Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/2028

About this scholarship

Gates Cambridge gives about 70 full scholarships every year to students from outside the UK for a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge. It covers fees, living costs, flights and visa costs. You apply through the normal Cambridge graduate application and fill in the Gates Cambridge part of the funding section. The deadline is 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course.

Funding type

University fees in full Living allowance of £23,152 for 12 months (2026-27 rate, less for shorter courses). PhD scholars get it for up to 4 years One economy flight at the start and one at the end of your course Visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge You can also ask for extra support: up to £4,000 for conferences and courses depending on course length, a child allowance, and hardship funding Not covered: bench fees and equipment costs

Tuition fees

Covered

Living costs

Covered

Travel

Covered

Insurance

Covered

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities

All except listed nationalities — United Kingdom

Residence condition

No residence condition

Citizens of any country except the UK Applying for a PhD (full-time or part-time), a full-time MLitt, or a one-year full-time postgraduate course such as an MPhil Not eligible: undergraduate degrees, MASt, MBA, EMBA, MFin, PGCE and other professional courses It can't fund a degree you have already started Selection looks at four things: a strong academic record, a clear reason for choosing the course, commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership

Minimum grade

Not stated

Work experience asked for

Not stated

Return condition

Return condition not stated

How to apply

Straight to the provider

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test required IELTS TOEFL iBT Cambridge English Waiver possible

Cambridge asks for proof of English, usually after it makes you an offer (LLM and MCL applicants send it when they apply). It accepts IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT (tests taken after 21 January 2026 need an extra online assessment at Cambridge), and C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency for some courses. The score you need is on your course page. You usually don't need a test if you are from a majority English-speaking country and studied there, or if you finished a bachelor's in one of these countries (not Canada) less than 2 years before your course starts.

University admission details

Admission included in application?

Admission and funding are in one application. Your Cambridge department decides on admission and nominates a small number of its best applicants to Gates Cambridge. Nominated applicants have a 25 to 30 minute interview, in person or online. By 8 March 2027 you will hear if you are going to interview. Interviews are on 22 and 23 March 2027, and scholarships are offered by early April 2027.

Required documents

Cambridge graduate application (admission and funding sections) Answers to the four Gates Cambridge questions Two academic references One Gates Cambridge reference Research proposal (PhD only) English test result, if needed

Application steps

Find your course in the Cambridge Course Directory and check its funding deadline (8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027). Apply through the Cambridge Applicant Portal and fill in the Gates Cambridge part of the funding section. Answer the four Gates Cambridge questions. Ask your two academic referees and your Gates Cambridge referee to send their references before the deadline. PhD applicants: contact a possible supervisor early and upload a research proposal. Submit everything by 11:59pm UK time on your deadline. US citizens living in the US apply in an earlier round that closes on 14 October 2026.

Requirement checklist

Scholarship contacts

Gates Cambridge Trust: [email protected]Copy

Universities and contacts