why Reach Oxford?
Reach Oxford is one of the only undergraduate funding paths at Oxford for students who would otherwise be unable to study at all. Alumni include lawyers, public-health leaders, and academics across Asia and Africa. Sri Lankan Reach Oxford scholars remain a small but tightly-networked community.
#3
QS World Ranking 2026
Full
Tuition + College + Stipend
3-4 yrs
Length of Bachelor's
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.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat UK actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for UK, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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