Cambridge Trust Scholarship: Eligibility and Requirements

The Cambridge Trust stands as the largest provider of financial support for international students at the University of Cambridge, working in collaboration with partner organizations worldwide. This scholarship is unique because it is not tied to one department but covers nearly every subject offered at the University, ensuring that talented students can follow their passion without financial constraint. The funding commitment is substantial, often providing a full scholarship package. This comprehensive support allows recipients to focus entirely on their academic and research pursuits within Cambridge's prestigious environment.

Overview of the Cambridge Trust Scholarship

The University of Cambridge, considered one of the oldest universities in the UK and founded in 1209, has made tremendous contributions to the field of education. It is known for ensuring quality education keeping in mind the importance of learning structure. However, studying at Cambridge University can burden the financial balance, which can come in the way of students' journey into the University. In the 1980s, the University of Cambridge established the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust and Cambridge Overseas Trust to make many aspirers' dreams come true. The University of Cambridge started funding the education of students to help them in pursuing their careers and moving ahead in their professional life. The trust awards students across the world with full-paid and partially-paid scholarships. It provides 500 scholarships annually and supports 1100-1400 students in residence every year. Along with the Cambridge Commonwealth, European, and International Trust and College, the Cambridge Scholarship has spread its wings worldwide.

Degree Levels and Eligible Courses

The Cambridge Trust Scholarships are accessible to local and international students across all three major degree levels (Undergraduate, Masters, and Research Postgraduate). A small number are also available for study towards a second undergraduate degree. The scholarship is open to applicants who will pursue one of the following full-time courses at the University of Cambridge:

PhD (three-year research-only degree)
MSc or MLitt (two-year research-only degree)
A one-year postgraduate course (e.g., MPhil, LLM, MASt, Diploma, MBA, etc.)

Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for the Cambridge scholarship, one needs to understand the important aspects related to the scholarship offered at the University. Apart from this, the Cambridge scholarship agreements renew every year hence, students should keep them well-informed about changing policies. Here’s a list of eligibility criteria one needs to consider before applying for the Cambridge scholarship. Please be noted these criteria are set by the Cambridge Commonwealth, European, and International Trust itself.

Nationality: The trust allows all students to apply for Cambridge scholarships irrespective of their nationality. May be citizens of any country outside the United Kingdom and may apply to any subject available at the University of Cambridge.
Status: Students who are already enrolled in a course at Cambridge University will not be allowed to register for the scholarship unless they are applying for a higher degree course. For example - a student studying a graduate program can apply for a Cambridge scholarship for his/her master's.
Degree: A candidate will be eligible for a Cambridge scholarship when applying for one of the below-mentioned degree levels.
- Undergraduate (please be noted that UK students aren’t eligible for this).
- Postgraduate
- Research Postgraduate

Scholarship Coverage

Cambridge scholarships are mostly full-funded but exceptions are always there. For example - Full-cost scholarships are not applicable for MBA or MFin. Scholarships are not offered for part-time MSt courses.Limited scholarships are offered for Undergraduate Programs.Trust doesn’t offer scholarships to post-doctoral positions or visiting/exchange students. Trust doesn't offer scholarships to students at the same degree level or lower than they already hold with the exception of students applying for a second master's degree to pursue a Ph.D. at the University. Award covers full cost of study at Cambridge plus airfare to and from the U.K.

Full/partially paid scholarship

Equality and Fairness

The trusts highly believe in giving equal opportunity to students. Hence, no student will be judged based on the grounds of sex, marital or parental status, race, ethnic or national origin, color, etc. The Trust is committed to equality of opportunity, and no applicant will be treated less favourably than another on the grounds of gender (including gender reassignment), marital or parental status, race, ethnic or national origin, colour, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age.

Candidate Profile and Selection Criteria

Candidates will be expected to have excellent transcripts showing evidence of sustained achievement in study, together with academic references that speak of the candidate's leadership potential, social commitment, intellectual ability, and why further study at Cambridge is particularly appropriate. The Gates Trust looks for students with enthusiasm, robustness of intellect, a willingness to engage, and humility. In selecting Gates Cambridge Scholars, the Trust looks for students of exceptional academic achievement and scholarly promise for whom advanced study at Cambridge would be particularly appropriate. The Trust expects a good match to be made between the applicant’s qualifications and aspirations and what Cambridge has to offer. Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis, and a creative approach to defining and solving problems.

The four key selection criteria are:

Academic excellence: Applicants should have an extremely strong academic record, with a GPA over 3.7. Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while at Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems. Competitiveness is evaluated through academic transcripts, references, experience and the potential to succeed on the chosen course.
Leadership potential: Successful applicants must demonstrate a clear ability to “take others with them.”
Commitment to improving the lives of others: Gates Scholars will be driven by the values of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which include a commitment to reducing inequities and improving lives around the world, particularly in the areas of health and education, often through the use of science and technology. The aim of the Gates Cambridge programme is to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.
Good academic fit with Cambridge: The Trust expects a good match to be made between the applicant's qualifications and aspirations and what Cambridge has to offer. This means that the applicant’s research track record and future goals should connect with their targeted Cambridge program and proposed research supervisor(s) at Cambridge. Choice of course: The Trust seeks Scholars who will have an academically transformative experience at Cambridge.

Application Process

Students are expected to follow the usual application process to apply for the scholarships of their choice. All students must be admitted to the University of Cambridge through the normal application procedures. Applicants are encouraged to meet the entry requirements of the University as early as possible, including (if necessary) the completion of an English language test. There are different procedures for applying for undergraduate study and for postgraduate study. Applicants may study any subject currently available at the University.

Applicants must apply directly to the University of Cambridge and complete the supplemental portion of the application to the Cambridge Trusts to be considered for the award. These are scholarships for which you must make an application in addition to your application to the University of Cambridge. If you are applying for a postgraduate course and wish to be considered for scholarships, you will need to complete Section B of the online application form (GRADSAF). The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Cambridge. The scholarship covers the cost of a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge and includes funding for academic and professional development. Applicants from any country other than the United Kingdom are eligible to apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarships.

Key Steps in the Application Process

Apply to the University of Cambridge: A scholarship may only be taken up by a student who has been admitted to Cambridge through the standard admission process. All students must be admitted to the University of Cambridge through the normal application procedures. Applicants must apply directly to the University of Cambridge. The applicant is responsible for submitting his or her application to Cambridge.
Complete Section B of the GRADSAF form: If you are applying for a postgraduate course and wish to be considered for scholarships, you will need to complete Section B of the online application form (GRADSAF).
Supplemental Portion for Cambridge Trusts: Applicants must complete the supplemental portion of the application to the Cambridge Trusts to be considered for the award.
Submit Application by Deadline: The University follows a strict deadline process hence once the deadline crosses, the university will not look further into your application and the status of your application will automatically turn to denied. Therefore, we would advise you to go through the process and keep yourself updated on the deadline for the submission. It would be better to not wait for the deadline and submit the application beforehand. October 15 - In order to be considered for the Gates scholarship, the application for admission to Cambridge must be submitted no later than October 15.

Required Materials

Excellent Academic Achievements and Potential.
Top grades at the highest level of education (school/College)
English test score: The university has set minimum requirements for both Undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Three letters of recommendation from faculty members.
500 word Personal Statement
Certified transcript (or transcripts)
Cambridge admission application - GRADSAF

The Graduate Admissions Office or academic department to which you are applying may also require the following materials:

English language test scores (if English is not the student’s first language)
Research proposal or example of your written work
GRE/GMAT scores
A complete Cambridge University application for admission (including a writing sample if required, but no photos). Note that admission requirements vary by department, but in all cases, we will need a CV/resume for Gates consideration, and that PhD candidates are also required to submit a research proposal. The online application is not available until September 3. Please submit a PDF of your online form.

Additional Tips for Application

Start Early: It would be better to not wait for the deadline and submit the application beforehand.
Contact ONSA for advising: ONSA staff encourage you to set an advising appointment during the spring semester to discuss your eligibility and competitiveness for the UK/Ireland scholarships. After discussing with us your academic record and leadership and community engagement experience for these highly competitive scholarships, students will pre-apply with ONSA by June 1. The pre-application process officially informs ONSA about your application plan and allows students to start working early on their applications.
Craft a Strong Personal Statement: When writing your personal statement, remember that the scholarship is not for “rounding out” education. Solid applications demonstrate that a student plans to contribute to, and not just receive from, Cambridge. A Gates Scholar will change the world by good research, analysis, and proposing solutions. The foundation desires students who expect to contribute creative solutions to problems in all areas, not just academics. Student must be extremely self-motivated, be intellectually curious, and know they have much to learn. An applicant should show that Cambridge is the best place to pursue his or her studies.
Choose References Wisely: The personal references writing your letters of recommendation should know something about your service or leadership activities; they should not solely be a family friend in most cases. However, it is not necessary that this letter be academic.
Demonstrate a Clear Fit: The Trust expects a good match to be made between the applicant’s qualifications and aspirations and what Cambridge has to offer.

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary for candidates who are US citizens and those who are citizens of other countries. You must consult the university's graduate admissions page, and your departmental pages, for exact deadlines. Application deadlines vary slightly.

Application Deadline for US citizens: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Approximate Application Deadline for citizens of other countries - December 1, 2025, or January 6, 2026, depending on degree program: Monday, December 1, 2025

Selection Process

The Gates Cambridge Trust uses a three-stage selection process to select its Scholars.

Departmental Nomination: Following the initial application, each academic department at the University of Cambridge ranks and nominates eligible applicants for the scholarship. Departmental nominees are the most academically outstanding applicants for postgraduate studies in the department. Individual departments at Cambridge nominate their top students based on academics.
Shortlisting Committees: The list of departmental nominees is then forwarded to the Gates Cambridge Trust, where it is divided into broad subject areas and passed to the Shortlisting Committees. Each Committee reviews the entirety of a departmental nominee and applies the Gates Cambridge selection criteria to shortlist applicants for interview.
Interview: A small number of applicants are chosen to move forward based on nominations from their chosen academic department. The interview is about 25-30 minutes long with a panel of academic experts and members of the Gates Cambridge Trust. We will coordinate mock interviews for those students called to an interview. The Gates reviewers will read your entire Cambridge application, so do not repeat yourself in the materials. 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.

Financial Support and Benefits

Scholarships cover the full cost of studying Cambridge, plus a maintenance allowance sufficient for a single student. 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. This scholarship is highly valuable, covering the full cost of tuition, an allowance for living expenses, visa and health insurance and much more. Unlike some US and European institutions, applying for funding is a key part of applying for postgraduate study as this is usually awarded separately.

Major internal sources of funding are: Cambridge Trust, Gates Cambridge Trust, Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholars Programme, Research Councils and collectively College and departmental schemes. The stipend for living expenses for the Gates Cambridge scholarship is £21,000 for 12 months. If your program is shorter than 12 months, the rate will be adjusted proportionately. The stipend is renewable for up to 4 years for PhD students. Every year the University of Cambridge awards over £100m in scholarships to new postgraduate students. This money is made up of a number of generous University and College endowments as well as government Research Council (UKRI) funds.

Read also: Finding Accommodation in Cambridge

The trust may also award additional funding to applicants with certain circumstances. Applications are viewed on a discretionary basis.

Dependent Children Allowance - up to £11,604 for one child and up to £16,548 for two or more children (2024-25 rate).

Types of Cambridge Scholarships

The Cambridge scholarship program is divided by country and degree level. There are different scholarships offered in different countries depending on the program you are opting for. In this section, we will explore a few of the Cambridge scholarships.

Cambridge Australia Scholarships: The Cambridge Australia Scholarships are available to students applying for a Master's or Ph.D. in any subject. Applicants are not required to fill out a separate application form, the application to the University of Cambridge will do the work for you. Applicants are required to gain or have gained a degree from a recognized Australian university.
- Application process - No separate application.
- Financial help - Masters - partial scholarships, Ph.D. - full-cost scholarships including tuition fees, annual stipend, and travel contributions will be included in the scholarship.
Cambridge Masters Studentship: Students in Canada can apply for this studentship, it is available for students who want to study a one-year postgraduate program in any subject. This scholarship isn’t available for students who are already graduated with a master's or Ph.D. level qualification.
- Application process - No separate application.
- Financial help - Studentship may vary but a contribution of £12,000 is provided which includes the cost of living, and tuition fees, and if any cost remains then that would be used for the living allowance.
Cambridge International Scholarships: Indian students can apply for Cambridge International Scholarships. The Scholarship is offered to students with outstanding performance in their respective departments, it is awarded on the grounds of examination results, research potential, and references.
- Application process - No separate application
- Financial help - University tuition fee, Annual stipend (sufficient for a single person), and Immigration Health Surcharge.
Cambridge Trust Scholarship (postgraduate): This scholarship is available to international masters and Ph.D. applicants in any subject. The scholarship is offered to students with the excellent academic track record.
- Application process - No separate application
- Financial Help - Contribution towards University tuition fees

Apart from the above-mentioned scholarships, there are more Cambridge scholarships offered by the trust like Cambridge Opportunity Studentships, Woolf Institute Cambridge Scholarship, etc.

Gates Cambridge Scholars Council

In 2002, Gates Cambridge Scholars organized and elected a student committee titled The Gates Scholars' Council. The Council aims to represent the Gates Scholars at Cambridge and to build a scholar community interwoven into the fabric of the university. In cooperation with the Gates Cambridge Trust, the university and various academic and professional organizations, the Scholars' Council organizes a number of academic, social and professional events that have distinguished and built the reputation of the Gates Scholars at Cambridge University.

tags: #cambridge #trust #scholarship #requirements #eligibility