Overview
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is one of the most prestigious and competitive international scholarship programmes in the world, established in October 2000 through a historic US$210 million donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge. Each year, Gates Cambridge offers approximately 80 full-cost scholarships to outstanding postgraduate applicants from countries outside the United Kingdom who wish to study at the University of Cambridge.
Around two-thirds of these awards go to PhD students. Scholars join a vibrant global community of approximately 250 current scholars from over 50 countries, and a growing alumni network of more than 1,700 Gates Cambridge Scholar Alumni spread across the world. The programme’s mission is to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.
What’s Included?
A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge. Core components include:
- University Composition Fee: Covered in full at the appropriate rate for the student’s course.
- Maintenance Allowance: £21,000 per year for a single student (at the 2024-25 rate), pro-rated for courses shorter than 12 months. For PhD scholars, funding is provided for up to 4 years.
- Return Airfare: One economy single airfare at both the beginning and end of the course.
- Visa & Immigration Health Surcharge: Inbound visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge are covered.
In addition, discretionary funding is available for academic development (up to £2,000), dependent children (up to £16,548 for two or more children), fieldwork, maternity/paternity leave, and hardship cases.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, applicants must:
- Be a citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom.
- Be applying to pursue a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge — eligible programmes include: PhD (full-time or part-time pilot), MLitt (full-time), or a one-year postgraduate course (full-time, with some exceptions).
- Demonstrate outstanding intellectual ability, a clear reason for choosing their course, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership potential.
Programmes that are not eligible include undergraduate degrees, MBA and executive programmes, MASt courses, PGCE, MBBChir Clinical Studies, and several other professional qualifications. Current Cambridge students applying for a new postgraduate course are eligible to apply.
How to Apply
Applications are made through the University of Cambridge’s graduate admissions system. Gates Cambridge manages two selection rounds each year:
- US Round: For US citizens currently resident in the United States. Applications must be submitted by 15 October 2025. Applicants are not eligible for the later round.
- International Round: For all other eligible applicants worldwide. Application deadlines depend on the course applied for — either 3 December 2025 or 7 January 2026 (check the University of Cambridge Course Directory for the specific deadline for each course).
Selection is based on four criteria: outstanding intellectual ability, reasons for the choice of course, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership potential. Scholars are chosen through a rigorous multi-stage review and interview process involving departmental rankings and panel reviews. Applications open in September each year.
Key Dates
| Round | Application Deadline | Scholarships Offered |
|---|---|---|
| US Round (US citizens resident in USA) | 15 October 2025 | By 2 February 2026 |
| International Round (all other applicants) | 3 December 2025 or 7 January 2026 | By 6 April 2026 |
| Applications open for 2027-28 entry | September 2026 | — |
Contact Information
For enquiries about eligibility and which application round to apply in, contact the Gates Cambridge Trust at info@gatescambridge.org. For general information and scholarship details, visit the official website at www.gatescambridge.org. For information about other funding at Cambridge, visit www.student-funding.cam.ac.uk.
Never Miss a Scholarship Deadline!
Subscribe to Scholarship Guru for FREE and get instant notifications when new opportunities are published. Stay ahead and never miss a deadline again.
Subscribe for Free Updates