Rhodes Trust Names 32 American Scholars for 2027
Thirty-two American students were chosen from more than 1,000 nominees for the full-ride Oxford University scholarship.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Scholarships
The Rhodes Trust has awarded 2027 Rhodes Scholarships to 32 American students selected from a pool of more than 1,000 nominated candidates. Two Philadelphia-area scholars, Christopher Y. Shin and Mary I. Cipperman, were among the awardees.
Why it matters
The Rhodes Scholarship is a full-ride award to Oxford University, and the selection drew on more than 3,000 students who began the application process. For U.S. students weighing graduate study abroad, the cohort offers a clear picture of the academic and research profiles that the program selects.
The 32 American awardees were drawn from 1,006 formally endorsed applicants out of more than 3,000 who started the process, a pool endorsed by more than 281 schools. The announcement does not break down how many endorsed candidates advanced through each stage of selection.
The players
Rhodes Trust
The Rhodes Trust is the organization that administers the Rhodes Scholarship, which funds graduate study at Oxford University for students from around the world.
Christopher Y. Shin
Christopher Y. Shin is a Harvard University senior double majoring in chemical and physical biology and government who has researched infectious disease epidemiology.
Mary I. Cipperman
Mary I. Cipperman is a Harvard graduate with degrees in physics and applied physics who is researching AI applications for clinical trial emulation and patient diagnosis.
The details
Candidates were nominated by their colleges and universities before being selected from the resulting pool. Christopher Y. Shin, a Harvard University senior from Cherry Hill, N.J., will begin master's studies at Oxford next fall, while Mary I. Cipperman, of Devon, Pa., will pursue master's degrees in applied digital health and medical physics there.
Timeline
- Saturday, week of November 15, 2026: Rhodes Trust announces the 2027 scholarship recipients.
- October 2027: American and international scholars begin studies at Oxford.
- Fall 2027: Shin arrives at Oxford to begin his master's programs.
Season Trajectory
The Rhodes Scholarship has long placed American students at Oxford University, and this 2027 cohort continues that pattern of funding graduate study there. The selection of 32 Americans from more than 1,000 nominees shows the program's continued emphasis on a competitive, school-endorsed applicant pool.
Students considering the Rhodes Scholarship can see that the selection begins with nomination by a college or university, so applicants should engage their campus advisers early. The full-ride structure of the award means the financial cost of graduate study at Oxford is covered for selected scholars.
The takeaway
Nomination by a college or university is the first step in the Rhodes selection process, so students interested in the award should work with campus advisers well ahead of deadlines. The 2027 cohort shows that strong academic and research records across many fields can lead to selection.
What happens next
Shin is scheduled to begin his master's studies at Oxford next fall, and the American and international scholars start their studies there in October 2027.
Further reading
Explore more Scholarships coverage for context on awards like the Rhodes program.
