Full Program Details
Gates Cambridge has opened applications for its 2027/28 scholarships at the University of Cambridge. The programme pays the full cost of a postgraduate degree for students from any country outside the United Kingdom, and it gives out around 70 awards each year.
The scholarship pays your tuition, a living allowance of £23,152 a year, your flights to and from the UK, and your visa and health surcharge costs.
Details at a glance:
- Host: Gates Cambridge Trust, University of Cambridge
- Level: PhD, MLitt, or a one-year full-time postgraduate course such as an MPhil or LLM
- Awards: around 70 full-cost scholarships per year
- Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Applications opened: 11 September 2026
- Deadline for the US round: 14 October 2026
- Deadline for everyone else: 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course
What the Scholarship Covers
- The University Composition Fee (tuition)
- A maintenance allowance of £23,152 for 12 months at the 2026-27 rate, reduced pro rata for shorter courses
- One economy flight at the start of your course and one at the end
- Inbound visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge
PhD scholars receive the maintenance allowance for up to four years. Scholars can also apply for extra funding on top of the core award:
- Family allowance of up to £12,793 a year for one child, or up to £18,244 a year for two or more children. There is no allowance for partners.
- Academic development funding of between £750 and £4,000, depending on the length of your course
- Your normal maintenance allowance while on approved fieldwork
- Up to six months of parental leave with your maintenance allowance still paid
Who Can Apply
- Citizens of any country outside the United Kingdom. Dual UK citizens are also eligible.
- Applicants to a full-time or part-time PhD, a full-time MLitt, or a one-year full-time postgraduate course such as an MPhil, MRes or LLM
- There is no minimum GPA. Selectors look at your academic record as a whole.
The scholarship does not fund undergraduate degrees, MASt courses, part-time degrees other than the PhD, or professional degrees such as the MBA, MFin and PGCE.
Which Round Are You In?
There are two selection rounds. The US round is only for US citizens who currently live in the United States, and it closes on 14 October 2026. Everyone else, including applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and US citizens living abroad, applies in the international round.
In the international round, your deadline is either 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027. To find yours, open your course page in the Cambridge Postgraduate Course Directory and look for the Course Funding Deadline. Do not assume you have until January.
How to Apply
There is no separate scholarship form. You apply for your course and for Gates Cambridge in one application.
- Pick an eligible course and check its funding deadline in the Cambridge Postgraduate Course Directory.
- Open the University's Graduate Application Portal and complete the admission section, including your choice of College.
- In the funding section, select Gates Cambridge and answer four questions: academic excellence (about 200 words), why this course at Cambridge (about 200 words), your commitment to improving the lives of others (about 300 words) and your leadership (about 300 words).
- If you are applying for a PhD, include a research proposal.
- Ask two academic referees to support your admission, plus one extra Gates Cambridge referee who can speak to the scholarship criteria.
- Make sure your application and all references are in by 11:59pm UK time on your deadline.
Selection Timeline for the International Round
- Shortlisted applicants told by 8 March 2027
- Interview panels on 22 and 23 March 2027
- Offers made in early April 2027
- Successful applicants must accept within 72 hours
GizPulse Verdict
Who this is for: Strong graduates from Africa and other non-UK countries who want a Cambridge master's or PhD and can point to real work that has helped other people, not just good grades.
Who should pause: If you plan to study an MBA, a part-time master's or an undergraduate degree, this scholarship will not fund you. Check your department's own funding instead.
One tip to stand out: The question on improving the lives of others gets the most words for a reason. Use it to describe one specific thing you built, led or changed, with numbers, and link it to what you plan to do after Cambridge.
Read the full rules and start your application on the official Gates Cambridge website.
