Postgraduate fees and finance at Cambridge: What you need to know

If you’re planning to study for a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge, understanding the full financial picture is vital. This includes tuition fees, living (maintenance) costs, and the funding options available. This guide will help you plan and budget clearly.

Tuition fees (University Composition Fee)

At Cambridge, the main tuition cost component is called the University Composition Fee (UCF). This fee covers your teaching, supervision, access to university/colleges and support services.

Key points:

The UCF depends on the course, your fee status (home/overseas) and the qualification type (MPhil, MLitt, PhD etc).
For full-time research degrees the fee covers a set number of terms. For example:
PhD (full-time): 9 terms (3 years)
Part-time research students pay a reduced proportion of the full‐time fee depending on the percentage of study time.
Your College will collect the UCF, often at the start of term, sometimes as annual payment, and you must abide by their payment schedules.
Fee status assessment matters (home vs international), so check whether you’re classed as UK/home or overseas for fee purposes.

For example: In one published case for the Engineering PhD, the UCF was £10,878 for full‐time.

Living costs / Maintenance

Beyond tuition you will need to budget for your living costs. These are often termed “maintenance”. At Cambridge you must demonstrate you have sufficient funds for the duration of your study.

For 2026-27, based on full-time study without dependents, Cambridge estimates that basic living costs are approximately £19,860 per year. This estimate includes:

Food
Accommodation (rent, utilities, furniture, etc)
Personal items (clothing, toiletries, health costs)
Social activities
Study costs (books, materials, minor equipment)
Miscellaneous costs

Important notes:

Travelling to and from Cambridge is not included in the estimate.
If you have dependants, you must budget additionally (for example ~50 % extra for an adult, ~30 % per child) beyond the base figure.
For part-time students: You’re still expected to cover full-time living costs. Cambridge does not publish standard figures for part-time students because living arrangements vary widely.

From an example (Engineering PhD) your combined tuition + maintenance could require around £30,738 per year (based on cited numbers: £10,878 tuition + £19,860 maintenance) for that programme.

Funding and scholarships

Because costs are substantial, funding is a key part of your planning. Cambridge offers a variety of options.

What to know:

Funding types include:
Fully funded: tuition + maintenance covered.
Partially funded: some costs covered, you cover the rest.
Self-funded: you cover everything.
For doctoral students (PhDs) about 64% are fully funded, for Master’s students about 14% are fully funded.
Start looking for funding early — often a year or more ahead of your course start.
Funding sources:
University scholarships and studentships (search via the University’s funding pages)
Departmental funding (within your subject area)
College-based awards
External scholarships and grants (home-country or international organisations)
Loans for eligible students (primarily UK nationals)

Example: The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a prestigious award which covers full cost (tuition + maintenance + other support) for outstanding international applicants.

Budget tips for international students (eg. from Bangladesh)

If you are coming from Bangladesh (or another overseas country) to study at Cambridge, here are some practical financial planning pointers:

Convert the estimated UK costs into your local currency and consider exchange-rate fluctuations and inflation.
Don’t rely solely on part-time work to cover maintenance costs: Cambridge emphasises that you should have the funds before arrival.
Consider full funding options carefully. Securing a full scholarship can significantly ease financial stress.
Include extra costs in your budget: visa application, health surcharge, travel to/from home, settling-in costs, possible higher accommodation costs for private rental if college housing is unavailable.
For research students with longer durations (3-4 years or more), plan for cost increases over time (inflation, rent rises). Cambridge emphasises this.
Explore funding in your home country for overseas study, and look for external scholarships open to Bangladesh students.
Ensure you understand the payment schedule for tuition, the requirement to complete financial undertaking forms, and any conditions tied to offers.

Final thoughts

Studying at Cambridge is a major investment—not just academically but financially. By understanding the fees (tuition), living costs, and funding options you’ll be in a much stronger position when you apply. Plan ahead, explore funding thoroughly, and ensure your budget covers the full duration of your study.

If you like, I can create a detailed cost-calculator template tailored to students from Bangladesh (with GBP conversion, typical maintenance scenarios, funding gaps) that you can fill out to plan exactly how much you’ll need. Would you like me to do that?

References