Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28: Fully Funded PhD and Master's

Gates Cambridge Scholarships pay the full cost of postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, in any subject. Around 70 scholarships are awarded each year, and in the international round described here the closing date depends on the course you choose.

Who can apply

You can apply if you are a citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom, so applicants from every African country qualify. The scholarship funds a PhD, an MLitt or a one-year postgraduate course at Cambridge, with some exceptions that the official page lists.

What it covers

The award covers the University Composition Fee at the appropriate rate and a maintenance allowance for a single student of GBP 23,152 for 12 months at the 2026-27 rate, paid pro rata for courses shorter than 12 months. It also pays one economy single airfare at both the beginning and the end of the course, inbound visa costs and the Immigration Health Surcharge. For PhD scholars the award lasts for up to 4 years.

Deadline and how to apply

There are two possible deadlines, either 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, both at 23:59 UK time. Which one is yours is set by your course and shown in the University's Course Directory. You apply through the University of Cambridge postgraduate application for that course, because this round runs alongside the University's postgraduate funding competition.

Before you apply

Check your course entry first, because a December deadline leaves you about four weeks less than a January one to gather everything the application asks for. Prepare the course application and the scholarship case as one file, since they travel through the same Cambridge application. If you plan to bring a family, note that the core maintenance allowance is set for a single student.