Gates Cambridge Scholarship

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Please refer to the Nationally Competitive Scholarships homepage for the most up-to-date information. For all scholarships, contact Mychal Machado at mmachado2@alaska.edu if you have questions, to make an appointment, or to request information.

Important Dates

Visit  for details.

Online application availability:  Early September

Application Deadlines:
Campus deadline: N/A; prior admission to Cambridge University required
National deadline: Mid-October

Notification of qualifying candidates: Mid-December (US round)

Notification of winning candidates: Within a few days of interviewing

Scholarship Overview

Building a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship seeks intellectually outstanding postgraduate students with a capacity for leading and a commitment to improving the lives of others. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in many subjects available at the University of Cambridge.

 

Information for Applicants

  • Eligibility

    Applicants must be:

    • Postgraduates who have been admitted to Cambridge University
    • A citizen of any country outside of the UK

     

    Who cannot apply:

    • Citizens of the UK

     

    For more information about eligibility requirements, visit .

  • Additional Requirements

    Only apply for the scholarship if you are planning to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses of study at the University of Cambridge:

    • PhD
    • MPhil/MLitt
    • One year postgraduate course, with some exceptions; visit  for a list of ineligible programs

     

    Seek advising early in the application process. Schedule an advising appointment with the Gates Cambridge Scholarship Advisor, TBD to discuss intent to apply.

  • Award Benefits
    • Full tuition
    • $15,000+ single student maintenance allowance per year
    • Airfare
    • Visa and Immigration Health Surcharge
    • Family allowance
    • Academic development
    • Fieldwork and hardship funding
    • Maternity/paternity leave

     

    Award can be deferred and renewed.

  • Candidate Profile
    • Academic excellence and the ability to make a significant contribution in your discipline while at Cambridge
    • Strong leadership potential and evidence of ability to lead
    • A commitment to improving the lives of others and working for the common good
    • A good fit for Cambridge based on qualifications and aspirations
  • Application Procedure
    1. Find a faculty member willing to serve as your mentor through the application process.
    2. Schedule an advising appointment with TBD to discuss intent to apply.
    3. Use Cambridge's Graduate Application Portal to begin applying for admission to an eligible postgraduate program and the scholarship at the same time using Cambridge's combined application. If you have already applied to and been accepted at Cambridge, you can apply for the scholarship through the university's application portal. Visit  for more information.
    4. PhD applicants are required to submit a research proposal as part of the application.
    5. Two academic references are required. Choose references who can comment on your suitability for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, your intellectual ability, the justification for your choice of course, your commitment to improving the lives of others, and your leadership ability. References may be instructors, former employers, academic advisors, or similar.
    6. The Cambridge University department you applied to will rank you based on academic ability. Your department will nominate you for the scholarship if you rank high enough. You will be notified if your scholarship application is unsuccessful.
    7. If you are nominated and called to interview, prepare for a short interview with a three to four person panel. Review the information on  to prepare for the interview. The final selection takes place after the interview, and you will be notified if you have been chosen to receive the award.