The University of Cambridge is one of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions, attracting exceptional students from every corner of the globe. To ensure that talented individuals are not prevented from studying because of financial barriers, the Cambridge Trust offers a wide range of postgraduate scholarships that support outstanding students pursuing Master’s and PhD degrees at Cambridge.

The Cambridge Trust scholarships are among the University’s flagship funding programmes, helping academically gifted students from both the UK and overseas undertake postgraduate study across nearly every academic discipline offered by the University.

Whether you are planning to pursue groundbreaking research, advance your professional expertise, or prepare for an academic career, the Cambridge Trust provides financial support designed to help exceptional scholars achieve their educational ambitions.

This comprehensive guide explains everything prospective applicants need to know, including eligibility requirements, scholarship benefits, application procedures, funding deadlines, selection criteria, and important application tips.

What Are the Cambridge Trust Postgraduate Scholarships?

The Cambridge Trust is a major provider of postgraduate funding at the University of Cambridge. It works together with numerous international governments, charities, foundations, corporations, and philanthropic partners to fund scholarships for outstanding students.

Rather than offering a single scholarship, the Trust administers numerous scholarship programmes, each with its own funding arrangements and eligibility requirements.

The scholarships are intended to attract the world’s brightest students while ensuring that financial circumstances do not prevent deserving applicants from studying at Cambridge.

Funding opportunities are available for students beginning postgraduate studies in a wide variety of academic disciplines.

Scholarship Objectives

The Cambridge Trust seeks to:

• Support academically exceptional postgraduate students.
• Remove financial barriers to higher education.
• Encourage international academic excellence.
• Promote diversity and equality across postgraduate education.
• Foster future leaders, researchers, innovators, and professionals.

Available Degree Levels

The Cambridge Trust provides funding for eligible students commencing:

Master’s Degrees

Supported Master’s programmes include (subject to eligibility):

• MPhil
• MASt (Master of Advanced Study)
• LLM (with certain restrictions)
• Other eligible Master’s programmes offered by the University

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Applicants intending to begin a PhD programme at Cambridge are eligible to apply.

See other important information on eligibility here.

Courses Not Supported

The Cambridge Trust does not provide funding for:

• MBA programmes
• Master of Finance (MFin)
• Premium-level professional courses
• Part-time MSt (Master of Studies) programmes

Eligible Fields of Study

One of the greatest advantages of Cambridge Trust scholarships is that they support students from virtually every academic discipline offered at the University.

Eligible subjects include areas such as:

• Engineering
• Medicine
• Law
• Business-related disciplines (excluding MBA and MFin)
• Natural Sciences
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Social Sciences
• Arts
• Humanities
• Education
• Environmental Sciences
• Public Health
• Economics
• Architecture
• Languages
• Psychology
• History
• Politics
• Philosophy

Applicants should consult the University of Cambridge postgraduate course directory to confirm that their chosen programme is eligible.

Cambridge Trust Scholarship Eligibility

To be considered for funding, applicants generally need to demonstrate two major qualities:

1. Academic Excellence

Applicants should possess:

• Outstanding academic achievements
• Strong educational background
• Excellent university grades
• High research potential
• Evidence of leadership within their academic discipline

The Cambridge Trust places significant emphasis on academic merit when evaluating applications.

2. Financial Need

Many Cambridge Trust scholarships require applicants to demonstrate genuine financial need.

Applicants should be prepared to provide accurate information regarding income sources, including:

• Salary
• Business income
• Rental income
• Investments
• Dividends
• Other significant financial resources

Not every scholarship requires financial need, as some awards are based solely on academic excellence.

Nationality Requirements

The Cambridge Trust supports both:

• Home (UK) students
• Overseas (international) students

Many scholarship programmes are open globally.

However, some scholarships are funded by external partners and may be limited to applicants from specific countries or regions.

Applicants should carefully review the eligibility criteria for each scholarship before applying.

Read more on fee status for postgraduates

Equality and Diversity

The Cambridge Trust is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants.

Selection decisions are made based on the published scholarship criteria rather than personal characteristics such as:

• Sex
• Gender identity
• Marital status
• Parenthood
• Race
• Nationality
• Ethnicity
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Religion
• Age

Important Eligibility Restrictions

Applicants should note the following important rules:

• Funding is generally unavailable for students pursuing a qualification at the same or lower academic level than one already obtained.
• An exception exists for applicants undertaking a second MPhil as a departmental requirement before progressing to a PhD.
• Students already enrolled at Cambridge are generally not eligible unless they are progressing to a higher degree after graduation.
• Most scholarships support full-time study.
• Some part-time postgraduate courses may be considered where available.
• Part-time MSt programmes are not eligible.
• MSt is not the same as MASt (Master of Advanced Study) courses, which we do support.

How to Apply for Cambridge Trust Scholarships

Unlike many scholarship programmes, applicants do not submit a separate scholarship application directly to the Cambridge Trust for most awards.

Instead, scholarship consideration forms part of the University of Cambridge postgraduate admissions process.

Below is the complete application process.

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Step 1: Choose Your Postgraduate Course

Applicants should first identify the Cambridge postgraduate programme they wish to study.

Research should include:

• Course content
• Entry requirements
• Duration
• Department
• Research opportunities
• Career outcomes

Research your chosen course of study via the University postgraduate website

Step 2: Identify Suitable Scholarships

Applicants should search the Cambridge Trust scholarship database to identify awards matching their:

• Nationality
• Degree level
• Academic discipline
• Financial circumstances
• Other eligibility criteria

Some partner-funded scholarships require an additional application submitted directly to the funding partner.

Step 3: Choose a Cambridge College

Applicants may:

• Select up to two preferred Colleges, or
• Leave the College selection blank for automatic consideration.

Some scholarships are linked to particular Colleges.

More information on colleges and postgraduate application can be found here.

Step 4: Submit the University Application

Applications must be submitted online through the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal.

To be considered for Cambridge Trust funding, applicants must:

• Complete the funding section.
• Indicate they wish to be considered for funding.
• Submit all required supporting documents.
• Upload references.
• Pay the application fee or obtain a fee waiver.
• Receive a conditional offer of admission.

Failure to indicate interest in funding means applicants will not be considered for Cambridge Trust scholarships.

Supporting Documents

Although requirements vary by programme, applicants may need:

• Academic transcripts
• Degree certificates
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Personal statement
• Research proposal (for research programmes)
• English language test results
• Academic references
• Financial information (where applicable)

Funding Deadlines

Applicants should note an important distinction:

The funding deadline is different from the admissions deadline.

Every postgraduate course has its own funding deadline.

Applicants should carefully check the funding deadline listed on the specific Cambridge course page before applying.

Missing the funding deadline means applicants will generally not be considered for Cambridge Trust funding.

If you want to be considered for funding, you can tell us in your portal application.

Application Timeline

The scholarship selection process generally follows this schedule:

1. Submit postgraduate admissions application.
2. Meet the relevant funding deadline.
3. Receive a conditional offer of admission.
4. Scholarship applications are reviewed.
5. Awards are made between March and July.

Applications remain under consideration throughout the awards period.

Full details can be found on the University’s page Applying for postgraduate courses at Cambridge.

Selection Process

Cambridge Trust scholarships are highly competitive.

Selection may consider:

• Academic excellence
• Research potential
• Financial circumstances
• Scholarship-specific eligibility
• Strength of the overall application

Only successful applicants are notified.

Due to the large number of applications received, unsuccessful applicants do not receive individual feedback.

Why Apply for a Cambridge Trust Scholarship?

Studying at Cambridge offers access to:

• One of the world’s leading universities.
• Internationally recognised academics.
• World-class research facilities.
• Global professional networks.
• Prestigious Cambridge Colleges.
• Excellent career opportunities after graduation.

Receiving a Cambridge Trust scholarship also enables talented students to focus on academic achievement while reducing financial pressures associated with postgraduate education.

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Tips for a Strong Scholarship Application

To improve your chances of success:

• Apply well before your funding deadline.
• Carefully research every scholarship for which you qualify.
• Demonstrate outstanding academic achievement.
• Clearly explain your financial circumstances where required.
• Prepare high-quality supporting documents.
• Secure strong academic references.
• Ensure every section of the funding application is completed accurately.

Further help

In the University’s application portal, there are additional help pages which applicants can link to directly once the application is started. These links will take you straight there:

Important Notes

Applicants should remember:

• You must request funding within your University application.
• Funding consideration is only possible if you submit your admissions application by the relevant funding deadline.
• Some partner scholarships require additional applications.
• Scholarship competition is extremely competitive.
• Successful applicants are notified during the March–July awards period.

After you apply

Once you’ve submitted your application you can:

• Track your application and update your details as needed.
• Find out how we assess your application and when you’ll hear back.
• Review what to do after you get the outcome of your application.

If you receive an offer

• Check how to meet the conditions of your offer
• Check visa requirements (if you need one)
• Find out how to change your start date if necessary

Conclusion

The Cambridge Trust Postgraduate Scholarships represent one of the most prestigious funding opportunities available to Master’s and PhD students worldwide. By supporting academically outstanding individuals with financial need—and, in some cases, exceptional merit alone—the Trust enables talented scholars to pursue postgraduate education at one of the world’s leading universities.

Prospective applicants should begin preparing early, thoroughly research their chosen course and scholarship options, and ensure they submit a complete University of Cambridge application before the relevant funding deadline. With careful preparation and a strong academic profile, a Cambridge Trust scholarship can open the door to world-class education, cutting-edge research, and a global network of academic and professional opportunities.

Application Deadline: Varies by postgraduate course. Applicants must submit their University of Cambridge admissions application by the course-specific funding deadline, which differs from the general admissions deadline. Applicants should check the funding deadline on the relevant course page before applying.

For more Scholarship opportunities, please visit OFY website here.