The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a prestigious full-cost scholarship awarded to outstanding applicants from outside the United Kingdom to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, it is one of the most competitive international scholarships.

Eligibility Criteria 

• Applicants must be a citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom, including Bangladesh.
  
• Candidates must apply to pursue one of the following at the University of Cambridge:
  
  • PhD (full-time)
    
  • Master of Philosophy (MPhil) (one-year full-time)
    
  • Other eligible postgraduate courses (full-time only)
    
• A strong academic record is required. Most successful candidates have a first-class degree or equivalent (a CGPA of 3.7+ out of 4.0 is considered competitive).
  
• Leadership potential must be clearly demonstrated through academic, professional, or extracurricular activities.
  
• A commitment to improving the lives of others must be evident.
  
• Applicants must gain admission to Cambridge and secure college placement.
  

Benefits

• Full tuition fees
  
• Maintenance allowance (around £20,000 per year)
  
• One economy-class return airfare at the beginning and end of the course
  
• Visa and Immigration Health Surcharge costs
  
• Additional discretionary funding (such as academic development funding, family allowance, fieldwork, or hardship funding)

Application Process

1. Choosing a Course and a College
   

Applicants must research and select an eligible course at the University of Cambridge.
A list of eligible postgraduate programs is available on the official Gates Cambridge website.

2. Applying for Admission and the Scholarship Simultaneously
   

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship application is part of the general Cambridge postgraduate application. Applicants must apply through the University’s Graduate Application Portal: https://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/ 

While completing the admission application, students must:

• Express their interest in the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
  
• Complete the specific Gates Cambridge section, including:
  
  • A personal statement explaining why they are applying for the scholarship and how they meet the four main criteria.
    
  • Details of how they propose to fund the remainder of their study costs if needed.
    

3. Preparing the Required Documents
   

Applicants must submit:

• Academic transcripts and certificates
  
• Updated CV/Resume
  
• Research proposal (for PhD applicants)
  
• Gates Cambridge Personal Statement (maximum 500 words)
  
• Two academic references
  
• One reference specifically supporting the Gates Cambridge application (focusing on applicant’s fit for the scholarship)
  

4. English Language Proficiency
   

Candidates must meet the University of Cambridge’s English language requirements (IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, or equivalent).
Applicants from Bangladesh typically need an IELTS score of 7.5 overall, with no component less than 7.0.

5. Shortlisting and Interview
   

After a first academic department review, a smaller pool of Gates Cambridge candidates is shortlisted for an interview.
Interviews are usually conducted online (for international applicants).

The interview assesses:

• Academic excellence
  
• Leadership capacity
  
• Personal motivations
  
• Future career goals and commitment to societal impact
  

6. Final Selection
   

Candidates who successfully pass the interview receive an official offer for the scholarship and their course admission. Final scholarship offers are typically made by March each year.