Scholarship Region 

International Region : United Kingdom

Scholarship For 

Higher studies

Last Date 

11/10/2024

Scholarship Amount 

2,185,716

Scholarship Type 

Government

Scholarship Fields 

Other

Scholarship General Information 

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program, by University of Cambridge, honors 80 outstanding international postgraduate applicants with full-cost scholarships. This scholarship not only covers the full cost of studying in UK but also provides the funds for various non-academic requirements.

​​​​​​​1. Applications are accepted in two rounds- 25 recipients are awarded in the US round and 55 students are awarded in the international round.

2. Approximately 65% of the scholars honoured with Gates Cambridge Scholarship are Ph.D. students.

3. The courses for which the scholarship is applicable are, M.Sc, M.Litt, Ph.D. and most of the one-year PG courses.

4. Students currently studying at University of Cambridge can apply for the scholarship if they have not started a PG course already.

5. Application process begins in September of every year and the deadlines vary depending upon the course and type of the scholarship.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship funds the tuition fees, self-maintenance cost, travel costs, academic development grants, allowances for family, maternity/ paternity and even hardship finances for unforeseen issues securing the positive mindset of the students while studying.

Eligibility Criteria 

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

1. A citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom

2. Applying to pursue one of the following courses at the University of Cambridge:

3. PhD (full-time or part-time*)

4. MLitt (full-time)

5. One year postgraduate course (full-time)

​​​​​​​Secures admission in any of the following degrees of study:

1. Ph.D.

2. M.Sc. or M.Litt.

3. PG course of 1 year

4. Can be a current student at the University of Cambridge and planning to apply for a suitable course next year but should not register themselves in any other course in between.

The programs that are NOT eligible for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship are:

1. Undergraduate Degree

2. Master of Business Administration (MBA)

3. PGCE

4. Master of Finance (MFin)

5. Business Doctorate (BusD)

6. MBBChir Clinical Studies

7. Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)

8. MD (6 years, part-time)

9. Part-time Courses

10. Non-degree Courses

11. MASt courses

Award Amount  

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

Core components:

1. The University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate.

2. A maintenance allowance for a single student ( £20, 000 (INR 21, 85, 716) for 12 months; pro rata for courses shorter than 12 months) – for PhD scholars the award is for up to 4 years.

3. One economy single airfare at both the beginning and end of the course.

4. Inbound visa costs & the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge.

For Discretionary Components:

1. Academic Development Funding of GBP 500 - 2, 000 (equivalent to INR 54, 000 - 2, 04, 000).

2. Family allowance up to GBP 10, 120 (equivalent to INR 11, 06, 260) for 1 child and GBP 14, 440 (equivalent to 15, 78, 498) for 2 or more children. However, no funding is offered for a spouse.

3. Fieldwork allowance is provided only to Ph.D. students.

4. Maternity/ paternity allowances can be redeemed along with intermittency of studies for a maximum of 6 months.

5. Hardship funding can be applied for unforeseen circumstances.

Deductions and Exceptions are:

1. In case the student is receiving any salary from an employer and/ or other substantial scholarships, the Trust should be informed about the same. In these cases, the Trust reserves the right to stop the maintenance allowance or to reduce the same.

2. The bench fees and the cost of any academic resource such as scientific instruments will not be covered by the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

3. The chivalrous grant of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the best scholarship programs offered to the students of the post-graduate programs of the University of Cambridge.

No. of Scholarships Available 

No. Of Scholarship - 80

Important Dates 

The last date to apply for this scholarship is October 11, 2024.

Application Fee 

No Separate Application or Fee is Required to get the scholarship, it will be automatically considered, once you enrolled for the program.

Application Procedure 

The applicant will have to propose an application for admission and funding. This is to be done through the Graduate Application Portal of the University.

The necessities for the application process are:

1. Gates Cambridge Scholarship Statement (within 500 words or 3000 characters): Explain in your own words the reason for your application for the scholarship and how you meet the criteria.

2. Proposal of Research (only for Ph.D. candidates): The applicants need to submit their research proposals along with the application for funding. In case you are not applying for a Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge, you will not require a research proposal.

3. Gates Cambridge Reference: The applicant will have to submit a reference about their practicability with the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. These references should be coming from authorized professionals from any location.

Following are the criteria in the assessments, based on which an applicant’s suitability will be measured:

1. Intellectual ability.

2. Justification for the choice of course.

3. A commitment to growing while improving the lives of others.

4. Leadership capacity.

They also ask for:

1. How highly would they rank the applicant for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?

2. On what overall group are these rankings based?

3. What is the size of the aforesaid group?

Selection Process 

Gates Cambridge uses a two-stage selection process to ensure our Scholars meet all of our criteria to the highest level.

1. Departmental nomination

Gates Cambridge asks academic departments in Cambridge to nominate a small number of eligible applicants who meet all four of the scholarship’s criteria to a very high level. This ensures that those nominated by departments are academically outstanding and are likely to succeed as a postgraduate student at Cambridge and also that they show evidence of meeting Gates Cambridge’s selection criteria.  A relatively small number of those who apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship are nominated by departments and then invited to interview.

2. Interview

All candidates nominated by academic departments are invited to a short interview to assess how they meet all four Gates Cambridge criteria.  Scholars are then selected after interview.

Other Info 

What we are looking for

Our Scholars come from diverse backgrounds and each brings something unique to the programme. We use four criteria to select them.

Academic excellence

To be competitive for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship candidates must show evidence of academic excellence (through their transcripts, references, experience and the potential to succeed on the chosen course). Academic departments at the University of Cambridge nominate only the most academically outstanding applicants for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which ensures that those whom we select will thrive at Cambridge.

Reasons for choice of course

You should be able to make a strong case for a particular postgraduate degree at Cambridge. PhD applicants (and most research MPhil applicants) will need to make contact with a potential supervisor with whom they will develop a research project, a summary of which is part of the application. You will need to demonstrate that you have the academic background and the necessary skills and expertise to complete the course. Taught MPhil and other applicants need to make a strong case for how completing the proposed course will facilitate their career plans. Gates Cambridge seeks Scholars who will have an academically transformative experience at Cambridge, so it is important that you fully research and justify the course for which you are applying.

A commitment to improving the lives of others

A defining characteristic of the Gates Cambridge programme is the commitment of our Scholars to improving the lives of others. We interpret this criterion broadly and applicants define it themselves by providing evidence of their past, current and future commitment to the societies in which they will live and work.

​​​​​​​A capacity for leadership

Successful applicants must be able to demonstrate a capacity for leadership, which can be expressed in a multitude of ways. Applicants should provide evidence of their leadership experience to date and indicate the ways in which their leadership skills may have impact in the future careers.

Contact Details 

Gates Cambridge Trust

Bill Gates Sr. House

17 Mill Lane

Cambridge, CB2 1RX

United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1223 338467

For more information: Click here

Apply Now 

https://www.gatescambridge.org/programme/the-scholarship/