Apply for Gates Cambridge Scholarship Programme to Study in USA 2021 by the Gates Cambridge Trust was established in October 2000 by a donation of US$210m from the Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge. This remains the largest single donation to a UK university.
The Trust has a Board of nine distinguished Trustees (two of whom are appointed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the remainder by the University) who meet twice a year to decide on the overall strategic direction of the programme. The Provost (CEO) is supported by a Director of Finance and a Programme Director and a small administrative team who manage all operational aspects of the Trust’s activities. Full details are available on the People page.
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The Trust is regulated by the Higher Education Funding Council in England via the University of Cambridge.
Who can apply?
You can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship if you are:
- a citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom
- applying to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses of study at the University of Cambridge:
- PhD
- MSc/MLitt
- One year postgraduate course (with some exceptions – see below)
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Current student at Cambridge?
If you are currently studying at Cambridge and wish to apply for a new postgraduate course you can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. For example, if you are currently studying for an MPhil you can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. Current Gates Cambridge Scholars may also apply for a second scholarship if they are applying for a new degree. All current Cambridge students will be considered in round two. However, if you have already started a course you cannot apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to fund the remainder of it.
General funding at Cambridge
Whether or not you are eligible for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you may be eligible for other funding offered by the University of Cambridge. See www.student-funding.cam.ac.uk for more details.
Courses which are NOT eligible for Gates Cambridge Scholarships:
- Any Undergraduate degree such as BA (undergraduate) or BA affiliated (a second BA)
- Master of Business (MBA)
- Master of Finance (MFin)
- PGCE
- MBBChir Clinical Studies
- MD Doctor of Medicine degree (6 years, part-time)
- Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
- Part-time degrees
- Non-degree courses
Funding
A Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge. It also provides additional, discretionary funding.
Core components
- the University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate*
- a maintenance allowance for a single student (£17,500 for 12 months at the 2020-21 rate; pro rata for courses shorter than 12 months) – for Ph.D. scholars, the award is for up to 4 years
- one economy single airfare at both the beginning and end of the course
- inbound visa costs & the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge
The University Composition Fee varies for different types of students; applicants should see the Graduate Studies prospectus for full details about precise amounts. Where a student from the European Union has been successful in gaining a fees award from public authorities they must accept this and the Trust will not pay these fees.
All other eligible applicants
The large majority of applicants will apply in this round, which is also aligned with the University’s postgraduate funding competition. There are two possible application deadlines and these are based on the course to which you are applying.
| What stage? | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 1 September 2020 |
| Application deadline | Dependent on your course – either 3 December 2020 or 7 January 2021 |
| Departmental ranking | December – February |
| All applicants notified of application outcome | February 2021 |
| On-line review and selection by panels | February and March 2021 |
| Scholarships offered | Late March |
| Scholarships accepted | 72 hours after offers |