2026 Gates Cambridge Scholarship
- TKI
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Deadline: 2 December 2025
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a prestigious, fully funded opportunity for outstanding postgraduate students from outside the United Kingdom to pursue a degree at the University of Cambridge. Each year, approximately 80 scholarships are awarded, with about two-thirds designated for PhD students. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the application process is now open.
Scholarship Benefits
A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge. It also provides additional, discretionary funding.
the University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate
a maintenance allowance for a single student (£21,000 for 12 months at the 2024-25 rate; pro rata for courses shorter than 12 months) – for PhD scholars the award is for up to 4 years
one economy single airfare at both the beginning and end of the course
inbound visa costs & the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge
The Trust also considers applications for several types of additional funding on a discretionary basis:
Academic development funding – from up to £500 to up to £2,000, depending on the length of your course, to attend conferences and courses.
Dependent Children Allowance – up to £11,604 for one child and up to £16,548 for two or more children (2024-25 rate). No funding is provided for a partner.
Fieldwork – you may apply to keep up to your normal maintenance allowance while on fieldwork as part of your PhD (the Trust does not fund other fieldwork costs as these should be funded by the University Composition Fee).
Maternity/Paternity funding – should you require it, you may apply to intermit your studies for up to 6 months and continue to receive your maintenance allowance during this time
Hardship funding – for unforeseen difficulties facing the scholar
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, applicants must:
Be citizens of a country outside the United Kingdom.
Apply to pursue one of the following courses at the University of Cambridge:
PhD (full-time or part-time)
MLitt (full-time)
One-year postgraduate course (full-time), with some exceptions.
Full course directory: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses
Please note that certain courses are not eligible for the scholarship, including undergraduate degrees, MBA, EMBA, MFin, and part-time degrees other than the PhD.
Application Process
The application for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship is integrated with the University of Cambridge's graduate admissions process. Applicants must submit a single application for both admission to their chosen course and the scholarship. The application includes:
Gates Cambridge Selection Questions: Applicants must respond to four questions that assess their fit with the scholarship's criteria: intellectual ability, reasons for choice of course, commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership potential.
Research Proposal: PhD applicants are required to submit a research proposal as part of their application.
Gates Cambridge Reference: In addition to two academic references for admission, applicants must provide a reference specifically addressing their suitability for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
Selection Process
The selection process for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship involves two stages:
Departmental Nomination: Academic departments at Cambridge nominate a small number of eligible applicants who meet all four of the scholarship's criteria to a very high level.
Interview: Nominated candidates are invited to a short interview to assess how they meet all four Gates Cambridge criteria. Scholars are then selected after the interview.
Additional Information
Visa and Immigration Health Surcharge: The scholarship covers the cost of a standard student visa application and the Immigration Health Surcharge
Community and Networking: Gates Cambridge Scholars become part of a global community of scholars committed to improving the lives of others
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