THE GATES CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Purpose
In October 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a donation to the University of Cambridge of $210 million to establish the Gates Cambridge Trust.
This benefaction creates in perpetuity an international scholarship program to enable outstanding graduate students from outside the United Kingdom to study at the University of Cambridge. The Trustees are required to award scholarships on the basis of a person's intellectual ability, leadership capacity and desire to use their knowledge to contribute to society throughout the world by providing service to their communities and applying their talents and knowledge to improve the lives of others.
About the scholarships
The Trust expects there to be of the order of 230 Gates Cambridge Scholars studying at the University at any one time. Although there may be variation in the actual number of awards made each year, the Trust seeks to elect approximately 100 new scholars annually.
Application Procedure
- The Gates Cambridge Trust cannot admit students to the University or to any of its Colleges. Applicants for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship must apply to the University of Cambridge in the normal way.
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships are competed for internationally. There is some variation in procedure between countries, and the competition may run along different timetables to meet the academic schedules of different parts of the world.
- The Gates Cambridge Trust takes advice from the academic committees in Cambridge responsible for determining admission to the University about the respective merits of the applicants. On the basis of that advice, applicants shortlisted for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship will be invited to an interview.
- Candidates who are not successful in winning a Gates Cambridge Scholarship will automatically be considered for awards offered by the other Cambridge Trusts.
How to Apply
Please click on the link below that applies to the course of study or research for which you intend to apply for funding (this may take you to an external site):
Note for 2007: the deadline for applicants from the USA (who are not currently studying at Cambridge) to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship for entry in October 2006 has now passed. For entry and awards in October 2007, US candidates (who will not be studying at Cambridge during 2006-07) must submit both an application for admission and an application for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship no later than 15 October 2006. Interviews for US applicants have provisionally been scheduled for early February 2007 in Annapolis, Maryland.
Eligibility
- May come from any country of the world except the United Kingdom.
- May apply to study any subject currently available at the University.
- Should normally be under the age of 30.
- Candidates will be expected to have excellent transcripts with high GPA scores showing evidence of sustained achievement in study, together with the type of academic references which speak of the candidate's leadership potential, social commitment, intellectual ability and why further study at Cambridge is particularly appropriate.
- Must apply to pursue one of the following full-time residential courses study:
- Research leading to the PhD degree
- One-year post-graduate courses (e.g. MPhil, LLM, Diploma etc.)
- Second Bachelor degree as an Affiliated Student
- MBBChir Clinical Studies
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships are awarded only to students who gain admission to the University through the University's regular procedures.
Qualifications
- Over time, Gates Cambridge Scholars will form an integral and dynamic part of the University's influential international alumni network, bringing vision and new ideas to improving the lives of citizens throughout the world. Cambridge alumni take the lead in applying knowledge and skill to major problems in every walk of life: Gates Cambridge Scholars are thus expected to use their education for the benefit of others.
Selection Procedure
- In selecting Gates Cambridge Scholars, the Trust looks for students of exceptional academic achievement and scholarly promise for whom advanced study at Cambridge would be particularly appropriate.
- The Trust expects a good match to be made between the applicant's qualifications and aspirations and what Cambridge has to offer.
- Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems.
Value of the Award
They cover the full cost of study at Cambridge for a single person - namely, all approved University and College tuition fees, a maintenance allowance [which for 2005-06 will be £8,400], a further discretionary allowance for study-related activities [which for 2005-06 will be £2,000], and one return economy airfare between the UK and the Scholar’s normal country of residence.
Contact Information
Return to Scholarship Listing
