Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Established in 2000 by a USD 210 million donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — the largest single donation to a UK university — the Gates Cambridge Scholarship funds outstanding international postgraduates to study at the University of Cambridge. Around 80 scholars are selected each year across roughly 100 nationalities. Sri Lankan applicants compete in the global pool with no country quota, and the programme has a strong track record of selecting candidates committed to social impact in their home regions.
2026 entry round closed (US deadline Oct 2025, International Dec 2025) — 2027 entry round opens September 2026
University of Cambridge
External Organization-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Living Stipend
£21,000/yr (2025 rate)
Duration
Full Length of Course (1-4 yrs)
Extras
Full Tuition + Return Flights + Visa Costs
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Awards from external organisations like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.
Who awards it
University of Cambridge — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.
What it covers
Full Tuition + £21,000 Stipend + Flights. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.
Where we come in
We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Non-UK Citizen
Open to citizens of any country outside the United Kingdom. Sri Lankan citizens are fully eligible and compete in the International round (December deadline).
Applying to a Cambridge Postgraduate Course
You must be applying for a full-time PhD, MLitt, or one-year postgraduate course (MPhil, LLM, MASt, MBA, MFin, etc.) at the University of Cambridge.
Outstanding Academic Record
Top 5% of academic performance globally — typically a first-class Bachelor's degree (and a strong Master's for PhD applicants).
Commitment to Improving Others' Lives
Demonstrated capacity for leadership and a clear commitment to using your degree to improve the lives of others. This is heavily weighted in selection — Gates Cambridge explicitly seeks future leaders, not just academic stars.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to Cambridge by the December deadline
Submit a single application via the Cambridge online portal (applicant.cam.ac.uk) — there is no separate Gates Cambridge form. International applicants must apply by the early December deadline (2 December 2025 for 2026 entry); US applicants have an October deadline.
Indicate Gates Cambridge on the form
Tick the Gates Cambridge box and write the additional Gates statement (500 words) explaining your fit with the four selection criteria: academic excellence, reason for choosing Cambridge, capacity for leadership, and commitment to improving others' lives.
Department shortlisting + Trust ranking
Your chosen department reviews your academic application first. Top-ranked candidates with department offers are then nominated for the Gates round, where the Trust ranks them globally.
Final interview + decision
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed (typically virtually for international applicants) in March-April. Final decisions are released late March (US round) or early April (international round).
Why Gates Cambridge?
Cambridge is consistently ranked in the world top 5, and Gates Cambridge scholars are admitted into a tight-knit, fully-funded scholar community with a dedicated programme of seminars, leadership events, and lifelong alumni network.
~80
Scholars / Year
#5
QS World Ranking 2026
100+
Nationalities to Date
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for UK, in LKR as well as local currency.
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