Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027: Funding, Eligible Courses and English Requirements

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027 is a competitive, fully funded scholarship award for citizens of countries outside the United Kingdom who are applying to study an eligible postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge for the 2027–28 academic year. It supports eligible master’s and PhD programmes across many fields; it is one scholarship programme, rather than a separate scholarship for each Cambridge course.

For a successful applicant, the award covers the University Composition Fee, a maintenance allowance and eligible travel and visa costs. Additional support, including academic development funding or an allowance for dependent children, may be available subject to the scholarship’s rules. The total value differs by course length, fees and personal circumstances.

Applicants must qualify for their chosen Cambridge course and be selected by Gates Cambridge. Selection considers academic excellence, why the applicant chose that course, leadership potential and a commitment to improving the lives of others. English language scores are set by the individual course, not by one universal Gates Cambridge rule. Admission to Cambridge alone does not mean the applicant has won the scholarship.

Scholarship Overview

What Does the Scholarship Pay?

For a successful scholar, Gates Cambridge covers the applicable University Composition Fee, a maintenance allowance, one economy airfare at the beginning and end of the course, and eligible inbound visa and Immigration Health Surcharge costs. Additional funding, including academic development or dependent children allowances, is subject to the scholarship’s rules. The fee and total package differ by course and personal circumstances.

The latest maintenance figure verified on an official Gates Cambridge page is £22,050 for 12 months at the 2025–26 rate. At that older rate, nine months would equal £16,537.50. These figures are illustrations, not confirmed 2027–28 award amounts.

Programmes, Funding and Language Requirements

The courses below are examples of Cambridge postgraduate programmes that applicants can assess for Gates Cambridge. Each receives the same full-cost funding type if the applicant wins the scholarship; there is no separate fixed Gates award amount for Computer Science, Law or another subject. The course fee and funded duration determine the individual value.

Cambridge also lists C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency for some courses, with additional conditions. Its general guidance explains when prior education and nationality may satisfy the language requirement. Because TOEFL requirements involve an additional Cambridge assessment for tests taken after 21 January 2026, check the current English language guidance before booking a test.

Programs Not covered by the Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027

• Any undergraduate degree, such as BA (undergraduate) or BA affiliated (a second BA)
• MASt courses
• Part-time degrees other than the PhD
• Professional development courses and non-standard degrees such as:
  • Master of Business (MBA)
  • Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) and Global EMBA
  • Master of Finance (MFin)
  • Executive Master of Accounting
  • Business Doctorate (BusD)
  • Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)
  • MBBChir Clinical Studies
  • MD Doctor of Medicine degree (6 years, part-time, home students only)
  • Graduate Course in Medicine (A101)
  • Master of Conservation of Easel Painting.

Who is Eligible?

You must be a citizen of a country outside the UK, apply to an eligible Cambridge postgraduate course, and demonstrate academic excellence, a strong reason for choosing that course, leadership potential and a commitment to improving others’ lives. Eligible degree types include MPhil, MLitt, MRes, LLM and PhD; master’s study must be full time. Exclusions include undergraduate degrees, MASt courses, the MBA, the PGCE and most part-time degrees other than the PhD.

Fundings

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 (£22,050 for 12 months at the 2025-26 rate; pro rata for courses shorter than 12 months) – for PhD 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

Discretionary components

The Trust also considers applications for several types of additional funding on a discretionary basis:

• academic development funding – from up to £500 to up to £2,000, dependent on the length of your course, to attend conferences and courses.
• Dependent Children Allowance – up to £12,184 per annum for one child and up to £17,375 per annum for two or more children. No funding is provided for a partner.
• fieldwork – you may apply to keep up to your normal maintenance allowance while on fieldwork as part of your PhD (the Trust does not fund other fieldwork costs as these should be funded by the University Composition Fee).
• maternity/paternity funding – should you require it, you may apply to intermit your studies for up to 6 months and continue to receive your maintenance allowance during this time
• hardship funding – for unforeseen difficulties facing the scholar

Gates Cambridge Scholarship (Postgraduate) Qualification Requirements

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 courses at the University of Cambridge:
  • PhD (full-time or part-time*)
  • MLitt (full-time)
  • one-year postgraduate course (full-time), with some exceptions – see below.

In addition, Gates Cambridge is continuing to pilot a scheme which allows applicants to apply for funding for a part-time doctoral degree (PhD).

Application Deadline

The application deadline for Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027: Funding, Eligible Courses and English Requirements is December 8, 2026.

Applicants should submit all required materials before this date and verify any last-minute changes through the official scholarship source.

How to Apply for 2027 Entry

Choose a programme in the Cambridge course directory, read its requirements and funding deadline, then submit the Cambridge postgraduate application including the Gates Cambridge section and required reference. For the six courses listed above, Cambridge displays 14 October 2026 for the Gates Cambridge US round and 8 December 2026 as the course funding deadline. Check your selected course page and applicant round before submitting; a later general admission deadline may be too late for scholarship consideration.

Apply through the official route: Gates Cambridge application guidance and the University of Cambridge postgraduate course directory.