Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2026 in UK (Fully Funded)

Master's and PhD scholarship

Continue your studies in the UK. Good news! The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is now available. In this article, we'll explain in detail the scholarship, its benefits, and the application steps.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2026-2027 is a fully-funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is offered for master's and doctoral studies. It provides an annual stipend of £21,000, health insurance, academic development funding of up to £2,000, and a family allowance of up to £16,548.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Program was established in October 2000 with a $210 million donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge, the largest single donation ever made to a British university.

For 2024, the Gates Cambridge Foundation will award 80 full-tuition scholarships to exceptional candidates from outside the UK to pursue full-time postgraduate study in any subject at the University of Cambridge. Nearly two-thirds of these scholarships will be awarded to doctoral students, with approximately 25 scholarships available in the US round and 55 in the international round.

Scholarship Summary

Study level: Master's, PhD
Institution(s): University of Cambridge
Study in: United Kingdom
Opportunity Focus Areas: All courses available at the University of Cambridge except the courses listed below
Program duration: two years for a master's degree and three years for a doctorate.
Delivery date:
- For US citizens: ( Opens early September 2025 ) Wednesday, October 16, 2025 (Time 12:00 PM US local time)
- For international students: Depends on your course - either 3 December 2025 or 7 January 2026 (see Course Directory )

Courses that are not eligible for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship:

Any university degree such as a bachelor's degree (BA) or an associated bachelor's degree (second bachelor's degree)
Doctorate in Business Administration (BusD)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Finance (MFin)
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Clinical Studies for the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Program
Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree (6 years, part-time)
Postgraduate Course in Medicine (A101)
Part-time degrees
Non-accredited courses

Scholarship coverage

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship offers the recipient the following benefits:

The University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate
Maintenance allowance for one student (£21,000 for 12 months at the 2024-25 rate; percentage for courses of less than 12 months) - for PhD scholars, the award is for up to 4 years
One economy flight ticket at the beginning and end of the course
Inbound visa costs & the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge
Academic Development Funding - From up to £500 to £2,000, depending on the length of your course, to attend conferences and seminars.
Dependent Child Allowance - up to £11,604 for one child, and £16,548 for two or more children (at the 2023-2024 rate). No funding is provided for a partner.
Fieldwork - You can apply to retain your normal maintenance allowance while undertaking fieldwork as part of your PhD (the Foundation does not fund other fieldwork costs as these must be funded through the University Composition Fee).
Maternity/Paternity Funding - If you need it, you can apply to pause your studies for up to 6 months and continue to receive your Maintenance Allowance during this time.
Hardship Financing – for unexpected hardships faced by the researcher

Eligibility criteria for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship

To be eligible for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, a candidate must meet all of the following requirements:

Required language: English
Eligible countries: All countries of the world.
Academic excellence.
You must be able to make a strong case for a particular postgraduate degree at Cambridge.
Commitment to improving the lives of others.
Ability to lead.
Applicants must be from countries outside the UK for a full-time postgraduate degree.

How to apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?

Please follow the application instructions below to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship:

Apply for admission to a course and a place in the College and Finance Department at Gates Cambridge.
Build up an account on the website.
Enter your personal information
Submit these documents:
- Gates Cambridge Statement: Please explain why you are applying for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship and how you meet the four key criteria in no more than 3,000 characters (approximately 500 words).
- the biography
- Research Proposal (for PhD applicants only)
- Gates Reference: In addition to two academic references for admission, applicants to Gates Cambridge provide a reference on their suitability for the scholarship.