Use our scholarship search (on the right) to find a list of scholarships for which you may be eligible.
Applications
All scholarships require that you apply to the University of Cambridge via the normal online application form, and most scholarships require that you apply by the relevant deadline.
There are different procedures for applying for undergraduate study (BA and similar) and for postgraduate study (Masters, PhD and similar).
Deadlines
For courses starting in the academic year 2016-17, undergraduate applicants should apply by 15 October 2015.
International postgraduate applicants should apply by 2 December 2015, and home/EU postgraduate applicants by 6 January 2016.
However, there are some exceptions. If you are applying for undergraduate study and wish to be interviewed in China, Malaysia or Singapore, the deadline is 20 September 2015. If you are applying for postgraduate study, check your specific course deadline as some are earlier than 2 December 2015 - for example, the deadline for applications to the LLM is earlier.
Eligibility
These are guidelines on eligibility for scholarships that are available from the Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust:
Nationality
All students, irrespective of nationality, who are required to pay University fees at the EU or Overseas rate are eligible to be considered for funding by the Trust.
Status
The Trust does not accept applications from students who are part-way through a course at Cambridge, unless they are applying for funding towards a higher degree course following graduation.
To find out more about your fee status, see information on the University's web pages for undergraduates and for postgraduates.
Degree level
Applicants must be intending to start a course at the level of undergraduate (excluding EU applicants), Masters (such as MPhil, MASt, LLM), or research postgraduate (such as PhD).
Please note that the Trust does not offer many scholarships to students on undergraduate courses, and has many more scholarship programmes available to postgraduate students. Approximately 85% of the scholarships awarded each year are to students taking Masters or PhD degrees.
The Trust will not normally support students at a degree level that is the same as, or lower than, a degree they already hold, with two exceptions - we will consider an application from a student who is required to take a second Masters degree at Cambridge in order to gain admission to the PhD here, or from an international (non-EU) student who is proposing to study as an affiliated student at Cambridge for a second BA degree.
The Trust does not have scholarships available for post-doctoral positions, or for visiting or exchange students.
The Trust does not have scholarships available for part-time postgraduate degrees, and part-time undergraduate study is not available at the University of Cambridge.
Subject
Applicants may study any subject currently available at the University.
Information for undergraduate applicants
The Cambridge Trust offers scholarships for undergraduate students who pay the University composition fee at the overseas rate. EU undergraduate students should apply to the Newton Trust.
Full information about undergraduate study in Cambridge can be found on theUniversity website.
Most of the Trust's scholarships are part-cost awards which will pay only part of the cost of studying in Cambridge. Use the scholarship search to find the awards for which you may be eligible.
The eligibility requirements for part-cost scholarships are:
significant academic achievement and potential
financial need
You do not need to apply to the Trust for funding, as the Trust will only consider applicants who are put forward by their Colleges. If you are offered admission, your College may invite you to apply for financial support from the Trust.
Funding for international students with financial need is highly competitive. If you do not require financial support in order to study at Cambridge, please do not apply for a scholarship. You will only be eligible for a scholarship if we are satisfied that you have financial need.
You will be informed in April if you have been successful in gaining a scholarship.
Information for postgraduate applicants
The Cambridge Trust is a major source of funding to scholars at Cambridge and offers a number of scholarships for postgraduate students.
Most of the Trust’s scholarship programmes require you to apply for admission to the University by the relevant funding deadline if you wish to start a course in the 2016-17 academic year:
2 December 2015 for international applicants
6 January 2016 for home and EU applicants
However, if your chosen course has a deadline that is earlier than 2 December 2015, you must apply by the earlier date (for example, the deadline for applying to take the LLM is earlier).
You do not need to apply to the Trust directly as any application for funding can be made at the same time as your application for admission to the University.
Please take special note of the graduate application form ('GRADSAF') Completion Guide. If you wish to be considered for a scholarship from the Trust, you must tick the relevant box 'Cambridge Trust' at the start of Section B: ‘Funding’, and complete sections B3, B4 and B5.
Applicants may tick more than one box to apply to multiple funding bodies if they believe they are eligible. For example, EU applicants may be eligible for Research Council Funding.
In Section B(5) ‘Personal funds’, you should include significant income from all sources, including salaries, business profit, rents and dividends, as many of our scholarships require evidence of financial need.
You should aim to fulfill as early as possible the entry requirements of the University including, if necessary, the completion of an English language test.
The eligibility requirements for most scholarships are:
significant academic achievement and potential
financial need (although some scholarship programmes are based on academic merit alone)
You will be informed between late March and July if you have been successful in gaining a scholarship.
The University's International Student Team provides a Visa Advice Service, offering free, confidential advice on a range of immigration matters. Please see the Service'sinformation pages for further details, or submit your query via e-mail to the Team.
