Six Harvard students selected as Rhodes Scholars

Rhodes House in Oxford

Nearly half of next year’s Rhodes Scholars from the United States are connected to New England, with six award recipients hailing from from Harvard College.

Rhodes Scholarships cover expenses for two or three years at the University of Oxford in England for elite college graduates. It is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship.

The Rhodes Trust announced the 32 American winners for 2013 this weekend; about 80 students receive scholarships worldwide each year.

In addition to the students from Harvard, seven winners are from Yale University, one is a woman from Maine studying at Stanford University, and another is a Brown University senior.

Elliot F. Gerson, American secretary of the Rhodes Trust, said in a statement that award recipients are chosen based on criteria outlined by the British philanthropist who created the scholarships, Cecil Rhodes.

“These criteria are high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership, and physical vigor,” Gerson said.