About the Gates Cambridge International Scholarship

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme was established in October 2000 by a donation of US$210m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge; this is the largest ever single donation to a UK university.

There are at least 225 Scholars from c. 50 countries studying in Cambridge at any one time who pursue the full range of subjects available at the University and are spread across its departments and Colleges.

The Gates Cambridge mission is to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others. It aims to achieve this mission by selecting outstanding scholars, providing them with financial and non-financial support at one of the world’s leading universities and facilitating community building at and beyond Cambridge.

About the Opportunity

Each year Gates Cambridge offers c.80 full-cost scholarships to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. The applications for 2021-22 are now open!

About Funding

A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge. It also provides additional, discretionary funding.

The Core Cost includes:

  • University Composition Fee
  • A maintenance allowance for a single student
  •  One economy single airfare at both the beginning and end of the course
  • Inbound visa costs & the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge
  • The Discretionary Costs include:
  • Academic development funding
  • Family allowance
  • Field Work
  • Maternity/Paternity Funding
  • Hardship Funding

Eligibility

  • A citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom
  • Applying to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses of study at the University of Cambridge: PhD, MSc/MLitt or One year postgraduate course (with some exceptions)

Criteria of Selection

  • Academic excellence
  • Reasons for choice of course
  • A commitment to improving the lives of others
  • Capacity for leadership

Deadlines

  • US citizens resident in the USA- Application Deadline: 14 October 2020
  • All other eligible applicants- Dependent on your course – either 3 December 2020 or 7 January 2021

How to Apply?

Applicants submit their application for admission and funding (Gates Cambridge and other funding) via the University’s Graduate Application Portal.

Note: Gates Cambridge requires PhD applicants only to submit a research proposal as part of their application for funding. Most PhD applicants will upload a research proposal as part of their application for admission, but where this is not the case a research proposal is required to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. If you are applying for a degree other than the PhD you do not need to submit a research proposal as part of your materials of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship .


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