Gates Cambridge Scholarships for International Students

Amount of Scholarship Offered: £20,000 for 12 months (international students)

Start date: October 2024

Last date for Application: 11 Oct-5 Dec 2023/4 Jan 2024

Courses covered: International students pursuing full-time master’s programs in all subjects that are available at the University of Cambridge.

What is the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?

One of the most renowned international scholarships globally, they are offered to exceptional students hailing from countries outside the UK in any subject available at this specific university. 

Who can apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?

Eligible to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship are international students from outside the United Kingdom. They should be pursuing PhD, MSc, or MLitt (full-time) or a one-year full-time postgraduate course, barring specific courses.

Number of Scholarships Offered: The number of Gates Cambridge Scholarships offered every year is 80.

List of Universities Offering the Scholarship: The scholarships are available only for students of the University of Cambridge who pursue full-time MSc, MLitt or PhD degrees.

Eligibility for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship

To be eligible for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, students need to meet the following criteria:

Currently, students at Cambridge wishing to apply for a new postgraduate course are eligible to apply. Current Scholars of Gates Cambridge are eligible to apply for a second scholarship if they intend to apply for a new degree. All current students of Cambridge will be considered.  Other criteria include the following.

• Must be international students.
• Students must be enrolled in a full-time MSc or MLitt or doctorate degree at Cambridge University.
• Must possess an exceptional academic record.
• Current Scholars of Gates Cambridge are eligible to apply for a second scholarship if they intend to apply for a new degree.
• All current students of Cambridge will be considered. 
• Students must have the potential to carry out research.

Scholarship Benefits: With a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, a student can cover the full cost of studying at Cambridge, including tuition fees, living expenses, books, and healthcare, among others.

The university also provides for further discretionary funding.

Selection Process: To be eligible, applicants need to exhibit ability for leadership, which they can convey in several ways. Applicants should demonstrate their leadership experience so far and state how their leadership skills may positively influence their careers in the future.

Various academic departments in Cambridge are asked to nominate a few eligible applicants who fulfill all four of the scholarship’s criteria.

After interviewing them, Gates Cambridge then selects scholars.

They will be invited for an interview of 20-25 minutes, depending on where they are from, either personally or virtually.

Each interview has four main sections:

1. Welcome and introduction

The Chair will introduce to the scholar the panel, determine the interview format, and furnish any other vital information which will lead to a productive conversation.

2. Gates Cambridge

Your knowledge about the scholarships

What motivated you to apply for it?

Why do you think you are fit to be a scholar of Gates Cambridge?

Your ideas on the scope and obligations that this scholarship brings

3. Academic and career plans

Your academic accomplishments until now – how you can convincingly show your passion for it, and its importance, your chosen discipline?

The degree you propose to study at Cambridge – How you can provide a persuasive justification for your chosen course at Cambridge?

Your career plans – How can you link cogently your application for both the Gates Cambridge scholarship and the course you propose to do at Cambridge to your career prospects in the future?

You could be asked analytical intellectual or moral questions, which do not have ‘right’ answers.

4. Final views and inquiries

This is a chance for you to share any additional information about yourself and/or pose the interview panel any questions (optional).

How to apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarships?

To apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarships, follow the steps:

Step 1: Applicants should submit their funding application (Gates Cambridge and other funding) through the University of Cambridge’s Graduate Application Portal.

Step 2: Fill in the section to apply for a course’s admission and the Gates Cambridge funding section’s part. 

Step 3: Attach the requirements to support your application.

Step 4: Write in not more than 500 words why you are interested in applying for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship and also state meeting the four main conditions. 

Step 5: Review and submit your application before the specified deadline.

Statistics and Achievements

Approximately two of out of three of these awards are offered to PhD students, with about 25 awards being made available in the United States round and 55 in the international round.

Interview panels are based on four subjects:

• Arts
• Biological Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Social Sciences

Conclusion

The mission of Gates Cambridge is to develop a worldwide network of leaders in the future who are dedicated to developing lives of other humans. It intends to achieve this objective by selecting exceptional scholars, and offering them support financially and non-financially at one of the world’s premier universities to enable community building at Cambridge and beyond.

Contact Information

Applicants are encouraged to contact for the below details to submit their applications:

Email id: info@gatescambridge.org.

Phone no.: +44 (0)1223 338467

Additional Resources: The Gates Cambridge website provides vast additional resources, including detailed articles, informational blog posts, and engaging videos that provide precise information about the Gates Cambridge Scholarships.