(WHNT) — Only a handful of students from the University of Alabama (UA) have received a Rhodes Scholarship, but Memphis, Tenn. native Nicholas Hayes can now count himself among them.

Hayes is among a group of just 32 students selected for a Rhodes Scholarship. He will study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom after graduating from UA next spring.

Hayes will graduate with two bachelor’s degrees in German and mathematics. At Oxford, Hayes plans to continue studying mathematics and linguistics, as well as philology and phonetics.

Rhodes Scholarships provide all expenses for two or three, and sometimes four, years at Oxford. The prestige scholarships were created in 1902 by Cecil Rhodes along with several other high-profile benefactors like Second Century Founders, John McCall MacBain O.C., and The Atlantic Philanthropies.

More than 2,300 students applied for the scholarships this year.

“The Rhodes Scholarship is an unparalleled opportunity for graduate studies at one of the top universities in the world that allows me to connect with leaders from around the globe,” Hayes said.

Hayes also received a Boren Scholarship and Hollings Scholarship and is a student in the Randall Research Scholars Program.

“All of us at The University of Alabama are filled with pride that one of our own was chosen for this well-deserved recognition,” said UA President Stuart R. Bell. “We congratulate Nicholas Hayes on his selection as a Rhodes Scholar. He is representative of the quality of UA students, who have a strong record of national scholarship achievement, and his success reflects the dedicated faculty and staff who support our students in achieving their goals.”