The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford. Established in 1903, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the most prestigious international scholarship programmes in the world. Its founder, Cecil John Rhodes, wanted to promote unity between English-speaking nations and instill a sense of civic-minded leadership and moral fortitude in future leaders, irrespective of their chosen career paths. Initially restricted to male applicants from countries that are today within The Commonwealth, Germany and the United States, the scholarship is now open to applicants from all backgrounds and from across the globe. Since its creation, controversy has surrounded its initial exclusion of women, histor