The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is one of the most prestigious international scholarships in the world.
This opportunity awards outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. Discover how you can apply below.
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Through the Gates Cambridge Graduate and Postgraduate Scholarships, education becomes more affordable for international students looking to pursue a PhD, MSc or MLitt, or a one-year postgraduate course in any subject offered at the University of Cambridge.
Every year, some 80 scholarships are awarded to the cream of the crop outside of the United Kingdom.
Please note, however, that the opportunity is not extended to the following programs:
- Any Undergraduate degree such as BA (undergraduate) or BA affiliated (a second BA)
- Business Doctorate (BusD)
- Master of Business (MBA)
- Master of Finance (MFin)
- PGCE
- MBBChir Clinical Studies
- MD Doctor of Medicine degree (6 years, part-time)
- Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
- Part-time degrees
- Non-degree courses
Benefits of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship
A Gates Cambridge Scholarships for International Students covers the full cost of studying at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Expenses include tuition fees, maintenance allowance, travel costs, visa, etc.
It also provides additional, discretionary funding such as academic development funding, family allowance, and fieldwork, among others.
Specific core components of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship
- The University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate*
- A maintenance allowance for a single student (£17,848 for 12 months at the 2021-22 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 University Composition Fee varies for different types of students; applicants should see the Graduate Studies prospectus for full details about precise amounts. Where a student from the European Union has been successful in gaining a fees award from public authorities they must accept this and the Trust will not pay these fees.
Discretionary Scholarship Components
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, dependent on the length of your course, to attend conferences and courses.
- Family allowance – up to £10,120 for one child and up to £14,440 for two or more children (2021-22 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
| SEE ALSO: The Gates Scholarship: All You Need to Know to Study in the USA
Eligibility Criteria for International Students
One can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship if they are:
• a citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom.
•  applying to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses of study: PhD, MSc or MLitt, or a one-year postgraduate course.
Furthermore, the selection criteria shall be based on:
- outstanding intellectual ability
- reasons for choice of course
- a commitment to improving the lives of others
- leadership potential
How to Apply for the Graduate and Postgraduate Scholarship Opportunities
Applicants are required to submit their application for admission and funding (Gates Cambridge Scholarships for International Students and other funding) via the University of Cambridge’s Graduate Application Portal.
To be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, aspiring scholars must complete the section to apply for admission to a course and a College place and the Gates Cambridge part of the funding section.
For more questions and clarifications, please visit the How to Apply section as well as the official Gates Cambridge Graduate and Postgraduate Scholarship website.
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