The Gates Cambridge Scholarship, one of the world's most prestigious awards, is open for postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge starting in 2027. It pays the full cost of a master's or PhD, including fees, a living allowance of £23,152 a year, flights and visa costs. For most applicants the deadline is either 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on the course.
King's College Chapel at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (file photo). Photo: Marcos Leal / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Not everyone has until 6 January. Gates Cambridge says the deadline depends on your course: either 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027. Check the "funding deadline" for your course in Cambridge's Course Directory.
- The funding deadline is what counts. Some courses accept admission applications later, but to be considered for Gates Cambridge you must apply by the course funding deadline.
- Your full application, including references, must be in by 11:59 p.m. UK time. That is 11:59 p.m. in Accra, Banjul and Freetown; 12:59 a.m. the next day in Lagos; and 2:59 a.m. the next day in Nairobi and Kampala.
- The living allowance is £23,152 a year (2026-27 rate), not the older figures still shared online.
- Scholarship: Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28
- University: University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Level: any full-time postgraduate degree: PhD, MPhil, MLitt or other one-year courses
- Open to: citizens of any country outside the UK
- Number: around 70 scholarships a year; most go to the international round
- Deadline: 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, 11:59 p.m. UK time (depends on your course)
- Results: applicants told by 8 March 2027; interviews 22 to 23 March 2027; offers by early April 2027
What the scholarship covers
- The full University Composition Fee (tuition)
- A living allowance of £23,152 for 12 months (2026-27 rate), for up to four years for PhD students
- One economy flight at the start and one at the end of your course
- UK visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge
- Extra funding you can apply for: academic development funding (£750 to £4,000), a child allowance (up to £12,793 a year for one child, £18,244 for two or more), maternity/paternity support and hardship funding
Not covered: any allowance for a partner, and bench fees or scientific equipment (these are expected to be covered by your department).
Who can apply
- Citizens of any country outside the United Kingdom
- Applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge
- Selection looks for four things: outstanding intellectual ability, clear reasons for your choice of course, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership potential
How to apply
- Choose your course in the University of Cambridge postgraduate Course Directory and note its funding deadline (8 December or 6 January).
- Apply for admission through the University of Cambridge postgraduate application portal.
- Tick the Gates Cambridge box in the funding section of the same application and complete the Gates Cambridge statement.
- Make sure your referees submit their references before the deadline. Your application is not complete without them.
Your department ranks applicants first. Shortlisted candidates are then interviewed by a Gates Cambridge panel.
Official pages: Gates Cambridge deadlines and what the scholarship covers.
Faddabah Newsroom tips
- Check your course deadline today. If it is 8 December, you have less than four weeks.
- Contact your referees now. Late references are a common reason applications are incomplete.
- Show impact. Give real examples of how you have improved others' lives, and explain how your Cambridge degree will help you do more.
- Be specific about your course. Name the research group, supervisor or modules that make Cambridge the right choice.
- Apply only through official websites. Nobody can sell you a Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
Sources
- Gates Cambridge: application timeline 2027/28 (official)
- Gates Cambridge: the scholarship and funding (official)
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