Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28: Fully Funded Study At University Of Cambridge

Are you dreaming of postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge, without worrying about tuition fees and living costs? The Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28 is now open for international applicants, and it covers the full cost of your degree.

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and administered by the Gates Cambridge Trust, this is one of the most prestigious fully funded scholarships in the world. In this guide, we explain what it covers, who can apply, the deadline you must not miss, and how to apply step by step.

About the Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Hosting institution: Gates Cambridge Trust, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Level of study: Full-time postgraduate study — PhD (full-time or part-time), MLitt, and eligible one-year full-time postgraduate courses, including MPhil, MSc and LLM

Not eligible: Undergraduate degrees, MBA, MFin, MASt, PGCE and most part-time degrees

The scholarship is open to citizens of any country outside the United Kingdom.

Funding and Benefits

This is a full-cost award. It covers:

• The University Composition Fee in full
• A maintenance allowance of £23,152 for 12 months at the 2026–27 rate, pro rata for shorter courses. PhD funding is for up to 4 years.
• One economy airfare at the beginning of the course and one at the end
• Inbound visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge
• Discretionary funding, including academic development funding, funding for dependent children, fieldwork, parental leave and hardship funding

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, you must:

• Be a citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom
• Be applying for an eligible full-time postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge
• Be selected on intellectual ability, your justification for your choice of course, your commitment to improving the lives of others, and your leadership capacity

A separate Gates Cambridge reference is required, in addition to two academic references.

Application Deadline

International round: 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, 11:59pm UK time, depending on your course's Course Funding Deadline in the Cambridge Course Directory.

Check the deadline for your exact course before you apply. US citizens resident in the USA had a separate round that closed on 14 October 2026 and are not eligible for this international round.

Required Documents and Evidence

You apply through the Cambridge Graduate Application Portal, completing the Gates Cambridge section as part of the same application. You will need:

• Your application for admission to your chosen Cambridge postgraduate course, including the documents that course requires
• Two academic references
• A separate Gates Cambridge reference

Check your course page in the Cambridge Course Directory for any course-specific requirements.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Choose an eligible full-time postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge and check its Course Funding Deadline.
2. Apply for admission and funding through the Cambridge Graduate Application Portal.
3. Complete the Gates Cambridge section of the application.
4. Arrange your two academic references and your separate Gates Cambridge reference.
5. Submit your combined application before your course deadline — 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, 11:59pm UK time.

Official Application Link

Apply through the Cambridge Graduate Application Portal: https://apply.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applicant/login

Official information: Gates Cambridge timeline https://www.gatescambridge.org/apply/timeline/ and How to apply https://www.gatescambridge.org/apply/how-to-apply/

Source: Gates Cambridge, verified 13 November 2026. Always confirm the deadline for your course on the official Cambridge website before applying.