Applications are now open for the 2025/26 Cambridge Trust International Scholarships & Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge

Ednah Carrick November 2, 2025

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Closing Date: 2 December 2025

Applications are now open for the 2025/26 Cambridge Trust International Scholarships & Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge

Overview

The Cambridge Trust is pleased to offer the following scholarships to applicants who will be undertaking research leading to the degree of PhD at the University of Cambridge in the next academic year:

Cambridge Trust International Scholarships – for applicants from countries other than the UK or Ireland who are required to pay fees at the international rate
Vice-Chancellor’s Awards – for applicants from the UK and Ireland who are required to pay fees at the home rate

The aim of the scholarships is to ensure that the highest scored students, irrespective of nationality, receive full financial support to undertake PhD studies. The scholarships pay the University Composition Fee (UCF) and a maintenance allowance sufficient for a single person.

A University committee will draw up a scored list of PhD applicants across all disciplines. This process takes into consideration academic qualifications, references and research potential. The financial situation of applicants does not affect the selection of scholarship winners.

To maximise the number of Cambridge scholarships awarded, the Trust will, when appropriate, promote winners of Cambridge Trust International Scholarships and Vice-Chancellor’s Awards to other full-cost awards with partner organisations, UK Research Councils or departments or Colleges, who are willing to provide either the full amount or part of the cost of the scholarship. Where part of the cost of a scholarship is offered, the Trust will meet the balance.

If a student receives a full-cost scholarship from any source (excluding Gates Cambridge and Harding), the offer of an award from the Trust will lapse and you will be offered the status of ‘Honorary Trust Scholar’. This entitles you to attend the Trust’s events but bears no monetary value. If you have accepted a Gates Cambridge Scholarship or a Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholarship, any offer of an award from the Trust, including those offered with an Honorary status, will immediately lapse.

Eligibility for postgraduate funding

The eligibility requirements for most postgraduate Cambridge scholarships are:

significant academic achievement and potential
financial need (although some scholarship programmes are based on academic merit alone)

Degree level

Applicants must be intending to start a course at the level of:

Masters (such as MPhil, MASt, LLM but with some restrictions – see Important information section below)
Research postgraduate (such as PhD)

Nationality

All students, irrespective of nationality, are eligible for postgraduate awards.

Subject

Applicants may study any subject currently available at the University of Cambridge. Please visit the postgraduate course directory for further information.

Applying for postgraduate funding

If you meet the eligibility criteria and wish to apply for postgraduate funding from the Cambridge Trust to support a course of study at the University of Cambridge, please follow the guidelines below.

Step 1: Find your course and College

Applicants may study any subject currently available at the University of Cambridge. Please visit the postgraduate course directory for further information. Before making an application to the University, research thoroughly your chosen course of study (via the University postgraduate website).

Colleges

In addition to over 150 departments, faculties and institutes, the University of Cambridge consists of 31 Colleges. Each is an independent institution with its own property, income and staff.

Every postgraduate student also becomes a member of one of the Colleges. If you are applying for postgraduate study, you may state a choice of two Colleges on your application form, or you may leave that section blank and be considered by any College. All students who are offered admission to the University, at any level, will be given a place at one of the Colleges; no student arrives to study at Cambridge without membership of one of the Colleges.The Trust plays no part in the selection of Colleges for applicants, or assigning accommodation.

All 31 Colleges are different in size, composition, facilities, and atmosphere. But all Colleges share the same aim of providing a safe, helpful and stimulating environment for their members.

Step 2: Find your scholarships

Use the scholarship search to find a list of Trust scholarships for which you may be eligible. Please read the information for each scholarship carefully as some awards require a separate application, and there may be additional criteria.

Funding for international students with financial need is highly competitive. University of Cambridge expect students with financial need to research and apply for all suitable scholarships, and to make applications to the Trust’s funding partners if required.

Step 3: Submit your application for admission

If you wish to be considered for a scholarship from the Trust, you must complete the funding section of the online admissions application form via the Applicant Portal, expressing your wish to be considered for funding. This must be submitted by the funding deadline specific to you course.

There are two general course funding deadlines for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year: Tuesday 02 December 2025 and Tuesday 07 January 2026.

If you do not know what the funding deadline is for your course, you can visit the postgraduate course directory and check your subject (the funding deadline is a drop-down section on the right-hand side of the individual course page). It is very important to note that you are looking for the funding deadline and not the application deadline.

This funding deadline is the same for any of the starting terms in an academic year – Michaelmas Term (October), Lent Term (January) and Easter Term (April). Although you will be considered for all awards that you may be eligible for, some scholarships require you to indicate that you wish to be considered. You do not need to apply to the Trust directly as an application for funding can be made as part of your application for admission to the University.