The Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027 is open, and for most applicants outside the United States the deadline is either 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027. It pays the full cost of a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge, including tuition, a living allowance and flights. It is one of the few fully funded awards at a top UK university that is open to citizens of almost every country except the UK.
Around 70 scholarships are awarded each year, and roughly two-thirds go to PhD students. This guide covers who can apply, what the scholarship pays for, the 2027 timeline and how to put together a strong application.
Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027 at a glance
- Host: University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Level: PhD, MLitt and eligible one-year postgraduate courses, including most Master's degrees
- Funding: Fully funded
- Open to: Citizens of any country outside the UK
- Deadline (international applicants): 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course
- Deadline (US citizens living in the US): 14 October 2026 (now closed)
- Official site:gatescambridge.org
What the scholarship covers
A full Gates Cambridge Scholarship pays for:
- The full University Composition Fee (tuition)
- A living allowance. The published rate for 2026–27 is £23,152 for 12 months, and PhD scholars are funded for up to four years
- Inbound visa costs and the UK Immigration Health Surcharge
- One economy airfare at the start of the course and one at the end
Scholars can also apply for extra support, approved case by case. That includes conference and short-course funding, childcare support and hardship funding. The scholarship doesn't include an allowance for a partner, and it doesn't pay for bench fees or fieldwork beyond the living allowance. Rates for students starting in 2027 may change, so check the official funding page before you budget.
Who is eligible
You can apply if you are a citizen of any country other than the United Kingdom and you are applying to one of these courses at Cambridge:
- A full-time PhD, or a part-time PhD (part-time funding is currently a pilot)
- A full-time MLitt
- A full-time one-year postgraduate course, such as an MPhil, with some exceptions
Some courses are not eligible. These include undergraduate degrees, MASt courses, the MBA and Executive MBA, the MFin, the PGCE and part-time degrees other than the PhD. Check your course in the University's course directory before you start.
Current Cambridge students can apply for funding for a new postgraduate course, but not for a course they have already started.
Gates Cambridge 2027 deadlines and timeline
There are two rounds. US citizens living in the US apply in the earlier round, which closed on 14 October 2026. Everyone else applies in the later round:
- Applications opened: 11 September 2026
- Deadline: 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on the course
- Departments rank candidates: December to February
- Shortlist outcome: by 8 March 2027
- Panel review and selection: 22 and 23 March 2027
- Offers: by early April 2027, with 72 hours to accept
Your deadline is set by your course, not by the scholarship. Many courses close on the earlier December date, so look it up in the course directory now.
How the selection works
You don't apply to Gates Cambridge separately. Your Cambridge department first reviews your application and decides whether to nominate you. Nominated candidates are then assessed against four criteria:
- Academic excellence: your transcripts, references and record
- Reasons for your choice of course: why this Cambridge degree fits your plans. PhD applicants and most research MPhil applicants need a potential supervisor and a research summary
- A commitment to improving the lives of others: what you have done, and plan to do, for other people
- A capacity for leadership: times you started something, changed something or brought people together
Your financial situation is not considered.
How to apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Everything goes through one form on the University's Graduate Application Portal. Here is what you need to do:
- Complete the admission section for your chosen course and College.
- Tick the Gates Cambridge option in the funding section.
- Answer the four Gates Cambridge questions. These replace a single personal statement. You get about 200 words (1,400 characters) each for academic excellence and choice of course, and about 300 words (2,100 characters) each for commitment to others and leadership.
- Add a research proposal if you are applying for a PhD.
- Line up your references. You need two academic references for admission plus one separate Gates Cambridge reference.
Tips for a stronger application
Use specific examples. The four questions are short, and the panel reads thousands of them. "I founded a reading club that now runs in three schools in Bamenda" tells them far more than "I am passionate about education."
Choose your Gates referee carefully. This person should know your work outside the classroom, such as a former manager, a community project lead or a senior volunteer coordinator. They will be asked to rank you against others they have worked with and to rate you as exceptional, strong, not strong or weak. Friends and family cannot write it. If an academic writes it, they must speak to the Gates criteria rather than repeat your academic record.
Link your course to your plans. Explain what this particular Cambridge course gives you that another course wouldn't, and what you will do with it afterwards.
Start early. Referees need time, and all references must arrive before your course deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can African students apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship?
Yes. Citizens of any country outside the UK are eligible, including every African country.
Is there an application fee?
The scholarship itself is free to apply for, but the University's postgraduate application may charge a fee. Check the fee and any waivers on the University's admissions pages.
Do I need an English test?
English requirements are set by your course, not by the scholarship. Check the course directory for your programme.
Can I apply for an MBA?
No. The MBA, Executive MBA and several other professional programmes are not eligible.
Looking for more fully funded options? Read our DAAD Scholarship 2027 guide or our list of the highest-paid Canadian scholarships for 2027.
