The Gates Cambridge Scholarship offers full-cost funding to outstanding international students applying for eligible postgraduate programmes at the University of Cambridge.
Around 75 scholarships are awarded each year, with applicants selected on academic excellence, leadership potential, commitment to improving the lives of others, and strong reasons for choosing their proposed Cambridge course. (student-funding.cam.ac.uk)
Who can apply?
Applicants must:
- be citizens of a country outside the UK;
- apply for an eligible postgraduate programme at Cambridge;
- meet the academic requirements of their chosen course; and
- demonstrate strong leadership and commitment to creating positive impact.
There is no general age limit.
Eligible programmes include many PhD, MPhil and other postgraduate Master’s programmes. Some programmes, including the MBA and certain professional courses, are excluded.
What does the scholarship cover?
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a full-cost award and normally covers:
- full University tuition fees;
- a maintenance allowance;
- economy travel to and from the UK;
- student visa costs;
- Immigration Health Surcharge; and
- possible additional support for academic development, dependants and hardship. (student-funding.cam.ac.uk)
The four main selection criteria
Applicants are assessed on:
- Academic excellence
- Strong reasons for choosing the Cambridge course
- Commitment to improving the lives of others
- Leadership capacity
Excellent grades alone are therefore not enough.
How to apply
There is no separate Gates Cambridge application portal.
Applicants apply through the University of Cambridge Postgraduate Applicant Portal and indicate that they want to be considered for Gates Cambridge funding.
Search eligible Cambridge postgraduate courses
Create a Cambridge Applicant Portal account
Cambridge postgraduate application guide
Additional Gates requirements
Gates applicants normally need an additional referee beyond the standard Cambridge references.
PhD applicants may also need to submit a research proposal, depending on their programme and application route. (postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk)
Choose the Gates referee carefully. The person should be able to comment on your leadership, character, commitment to others and suitability for the scholarship.
Application deadline
The international Gates Cambridge deadline is linked to the funding deadline of the applicant's chosen course.
Cambridge says the 2027 postgraduate application cycle will open in early September 2026. Applicants should check the course page once applications open for the exact December or January funding deadline. (postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk)
Official links
Gates Cambridge:
https://www.gatescambridge.org/
Cambridge course directory:
https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses
Application portal:
https://apply.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applicant/register
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