by Last verified: 18 October 2026. We checked these Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship details against the Cambridge Trust and University of Cambridge official pages.
The Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship is a full-cost award from the Cambridge Trust for students from areas of conflict or instability, or who have faced persecution or human rights abuse. It covers tuition, living costs, the student visa, the health surcharge and a return flight. For postgraduates applying for 2027–28, there’s no separate form: you apply for your course by its funding deadline, which for most courses is 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027.
What the Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship covers
- University tuition fees at the home or international rate.
- Annual maintenance, enough for a single person.
- The student visa and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
- An economy return travel allowance.
- For PhD students, some additional benefits.
Who can apply for the Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship
- You need a conditional offer from Cambridge for any degree, in any subject except premium-fee courses.
- You must come from an area of instability or conflict, or have been at risk of discrimination, persecution, violence or other human rights abuse.
- Overseas applicants can apply, and so can people already in the UK, including asylum seekers and refugees.
The award can be held at any Cambridge College.
How to apply for the Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship
Postgraduate applicants
- Find your course in Cambridge’s Postgraduate Course Directory and note its funding deadline.
- Submit your admission application, with references, by that deadline. For 2027–28 the main deadlines are 8 December 2026 and 6 January 2027, at 23:59 GMT.
- In the application, tick that you want to be considered for funding and answer the scholarship questions.
The Cambridge Trust makes most awards in February and March. If you haven’t heard by the end of July, it says to assume you were unsuccessful.
Undergraduate applicants
Eligible undergraduates with a conditional offer are invited to apply in January or February.
Worked example: applying for the Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship
Ahmed is from a conflict-affected region and wants to start an MPhil at Cambridge in October 2027. His course page shows a funding deadline of 8 December 2026.
- He asks his referees in October so their letters are in before the deadline.
- He submits his complete application by 8 December, ticks the funding box and answers the scholarship questions honestly about his circumstances.
- If he gets a conditional offer, he waits for funding news in February or March 2027.
Missing the funding deadline would rule him out of Cambridge Trust funding, even if the course still accepts applications later. That’s the most common mistake. For other options, see our fully funded Masters scholarships list.
What Cambridge’s maintenance figure means for you
The studentship pays maintenance for a single person at Cambridge’s rate. For 2026-27, Cambridge set that at £21,805 (twenty-one thousand eight hundred and five pounds) a year. Its estimate for 2027-28 is £20,700 a year, or £15,525 for a nine-month course. The studentship also covers your visa, the Immigration Health Surcharge and an economy return flight.
Check how to apply before the deadline
Cambridge Trust’s current page says you don’t need a separate form: you answer the scholarship questions on your Cambridge application by your course’s funding deadline. But the 2026-27 round also used a separate application form with a 30 January 2026 deadline. Email the Cambridge Trust to confirm which applies for 2027-28, so you don’t miss a step.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship fully funded?
Yes. It covers fees, maintenance for one person, visa costs, the health surcharge and travel.
Do refugees in the UK qualify?
Yes. The Trust says applicants already in the UK, including asylum seekers and refugees, can apply.
Which courses are excluded?
Premium-fee courses. Cambridge Trust postgraduate funding also generally excludes courses such as the MBA, MFin and MEd.
How much maintenance does the studentship pay?
Cambridge’s single-person rate: £21,805 for 2026-27, with an estimate of £20,700 for 2027-28.
Official sources
- Cambridge Trust – Rowan Williams Cambridge Studentship
- Cambridge Trust – Postgraduate applicants
- University of Cambridge – Postgraduate funding and deadlines
- Official page – University of Cambridge maintenance costs
Funding rules change. Always confirm on the official pages before you apply.
