Have you ever thought about studying abroad for graduate school? Then check out the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which allows students to get their masters or PhD from one of the most reputable universities in the UK free of cost! This scholarship is highly valuable, covering the full cost of tuition, an allowance for living expenses, visa and health insurance and much more. Keep reading to learn more about the Gates Cambridge Scholarship and tips about how to win it!
Also see: Top graduate school scholarships
What is the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship gives students outside of the UK the opportunity to study and earn their masters or PhD at the prestigious University of Cambridge. Each year, the Gates Cambridge Trust awards this scholarship to 80 high-achieving students to pursue a postgraduate degree. Keep in mind about two-thirds of the awards go to PhD students, and approximately 25 awards are available to students from the US and 55 available to other International students outside of the US and UK. This makes the scholarship highly competitive, but for good reason, as it offers many benefits.
Core awards for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Each scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge, plus some additional funding:
- The University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate (this fee varies depending on the student)
- A maintenance allowance for a single student (£23,152 for 12 months at the 2026-27 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
Circumstantial additional funding
The trust may also award additional funding to applicants with certain circumstances. Applications are viewed on a discretionary basis. These discretionary components include:
- Academic development funding – from up to £750 to up to £4,000, dependent on the length of your course, to attend conferences and courses.
- Dependent Children Allowance – up to £12,793 for one child and up to £18,244 for two or more children (2026-27 rate). No funding is provided for a partner.
- Fieldwork – you may apply to retain 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
Who’s eligible to apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?
In order to apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, students must be:
- 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
Students who applied for October 2024 entry are eligible for a pilot program at Cambridge which allows funding for part-time PhD students.
As for the selection criteria, Cambridge uses four key criteria to select their scholarship winners: academic excellence, reasons for choice of course, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and a capacity of leadership.
How to apply for the Cambridge Gates Scholarship
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship has a combined admissions form with Cambridge University’s graduate school application. This means that when students apply for a graduate program through Cambridge’s graduate application portal, Cambridge automatically considers them for the Gates Cambridge scholarship along with additional funding.
For the overall application you’ll need to provide details about your academic background, your future plans, and why you’re suitable for the course you want to study. You’ll also need to gather the following materials:
- References
- Transcripts
- CV/resume
- English language test results (if English is not your first language)
- Personal statement
- Written work (only certain courses)
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test score (only for some departments)
- Financial documents
PhD applicants must also submit a research proposal to qualify for funding. Then you’ll move on to the Gates Cambridge sub-section.
Gates Cambridge statement
The Gates Cambridge statement is an approximately 500 word (3000 characters) essay where you’ll explain why you’re applying for the scholarship and how you meet the four main criteria (academic excellence, reasons for choice of course, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and a capacity of leadership.)
This is the only part of the application where they specifically ask you about why you are a good fit for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. Use this space to distinguish yourself from other candidates by drawing on past experiences and achievements and future goals and connecting them directly with the scholarship.
Gates Cambridge references
In addition to two references for admission into Cambridge, Gate Cambridge applicants must submit an additional reference specific to the scholarship. That means you’ll need 3 total references to apply.
Cambridge asks referees to rank applicants and rate how well suited they are for the scholarship based on how well they follow the four criteria mentioned above on a scale of exceptional, strong, not strong, and weak.
Keep in mind that you should avoid having friends or family members write your references. Instead, Cambridge recommends individuals like current or former academic advisors who are aware of your personal attributes, a current or former employer, or a senior member of an organisation with whom you have volunteered.
Final Interviews
Once you have been accepted to a department/course, Cambridge’s academic departments will review your application and nominate a small number of eligible applicants to go forward in the process. Nominated applicants are invited to do a short interview to see if they align with the four main criteria.
The interview can be either virtual or in person depending on your location and lasts between 25 and 30 minutes. You’ll be interviewing with a panel of experienced academics and practitioners and potentially with Cambridge alumni and representatives of the Gates Cambridge Trust.
The interview is structured in 4 main sections:
- Introduction (The panel will be introduced to you and tell you about the format of the interview and any other essential information for a productive conversation.)
- Gates Cambridge (You’ll be asked about what you know about the Gates Cambridge scholarship, your motivations to apply, why you think you’d be a good scholar, and your thoughts on the opportunity.)
- Academic and career plans (A space to talk about your past experience, your course at Cambridge, and what you plan to do with your career.)
- Final thoughts and questions (An opportunity to convey any additional questions or information for the panel.)
Scholarship application timeline
The application cycle for 2027-2028 is now open. Below are this year’s dates:
- Applications open: September 11th, 2026
- Application deadline: October 14, 2026
- All applicants notified of application outcome: December 14, 2026
- Review and selection by panels: January 22, 2026 and January 23, 2026
Tips on winning the Gates Cambridge scholarships
Applying to the Gates Cambridge Scholarship requires you to first gather all the materials needed to apply to Cambridge. Your first step is to make sure you have all the required materials ready and at their best, like getting optimal scores on the GRE and updating your resume.
As for the Gates Cambridge specific areas of the application, this is where you can really shine and set yourself apart from other candidates.
Gates Cambridge Statement
500 words is not very much when it comes to a personal statement, so try to be concise and impactful. Start planning your essay by listing out different experiences and achievements that connect directly to Gates Cambridge’s four main criteria (intellectual ability, justification for the choice of course, a commitment to improving the lives of others and leadership capacity.) Then select the ones you feel most confident writing about. If you want some more tips on how to write a 500 word essay, check out our writing guide!
Along with your statement, your references are a big part of your application that will help you stand out from the competition. It’s important to be strategic when it comes to picking who your references will be. As mentioned earlier, steer clear of friends and family and focus on mentors, advisors/instructors, and employers. Make sure to give them plenty of time to complete your references. Asking for a letter of recommendation last minute usually doesn’t yield the best results.
Keep reading: How to write a graduate school personal statement (with examples!)
Finalist Interviews
If you are invited to interview, congratulations! This means you’ve made it to the finalist round. The interview is still very important, as it is your final chance to impress the committee before they decide on scholarship winners. To prepare, check out the Gates Cambridge selection page where they break down the interview process and point out some potential questions and talking points.
When preparing for the interview, practice is your best tool. Whether you are practicing with friends or family, or just in front of the mirror, this can help build your confidence. But remember, Gates Cambridge is looking for this to be a conversation, so while memorizing talking points and having an idea of what you want to say is great, don’t write out your answers and rehearse them like a speech. Reciting rehearsed answers can come off a bit stiff and robotic. Overall, do your best to stay relaxed, confident, and ready to answer any question that comes your way.
See also: 15 scholarship interview questions (and how to respond!)
Additional resources
If you have more questions about the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, we encourage you to head to their website. They have lots of information regarding how to apply, how they select winners, and past scholar profiles.
And keep in mind that while this opportunity is awesome, many other excellent scholarships and grants are available for postgraduate students planning to study abroad. For example:
To learn more about other postgraduate scholarship opportunities, make a free Scholarships360 account to get matched to vetted scholarships based on your preferences. Good luck on your scholarship search!
