Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2026 in the UK | Fully Funded Master’s and PhD

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2026 is now open for applications! This prestigious and fully funded scholarship provides outstanding students from outside the UK with the opportunity to pursue a Master’s or PhD degree at the University of Cambridge.

Established in 2000 through a donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the program supports exceptional scholars dedicated to improving the lives of others. Each year, around 80 students from across the world are selected to study at Cambridge. Since its inception, more than 2,000 scholarships have been awarded to students from over 100 countries.

If you are passionate about academic excellence, leadership, and making a positive global impact, this could be your chance to study at one of the world’s leading universities.

Scholarship Details

Host Country: United Kingdom
University: University of Cambridge
Scholarship Name: Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Level of Study: Master’s (MSc, MLitt, One-Year Courses) & PhD (full-time or part-time*)
Number of Awards: 80 scholarships annually
Deadline:
- 15 October 2025 (for US applicants)
- 2 December 2025 or 7 January 2026 (for all other applicants, depending on the course)

Benefits of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship

The scholarship is fully funded, covering the entire cost of studying at Cambridge:

Full University Composition Fee
Annual Maintenance Allowance
Round-trip Airfare (economy class)
Visa fees & Immigration Health Surcharge

Additional support may include:

Conference and course funding
Dependent Children Allowance
Fieldwork Allowance
Maternity/Paternity support
Hardship funding for unexpected challenges

Eligible Fields of Study

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers all academic subjects available at Cambridge, except for the following:

Undergraduate degrees (BA or second BA)
Business Doctorate (BusD)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Finance (MFin)
MASt courses
PGCE
MBBChir Clinical Studies
MD Doctor of Medicine (6 years, part-time, UK only)
Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
Part-time degrees (other than PhD)
Non-degree courses

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be citizens of countries outside the UK.
Applying to pursue one of the following at the University of Cambridge:
- PhD (full-time or part-time*)
- MLitt (full-time)
- One-year postgraduate course (full-time, with some exceptions)
Must demonstrate outstanding academic excellence and leadership potential.
Current Cambridge students may apply if starting a new postgraduate degree (e.g., moving from MPhil to PhD).

Application Process

Combined Application: Apply for admission and funding through the University of Cambridge Graduate Application Portal.
Select Course: Use the Course Directory to find your program.
Deadlines: Check the deadline listed in your chosen course (most are 2 December 2025 or 7 January 2026).
Funding Section: Apply for Gates Cambridge and other available funding.
Review: Gates Cambridge reviews the full application for admission and funding together.

Required Documents