by Last verified: 13 October 2026. We checked this Cambridge fully funded Masters scholarship guide against the Cambridge Trust and University of Cambridge official pages.
The main route to a Cambridge fully funded Masters scholarship for international students is the Cambridge Trust. Its International Scholarship covers tuition at the international rate, living costs for one person, the student visa and the health surcharge. You don’t fill in a separate form. You apply for your course by its funding deadline, which for most 2027–28 courses is 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, and tick the funding box.
What the Cambridge Trust International Scholarship covers
- University tuition at the international rate.
- Annual maintenance, enough for a single person.
- The student visa and Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Some additional benefits, which the Trust doesn’t list on this page.
Cambridge says about 14% of its Masters students are fully funded, meaning both fees and living costs are covered. So the competition is stiff.
Who is eligible for a Cambridge fully funded Masters scholarship
- Applicants from countries other than the UK and Ireland.
- Applicants whom their prospective department ranks highly. Selection looks at academic ability, research potential, exam results and references.
- Courses the Trust funds, such as the MPhil, MRes, MASt and LLM. It doesn’t fund the MBA, MFin, EMBA, MEd, PGDip or PGCert.
- You can’t get funding for a degree level you already hold, except a second MPhil required before a PhD.
Most Cambridge Trust awards look at both academic achievement and financial need, though some are merit-only. The International Scholarship page itself says your finances don’t affect selection, so ask the Trust if that matters in your case.
How to apply for a Cambridge fully funded Masters scholarship
- Choose your course in the Postgraduate Course Directory and note its funding deadline, shown on the course page.
- Pick up to two Colleges, or leave it open.
- Submit your full application, including references, by the funding deadline (23:59 GMT). For 2027–28 the main dates are 8 December 2026 and 6 January 2027.
- In the funding section, tick that you want to be considered and declare all significant income.
- Wait: the Trust makes most awards in February and March, and partner awards from April to June.
You also need a conditional offer to be considered. If you haven’t heard by the end of July 2027, the Trust says to assume you were unsuccessful. It doesn’t send rejections or feedback.
Worked example: winning a Cambridge fully funded Masters scholarship
Grace, a first-class economics graduate from Nairobi, wants a one-year MPhil starting October 2027. Her course’s funding deadline is 6 January 2027.
- She chooses two Colleges and asks her two referees in November.
- She submits everything by 6 January, ticks the funding box and lists her family’s income.
- Her department ranks her highly, she gets a conditional offer, and she hears about funding in March.
She also applies to the Commonwealth scheme as a backup; see our Commonwealth Scholarship guide and fully funded Masters scholarships list.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a separate application for Cambridge Trust funding?
Usually not. Most awards come through the funding section of your course application. Some partner-funded awards need a separate form.
What happens if I miss the funding deadline?
The Trust can only consider you if you apply by the funding deadline, which is often earlier than the course’s final application deadline.
US applicants?
US citizens applying for Gates Cambridge had an earlier deadline of 14 October 2026.
Official sources
- Cambridge Trust – International Scholarship
- Cambridge Trust – Postgraduate applicants
- University of Cambridge – Postgraduate funding and deadlines
Funding rules change. Always confirm on the official pages before you apply.
