The Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027

The Gates Cambridge mission is to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.

Each year Gates Cambridge offers around 80 full-cost scholarships to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. Approximately two-thirds of these awards will be offered to PhD students, with approximately 25 awards available in the US round and 55 available in the International round.

• Table of Content
• About Gates Cambridge
• The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship
• Requirements for The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship

A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge. It also provides additional discretionary funding.

Core components

• the University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate
• a maintenance allowance for a single student (£22,050 for 12 months at the 2025-26 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

Discretionary 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.
• Dependent Children Allowance – up to £12,184 per annum for one child and up to £17,375 per annum for two or more children. 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 facing the scholar

Requirements for The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification

You can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship if you are:

• a citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom
• applying to pursue one of the following courses at the University of Cambridge:
  • PhD (full-time or part-time*)
  • MLitt (full-time)
  • one-year postgraduate course (full-time), with some exceptions – see below.

In addition, Gates Cambridge is continuing to pilot a scheme which allows applicants to apply for funding for a part-time doctoral degree (PhD).

Can current students at Cambridge apply??

• If you are currently studying at Cambridge and wish to apply for a new postgraduate course you can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. For example, if you are currently studying for an MPhil you can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to pursue a PhD.
• Current Gates Cambridge Scholars may also apply for a second scholarship if they are applying for a new degree.
• All current Cambridge students will be considered in the second, international round. However, if you have already started a course (for example, you are currently part way through a PhD) you cannot apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to fund the remainder of it.

Courses which Gates Cambridge does NOT consider:

• any undergraduate degree, such as BA (undergraduate) or BA affiliated (a second BA)
• MASt courses
• part-time degrees other than the PhD
• professional development courses and non-standard degrees such as:
  • Master of Business (MBA)
  • Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) and Global EMBA
  • Master of Finance (MFin)
  • Executive Master of Accounting
  • Business Doctorate (BusD)
  • Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)
  • MBBChir Clinical Studies
  • MD Doctor of Medicine degree (6 years, part-time, home students only)
  • Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
  • Master of Conservation of Easel Painting.

Interview date, Process and Venue for The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Postgraduate Scholarship

The selection criteria are:

• outstanding intellectual ability
• reasons for choice of course
• a commitment to improving the lives of others
• leadership potential

Check also:
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2027
Global Korea Scholarship 2027

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Applications will open again in September 2026 for entry in the academic year 2027/8.  

Gates Cambridge manages two selection rounds each year; full details are below.

If, after reading the details below, you are not sure in which round you should apply please email [email protected] with details.

You may be eligible for other funding offered by the University of Cambridge. See www.student-funding.cam.ac.uk for more details.

US citizens resident in the USA

This is the earlier round for applicants who are both US citizens and currently resident in the United States; it is specific to Gates Cambridge.

Students meeting these criteria must apply in October and submit all their documents by this date (including references). They are not eligible for the later round.

US citizens who are studying/working overseas at the time of application should apply in the later round (see below).

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All other eligible applicants

The large majority of applicants will apply in this round, which is aligned with the University’s postgraduate funding competition. There are two possible application deadlines and these are based on the course to which you are applying.

Please apply by the Course Funding Deadline referenced in the University Course Directory (found in the column on the right of the web page).  All application documents should be submitted by 12:00am (midnight) GMT on the stated date.

For more details, visit Gates Cambridge Scholarship webpage