Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28 | Fully Funded UK Postgraduate Study

Getting into a top UK university is one challenge. Paying for it as an international student is another. The Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28 removes that second barrier for outstanding postgraduate applicants heading to the University of Cambridge.

Funded by the Gates Cambridge Trust, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge for students from any country outside the UK. It is open for PhD, MLitt, and eligible one-year postgraduate courses — not undergraduate study.

Applications for the 2027/28 academic year are open now, with two separate application rounds depending on your citizenship and residency. This guide covers verified eligibility, funding, and deadlines directly from the Gates Cambridge Trust.

Quick Answer

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers full postgraduate study costs at the University of Cambridge for non-UK citizens, including tuition, a £23,152 annual maintenance allowance, airfare, and visa costs. US citizens resident in the USA must apply by 14 October 2026; all other applicants apply by their Cambridge course’s funding deadline (8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027).

Details About the Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28

• Program: Gates Cambridge Scholarship
• Administered by: Gates Cambridge Trust
• Host institution: University of Cambridge, UK
• Degree levels: PhD (full- or part-time pilot), MLitt (full-time), one-year postgraduate courses (full-time, with some exceptions)
• Number of awards: Around 70 per year (approximately two-thirds go to PhD students)
• Nationality: Citizens of any country outside the UK
• Funding type: Full-cost scholarship (tuition + maintenance + travel + visa costs)
• Application deadline: 14 October 2026 (US citizens resident in the USA); 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027 for all other applicants, depending on course

Also check: Chevening Scholarship 2027

Benefits

• Tuition is fully covered through the University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate for your course.
• Scholars receive a maintenance allowance of £23,152 for 12 months at the 2026–27 rate, paid pro rata for shorter courses, and for up to 4 years for PhD scholars.
• Travel costs are covered with one economy single airfare to Cambridge at the start of the course and one at the end.
• Visa-related costs are included, covering inbound visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
• Discretionary funding is available on request, including academic development funding (up to £4,000 depending on course length), a Dependent Children Allowance (up to £12,793 for one child, up to £18,244 for two or more), fieldwork maintenance continuation, maternity/paternity support, and hardship funding.
• Scientific equipment and bench fees are not covered — these remain the responsibility of your Cambridge department.

Also check: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2027/28 in UK | Fully Funded

Eligibility

• You must be a citizen of a country outside the United Kingdom.
• You must be applying for one of the following at Cambridge:
  • PhD (full-time or part-time, under a pilot scheme)
  • MLitt (full-time)
  • A one-year postgraduate course (full-time), with some exceptions
• Current Cambridge students may apply if they are starting a new postgraduate course (not to fund the remainder of a course already in progress).
• Current Gates Cambridge Scholars may apply again if pursuing a new degree.
• Selection is based on four criteria: outstanding intellectual ability, reasons for choice of course, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership potential.

Who Is NOT Eligible

• Applicants for any undergraduate degree, including a second Bachelor’s degree
• MASt courses
• Part-time degrees other than the PhD pilot scheme
• MBA, Executive MBA, Global EMBA, Master of Finance, Executive Master of Accounting
• Business Doctorate (BusD)
• PGCE
• MBBChir Clinical Studies
• MD (part-time, home students only)
• Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
• Master of Conservation of Easel Painting

Also check: Oxford Pershing Square Scholarships 2027 in UK

Required Documents

• Cambridge Graduate Application (combined admission + funding form)
• Two academic references (for admission)
• One additional Gates Cambridge reference addressing your fit against the scholarship’s four criteria
• Answers to four Gates Cambridge selection questions (each 200–300 words)
• Research proposal (PhD applicants only, if not already required for admission)

Who Should Apply?

Any postgraduate applicant from outside the UK, in any academic field offered at Cambridge, who can demonstrate strong academic performance, a genuine reason for choosing their specific Cambridge course, leadership experience, and a track record of working to improve the lives of others.

How to Choose Between the US and International Rounds

If you are a US citizen currently resident in the United States, you apply in the earlier round with an October deadline — you are not eligible for the later round. US citizens who are studying or working overseas at the time of application should use the international round instead. Everyone else applies according to their specific Cambridge course’s funding deadline, listed in the University’s Course Directory.

Why Apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?

The scholarship removes the cost barrier to one of the world’s most research-intensive universities, funds up to four years of PhD study, and gives Scholars membership in a research community of roughly 250 current Scholars and more than 1,700 alumni across 116 countries.

Also check: Scout Adventures Volunteer Program 2026 in UK

How to Apply

1. Check course eligibility using the University’s Course Directory to confirm your intended course qualifies for Gates Cambridge funding and to find its specific deadline.
2. Start your Cambridge Graduate Application through the University’s Graduate Application Portal, covering both admission and funding.
3. Complete the Gates Cambridge funding section, answering the four selection-criteria questions.
4. Upload a research proposal if you are applying for a PhD.
5. Arrange your references — two academic references plus one dedicated Gates Cambridge reference.
6. Submit before your applicable deadline — 14 October 2026 for the US round, or your course’s funding deadline for the international round.
7. Await departmental ranking and outcome notification, then panel review and scholarship offers.

Important Dates

Frequently Asked Questions