Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme 2027–2028
Overview
The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme provides university graduates and professionals, particularly those originating from low- and middle-income countries, with the opportunity to undertake full-time taught master’s degrees at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. This initiative merges academic study at Oxford with a comprehensive leadership curriculum, mentorship, and international networking designed to cultivate future leaders committed to public life and sustainable development.
Who can apply
Candidates must apply for a new, full-time taught master’s degree, such as an MSc or MA, that is featured on the official list of eligible programmes supported by the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust. Applicants should ordinarily reside in an eligible country, though exceptions are made for refugees and displaced persons, including individuals from outside the standard geographic list. Candidates are expected to show a connection between their chosen subject and long-term career goals, illustrating how their studies at Oxford will benefit public life in their home countries, regions, or internationally. Special partnership pathways exist for specific groups, such as the Chevening Partnership, the Oxford-Pakistan Programme for residents of Pakistan, and a dedicated scholarship for an Afghan woman of first- or second-generation descent.
What you get
The award covers eligible university course and college fees in full for the duration of the master’s degree. Scholars receive an annual living-cost grant of at least £21,805, alongside a £2,000 contribution toward pre-arrival costs covering visas and travel. Recipients also complete a mandatory Leadership Programme encompassing up to 200 hours of personal and professional development activities, such as philosophical discussions, communication training, enterprise development, and ethical leadership workshops. Successful scholars are assigned a place at one of eight partner colleges, which include Keble, Lincoln, Mansfield, St Antony’s, St Edmund Hall, St John’s, Trinity, and Worcester.
Requirements
Applicants must submit their graduate course application through the University of Oxford admissions portal by the specific December or January deadline established for their chosen course. Within the university's scholarship section, candidates must select the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme and upload a completed scholarship form alongside their graduate application. Additional requirements depend on the chosen partnership track, such as completing specific Chevening forms or submitting an independent statement of intent to the Oxford Pakistan Programme. Candidates must also meet academic prerequisites, English-language proficiency standards, and supply the required references.
How to apply
Interested individuals must choose up to two eligible taught master’s programmes following the graduate application rules of the University of Oxford. The application package requires completing the standard graduate admission steps, paying the £75 taught master’s application fee unless eligible for a waiver, and submitting the designated scholarship form through the university portal. Because the Leadership Programme commences prior to the official start of the academic term, successful participants must be prepared to arrive in Oxford several weeks early.