Overview

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme was established in October 2000 by a donation of US$210m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge; this is the largest ever single donation to a UK university.

We offer 90 full-cost scholarships each year to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. The selection criteria are:

  • outstanding intellectual ability
  • leadership potential
  • a commitment to improving the lives of others
  • a good fit between the applicant’s qualifications and aspirations and the postgraduate programme at Cambridge for which they are applying

There are about 225 Scholars from c. 50 countries studying in Cambridge at any one time who pursue the full range of subjects available at the University and are spread across its departments and Colleges.

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

You may also likeGates Cambridge Scholar (Rwanda) Alice Musabende

Eligibility

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 full-time residential courses of study at the University of Cambridge:
    • PhD (three year research-only degree)
    • MSc or MLitt (two year research-only degree)
    • One year postgraduate course (e.g. MPhil, LLM, MASt, Diploma, MBA etc.)

Ideal candidate

Current student at Cambridge?

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 round two. However, if you have already started a course you cannot apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to fund the remainder of it.

Courses which are NOT eligible for Gates Cambridge Scholarships:

  • BA (undergraduate)
  • BA affiliated (a second BA)
  • MBBChir Clinical Studies
  • MD Doctor of Medicine degree (6 years, part-time)
  • Part-time degrees
  • Non-degree courses

Deadlines

Gates Cambridge considers candidates in two selection rounds each year:

Round 1: US citizens living in the USA only

Applicants in this round must apply by 10 October 2018 for entry in October 2019.

Round 2: All other eligible applicants (part of the Graduate Funding Competition)

The application deadline in this round is determined by the course you are applying for and is set by the central Graduate Admissions Office. You can find which of the two deadlines below applies to you by checking the Graduate Funding Competition deadline in the course directoryPlease also note that if a course deadline is earlier than the relevant funding deadline above (e.g. the LLM in Law), you must apply by the earlier course deadline

What stage? Round 1 Round 2
Applications open 3 September 2018 3 September 2018
Application deadline 10 October 2018 Dependent on your course – either 5 December 2018 or 3 January 2019
Departmental ranking October – November December – February
Trust shortlisting Mid-December Early March
Shortlisted candidates invited to interview Late December Early March
Interviews 25 & 26 January 2019 (USA) 26 & 27 March 2019 (Cambridge, UK)
Scholarships offered Early February Late March
Scholarships accepted 48 hours after offer 48 hours after offer

 

Value

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

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is one of the most generous international scholarships available. It covers the following costs:

Core components

  • the University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate*
  • a maintenance allowance for a single student (£17,500 for 12 months at the 2018-19 rate; pro rata for courses shorter than 12 months)
  • 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 £500 to £2,000, dependent on the length of your course, to attend conferences and courses.
  • Family allowance – up to £10,120 for a first child and up to £4,320 for a second child (2018-19 rate). 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).
  • Hardship funding – for unforeseen difficulties
  • 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
  • Some fourth year funding for PhD Scholars may be provided**

*The University Composition Fee varies for different types of students; applicants should see the Graduate Studies prospectus for full details about precise amounts. Where a student from the European Union has been successful in gaining a fees award from public authorities they must accept this and the Trust will not pay these fees.

** The PhD at Cambridge is a three-year degree and Gates Cambridge Scholars should take on a research project that they and their Supervisor think can be completed within three years. However, if there are unforeseen circumstances which mean you need further funding during all or part of your fourth year, the Trust will consider an application on a discretionary basis. But you should not rely on receiving any fourth year funding when you start your PhD.

Receiving a salary or substantial other scholarship?

If you are receiving a salary from an employer or have another substantial scholarship, the Trust reserves the right to reduce or not pay the standard maintenance allowance. You should let the Trust know ASAP if you are awarded any funding towards your degree at Cambridge.

What is not covered

Most costs are covered by the Scholarship. However, Gates Cambridge does not cover bench fees, the costs of scientific equipment or similar academic resources; nor does it cover additional fees charged by departments for fieldwork, orientation activities, mandatory study trips, courses outside Cambridge or similar. The Trust pays the full University Composition Fee and therefore expects such core course costs to be covered by the academic department at Cambridge.”

Application process

Application materials

To apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you need to submit an application for admission and funding

The large majority of applicants submit their application for admission and funding (Gates Cambridge and other funding) via the University’s Graduate Application Portal. There is a seperate application route for MBA and MFin applicants.

See How to apply for details.

To be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you must complete the section to apply for admission to a course and a College place and the Gates Cambridge part of the funding section. Gates Cambridge has access to the full application for admission and funding when reviewing applications. As part of your application you will submit the following:

Gates Cambridge Statement

In the application form we ask:

In no more than 3000 characters (approximately 500 words) please explain why you are applying for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship and how you meet the four main criteria. Full details about how to apply, including selection criteria and guidance on completing this statement, can be found at: www.gatescambridge.org/apply

The statement is used by the Gates Cambridge shortlisting committees to distinguish between candidates who have been highly ranked by departments on academic grounds. It helps our committees identify those candidates who, as well as being academically outstanding, possess a capacity for leadership and commitment to improving the lives of others. This is the only part of the application form where applicants are specifically asked about their fit with the Gates Cambridge programme and you should use your background, achievements, experiences and future aims to show how you would be a good fit with the Gates Cambridge programme.

CV/Resume

All applicants for admission will be asked to submit a CV/Resume and Gates Cambridge treats this as part of the application.

Research proposal (PhD applicants only)

Gates Cambridge requires PhD applicants to submit a research proposal as part of their application for funding. Most PhD applicants will upload a research proposal as part of their application for admission, but where this is not the case a research proposal is required to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. A research proposal is not required if you are not applying for a PhD.

Gates reference

In addition to two academic references for admission, Gates Cambridge applicants submit a reference about their fit with the scholarship.

In the application form we ask:

Please give your assessment of the applicant’s suitability for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. These are awarded on the following criteria: intellectual ability, leadership capacity, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and a good fit between the abilities and aspirations of the applicant and what the University of Cambridge can offer in its graduate programme.

We also:

  • How highly would you rank the applicant for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship?
  • On what overall group are you basing this ranking?
  • What is the size of this group?

The Gates Cambridge Reference is used in the same way as the Gates Cambridge Statement – to reduce the large number of well-qualified applicants to those who match the Gates Cambridge criteria.

Referees are also asked how they rate the applicant for the scholarship: exceptional, strong, not strong, weak. They may paste/type up to 4,000 characters into the on-line reference or upload a separate letter.

Who should write the Gates Cambridge Reference?

This is a common question. You should definitely not ask friends or family, or someone who is unable to comment on your suitability for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

You should ask someone of appropriate standing who is able to answer the question with authority and who understands what type of person Gates Cambridge is looking for and how competitive the Scholarship is.

Many applicants ask a current or former academic advisor who is aware of their personal attributes, others ask a current or former employer, while others ask senior staff in an organisation they may have volunteered with. These are all sensible choices, although this is by no means an exhaustive list. Some applicants ask one of their two academic referees to write the Gates Cambridge reference. This is fine as long as that person has a good understanding of your personal qualities. The important point to remember is that the Gates Cambridge Referee must understand what the Scholarship is about and must be able to write authoritatively about your leadership potential and commitment to improving the lives of others.

Points to consider

  • It is essential that the Gates Cambridge Referee is fully briefed about the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, especially its selection criteria;
  • It is useful when referees use specific examples of how you meet the Scholarship’s criteria;
  • While your referees are likely to be busy, you will need to ensure they understand the need to keep the reference focused on the Gates Cambridge criteria and not, for example, rehash a standard or previous reference.

For more information,please visit https://www.gatescambridge.org/

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