Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027–2028

Gates Cambridge 2027–2028 Overview

Gates Cambridge supports outstanding postgraduate applicants who want to study at the University of Cambridge and demonstrate strong academic potential, a convincing reason for their chosen course, commitment to improving the lives of others and leadership capacity.

The current University of Cambridge funding record for 2027/28 lists the award duration as the length of the course and confirms that extensions may be available in approved extenuating circumstances.

Who Can Apply?

• Applicants must be prospective postgraduate students at the University of Cambridge.
• The scholarship is for applicants from outside the United Kingdom.
• The current funding record includes eligible Master’s and PhD courses.
• Both full-time and eligible part-time study routes appear in the current Cambridge funding database, depending on course eligibility.
• U.S. citizens who are currently resident in the United States apply through the separate Gates Cambridge U.S. Round.
• All other eligible nationalities apply through the international round.

English-language test: Gates Cambridge does not list a separate scholarship-specific English test on the current funding record. Cambridge may require evidence of English competence for admission depending on the course and applicant background.

Scholarship application fee: no separate Gates Cambridge fee is listed. Cambridge postgraduate applications may carry an application fee depending on the course, and fee waivers may be available.

Funding and Benefits

• International tuition fees at the applicable University Composition Fee rate.
• Maintenance support for the scholar.
• Student visa costs.
• UK Immigration Health Surcharge.
• Travel and other eligible support can form part of the wider award package.
• Additional discretionary support may be available during the award, subject to Gates Cambridge rules.

Research consumables and project-specific research costs should not automatically be treated as personal scholarship benefits; Cambridge notes that such research costs are normally expected to be met through the relevant University fee or research structure.

Application Documents

The Cambridge postgraduate application is course-specific, but applicants should expect to prepare the standard materials required for their chosen programme. Gates Cambridge applicants also complete additional scholarship questions in the Applicant Portal.

• Online University of Cambridge postgraduate application.
• Academic transcripts and the supporting documents required by the chosen course.
• References required for the Cambridge course application.
• Gates Cambridge Reference.
• Research proposal for PhD applicants, where required by the Gates Cambridge process and/or chosen programme.
• Evidence of English competence where the selected Cambridge course requires it.

How to Apply

1. Search the University of Cambridge Postgraduate Course Directory and choose an eligible programme.
2. Check the programme’s admission deadline and funding deadline.
3. Open the Cambridge Applicant Portal and create an account.
4. Complete the course application and indicate that you want to be considered for funding.
5. Complete the Gates Cambridge-specific questions and provide the Gates Cambridge reference.
6. If applying for a PhD, prepare the required research proposal and any programme-specific research documents.
7. Submit the full application, supporting documents and references by the earliest applicable deadline.

Important Deadlines

• 14 October 2026: Gates Cambridge U.S. Round deadline for U.S. citizens currently resident in the United States.
• International round: deadline is the funding deadline for the chosen Cambridge course.
• Current Cambridge course pages show that international funding deadlines can differ by programme. Applicants should use the Course Directory as the controlling source.
• March–April 2027: Cambridge’s current international-round funding record lists this as the application-result period.

Selection Criteria

The current University of Cambridge funding record lists four core criteria:

1. Academic excellence.
2. Reasons for choice of course.
3. Commitment to improving the lives of others.
4. Capacity for leadership.

A strong application should therefore connect academic achievement with a credible Cambridge study plan, evidence of leadership and a clear record or trajectory of positive impact.

Official Sources

University of Cambridge Funding Search — Gates Cambridge 2027/28

University of Cambridge — Postgraduate application process

University of Cambridge — Application deadlines

University of Cambridge Applicant Portal

Related Opportunities on ScholarshipHubNow

• Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2027/28
• Chevening Scholarships 2027–2028
• Rhodes Scholarship 2027