Gates Cambridge Scholarship
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship in any subject area for students to pursue a graduate degree or a second bachelor’s degree at the University of Cambridge. The scholarships are for one to three years, with a possible extension to a fourth year.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship covers:
- University and college fees
- Maintenance allowance sufficient for a single student
- Contribution towards return airfare
- Other discretionary allowances
- Contribution to colleges for a mentoring program
The Gates Scholarships normally cover either a second BA, a PhD program or a one year master’s. If a student is successful in obtaining a Gates Cambridge Scholarship for a one year master’s program, the student can then apply for further funding for a higher degree.
Eligibility and Qualifications
There will be from 80-110 Gates Cambridge Scholars each year, with approximately 40 awarded to students from the U.S. Non-U.S. citizens studying in the U.S. are eligible and should follow the process based on their country of citizenship.
- Applicants from any country other than the U.K. are eligible
- Candidates should normally be under the age of 30
- Students must have completed a bachelor’s degree before beginning study at Cambridge
- Candidates will be expected to have excellent transcripts showing evidence of sustained achievement, together with strong academic references
There are no restrictions on the discipline that a student can study with a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, but applicants are reminded that the Gates Cambridge Scholarship Committee prefers candidates who are interested in issues of social equity.
Other considerations for ensuring a strong application include:
- Demonstrated need for studying at Cambridge
- Understanding of program and study options at Cambridge
- Evidence of ability to be academically independent
Application Procedures and Selection Criteria
Students do not need to submit their applications through CURF or to obtain Penn endorsement. However, Penn students or alumni interested in the Gates Cambridge Scholarship are encouraged to contact CURF for further advice, guidance and application assistance. Penn undergraduates, graduate students or recent alumni applying for the Gates should also apply for the Thouron Award (limited to US citizens only.) Applicants in math, science and engineering should apply also to the Churchill Scholarship.
There is no Gates application separate from the Cambridge graduate application. Students who have been selected for admission by a Cambridge department will automatically be considered for the Gates Scholarship. (They need to check the box indicating willingness to be considered for financial aid and include the personal reference.)
Applicants for a second BA should apply to Cambridge by the October 15 deadline. If they are offered admission by their chosen college at Cambridge, they will receive a Scholarship Application Form, which must be returned to the college by 28 February 2010.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship application includes either:
- GRADSAF for graduate applicants, due Oct 15 for US citizens. For citizens of other countries, applications for PhD study are due December 15 and applications for one-year post-BA study are due January 31 (or course deadline, whichever is earlier.) Can be done on-line or in hard-copy. OR
- MBA Admission form and USA MBA Scholarship Application form for MBA candidates from the US, due October 15. MBA candidates from other countries complete the MBA Admission form and MBA Scholarship Application Form by January 31. OR
- CAF (Cambridge Application Form) for applicants for the second BA of any citizenship, due October 15. There is an option either for the hard-copy or on-line application. Applicants must also complete the on-line UCAS application (as an at-large candidate, as Penn does not subscribe to this generalized UK application form.)
Graduate applications to Cambridge may require optional materials which vary depending on the course or research degree the application is for. Students are advised to look carefully at the application materials required for their particular course. As with most application for graduate study and research, direct communication with the scholars and labs the student proposes to work with is extremely helpful. Even an informal exchange of email messages will help the applicant clarify his or her expectations and understanding of the degree program and will help the scholars be familiar with the applicant before being presented with her or his application.
Timeframe
All applications will be reviewed at Cambridge and a certain number of U.S. candidates will be interviewed in the U.S. in February or March.
Please note that students are notified directly of interviews and final decisions. CURF will not be given any information about the status of a candidate’s application during the application process. Applicants are encouraged to keep CURF informed of the status of their application.
Contact
Cheryl Shipman
Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships
The ARCH, 3601 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6224
Phone: 215-746-6488
Fax: 215-573-4869