Cambridge Trust Scholarship
The Cambridge Trust funds around 500 international postgraduate scholarships at the University of Cambridge each year — making it the single largest source of funding for non-UK students at the university. Awards range from partial tuition contributions to fully-funded packages covering tuition, college fees, and maintenance. Sri Lankan applicants are eligible across most programmes; past Cambridge Trust scholars from Sri Lanka have read engineering, public health, education, and law, with several returning to lead universities and policy institutions back home.
University of Cambridge
External Organization-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
Partial to Full (£25,000+ stipend)
Duration
Length of Programme
Awards
~500 per Year
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Offer for a Cambridge Postgraduate Programme
You must apply to a one-year Master's, MPhil, MRes, or PhD programme at Cambridge through the standard Postgraduate Application. Most Cambridge Trust awards are linked to specific departments and colleges.
Outstanding Academic Record
Cambridge typically requires a first-class honours degree (or equivalent). For Sri Lankan applicants this usually means a first-class from Colombo, Peradeniya, Moratuwa, or a strong UK / Australian undergraduate degree with high distinction.
International Fee Status
Open to overseas fee-paying students. Sri Lankan citizens are eligible across most schemes. Some named awards have additional country, subject, or college restrictions — check the Trust's eligibility tool before applying.
English Proficiency
Meet Cambridge's standard English requirement — typically IELTS 7.5 overall with no element below 7.0, or equivalent TOEFL iBT. Conditional offers are common; the language test can usually be submitted after offer.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to Cambridge by the funding deadline
Submit your postgraduate application via the Cambridge Applicant Portal by the funding deadline (typically early December for US-citizen funding, early January for all other funding including Cambridge Trust). Late applications are reviewed for admission only, not for funding.
Tick the Cambridge Trust box
Within the application, indicate that you wish to be considered for Cambridge Trust funding and complete the additional financial information section. There is no separate application form for most Trust schemes.
Departmental ranking
Your application is reviewed by the academic department, which ranks applicants for funding. Top-ranked applicants are nominated to the Cambridge Trust selection committee, usually February–April.
Offer and matching
Successful applicants receive a scholarship offer letter detailing the value, duration, and any college affiliation. Some awards are partnership-funded (e.g. Cambridge-Trust-Commonwealth) and may require additional acceptance steps.
Why the Cambridge Trust?
Founded in 1982 by the University and the Cambridge colleges, the Trust has funded over 25,000 scholars from 180+ countries — including Heads of State, Nobel laureates, and senior leaders across South Asia. The Sri Lankan Cambridge community remains active through alumni events in Colombo and London.
~500
Scholarships per Year
#5
QS World Ranking 2026
25,000+
Alumni Worldwide
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