Weidenfeld-Hoffmann 2027–28: Documents and References
Your scholarship file is your Oxford course file plus one extra form. Here is what goes in it, what your three referees should cover, and a checklist you can tick off.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
There is no separate WH upload portal. Everything below goes into the Oxford graduate application, and every course page lists its own exact requirements under “Completing your application”. Treat the course page as the master list.
Your document checklist
Progress: 0% (0 of 10)
The WH Statement
This is the only document unique to the scholarship. Oxford publishes it as a Word file (“Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement 2027/28”) on the scholarship page, and says it must be uploaded with the graduate application by the deadline. The 2027/28 form asks for your education, two recent jobs, two volunteering roles and other scholarship applications, then five questions of no more than 200 words each. Convert it to PDF before you upload it. We cover how to write it on the WH Statement page.
Course documents
Each course decides its own file. Two examples of how different they can be:
Transcripts, a personal statement of 500–1,000 words, two pieces of written work of 2,000–4,000 words each, GRE General Test results (required unless you hold a UK or Irish degree), CV information entered in the form (a separate CV upload is removed), and three references, ideally all academic.
The Blavatnik School asks for a personal statement, a CV of up to two pages, a reflective policy essay (1,200 words), a public-service essay (400 words), transcripts and three references.
If a document does not meet the course’s specification, including word counts, Oxford may treat the application as incomplete and not assess it. That would also end your WH consideration.
Three references, chosen for two readers
Oxford course pages ask for three referees “who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course”. Those letters are read by the department first. But the WH panel reads your whole file too, and its selection criteria are about impact, leadership and commitment to your country.
A good mix for a WH applicant who has been working for some years:
- Two academic referees who taught or supervised you and can speak to your ability to handle an Oxford master’s. Most courses expect academic references; check the course page.
- One professional referee (if your course accepts one) who has watched you lead something real — a project, a team, a reform, a community initiative — and can describe the results.
Give every referee your CV, your WH Statement draft and a short note on the WH criteria. Ask them to include specific examples of initiative and impact, not adjectives.
Oxford expects references to be submitted by the course deadline. Some courses will start assessment with two of three references (the MSc Economics for Development says so), but a missing reference can still delay or sink both your place and your scholarship. Ask early, and send a reminder two weeks out.
English language
Every course is taught in English and the WHT FAQ says you must have passed your course’s required test to join the programme. Levels vary. The MSc Economics for Development requires Oxford’s higher level: IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with 7.0 in each component, or C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency at 191 with 185 per component. Tests must be taken no more than two years before the course starts.
One trap for 2027–28: course pages note that TOEFL iBT tests taken from 21 January 2026 will not be accepted for the English condition until Oxford finishes reviewing the revised test. Check the current position before you book.
Sources: MSc Economics for Development course page, Blavatnik School: how to apply to the MPP, Oxford scholarship page, checked 6 October 2026.