Stop Worrying About Money: Finding Your Funding at Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is a dream for many students, but the high costs can feel overwhelming. The good news is that the University and its partners offer hundreds of scholarships every year to help cover fees and living expenses.

The key to success? Applying for funding is usually part of applying for the course itself. If you miss the specific funding deadline for your course, you often miss out on most of the big scholarships.

Here is your simple, step-by-step guide to finding and securing postgraduate funding at Cambridge.

Part 1: The Main Funding Bodies and Big Scholarships

The majority of major scholarships for postgraduate students at Cambridge come from two main sources: the Cambridge Trust and the Gates Cambridge Trust.

1. The Cambridge Trust

The Cambridge Trust is the University's largest provider of funding. They offer a huge range of scholarships for students from nearly every country in the world, covering both PhD and Master's courses.

1. What they offer: A variety of awards, including full-cost scholarships that cover fees and a living stipend, as well as partial awards.
2. Key Scholarships to Know:
3. Cambridge International Scholarships: For PhD students from outside the UK.
4. Vice-Chancellor's Awards: For PhD students from the UK and Ireland.

2. The Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Established by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this is one of the most prestigious scholarships globally.

1. What they offer: Full-cost scholarships for outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK. This means they cover the University Composition Fee, a living allowance, one-way airfare, and visa costs.
2. Selection is based on four main criteria:
3. Outstanding intellectual ability.
4. Reasons for choosing your specific course.
5. A commitment to improving the lives of others.
6. Demonstrated leadership potential.

Part 2: Specialised Funding for Research and Specific Studies

For those applying for research-focused degrees, especially PhDs, look into Doctoral Training Programmes and specific grants.

1. Doctoral Training Programmes (DTPs)

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the largest government funder of PhD studentships in the UK. Cambridge manages several of these Doctoral Training Programmes (DTPs), which offer funding for specific subjects.

1. How they work: These often provide full funding (fees and stipend) for up to four years, especially for UK students, but international students are now eligible for a limited number of these awards.
2. Examples of Research Councils:
3. Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
4. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
5. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
6. Medical Research Council (MRC)

2. College-Specific Funding

Remember that every Cambridge student belongs to a College. The 31 Colleges are independent institutions, and many of them offer their own scholarships, studentships, or hardship funds.

1. Action Step: Once you have a shortlist of Colleges you like (based on size, location, or atmosphere), check their individual websites for unique funding opportunities.

Part 3: How to Apply for Funding at Cambridge

The application process is designed to be streamlined, which makes it easy, but also means you need to be very timely.

1. Find Your Course and Deadline: Every course has a specific deadline, and this deadline is usually the funding deadline too. Find your course on the postgraduate directory first.
2. Submit One Combined Application: You apply for admission to your course and for most scholarships at the same time through the University’s central Applicant Portal.
3. Complete the Funding Section: Make sure you indicate in the funding section of the application that you wish to be considered for funding. This automatically puts you in the running for many Cambridge Trust and University awards you are eligible for.
4. Special Requirements: Some major scholarships, like the Gates Cambridge, require you to answer extra questions or submit an additional reference. Pay close attention to these specific needs within the application portal.

Part 4: Other Financial Avenues

Even if you secure a scholarship, you might need to think about other funds.

1. External Scholarships and Loans: Look into external programs from your home country, such as the Chevening Scholarship, Commonwealth Scholarships, or the Fulbright Program. US students, for example, may be eligible for Federal Loans.
2. Postgraduate Master’s Loan: UK students on Master's courses may be eligible for a Master's Loan from Student Finance England to help cover costs. Note that this is usually not available for certificate or diploma courses.
3. Financial Assistance Fund (For Current Students): If you are already a student and face an unexpected financial hardship, the Postgraduate Financial Assistance Fund offers grants up to a certain amount to help with unforeseen difficulties.

Start your research early, pay close attention to the funding deadlines, and apply for every scholarship you qualify for. It takes effort, but securing funding can make your dream of studying at Cambridge a reality.

References

1. https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/funding
2. https://www.student-funding.cam.ac.uk/
3. https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/funding/applying-university-funding
4. https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/funding/doctoral-training-programmes
5. https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/funding/external-funding-and-loans
6. https://www.gatescambridge.org/programme/the-scholarship/