Scholarships·United Kingdom & Ireland· 8 min read

Cambridge Trust Scholarships Guide for International Students

The Cambridge Trust is the main international funding route at Cambridge, considered within your admission application. Learn how it works for Indian students.

Last updated 3 July 2026

Key facts

Awarding body: The Cambridge Trust, University of Cambridge (cambridgetrust.org)
Who it is for: International (and some Home) students at Cambridge — a major funding route for Indian applicants
Levels: Undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships, across a range of programmes
Application: Considered within your standard Cambridge application — no separate direct application to the Trust
Key requirement: Apply by the relevant funding deadline and hold (or gain) a conditional offer of admission
Nationality-specific awards: Some partner-funded scholarships are reserved for particular nationalities or carry specific criteria — read each listing
Funding value: Varies by scholarship (full or partial); many assess academic strength and financial need — confirm each award's terms officially

What the Cambridge Trust is

The Cambridge Trust is the University of Cambridge's central scholarship body and a main funding route for international students at Cambridge. It administers a wide range of scholarships — some full-cost, some part-cost — for both undergraduate and postgraduate study, across many nationalities and subjects.

This breadth is what distinguishes the Cambridge Trust from the smaller, separate Gates Cambridge programme. Where Gates funds around 80 full-cost awards with its own process, the Cambridge Trust operates a larger portfolio considered within the standard Cambridge application.

Because individual scholarships have their own criteria, values and deadlines, use this guide for the overall model and confirm the specifics of any award on the official Cambridge Trust scholarship search.

Cambridge's central scholarship body and a main international funding route
A range of full and partial scholarships, undergraduate and postgraduate
Broader than the separate Gates Cambridge programme
Each scholarship has its own criteria, value and deadline

Who is eligible

The Cambridge Trust supports scholarships across many nationalities, and many of its awards are aimed at international students — so Indian applicants are eligible for a number of them. Some awards are open broadly; others are funded with partners and reserved for students of a particular nationality or with specific criteria.

Because the portfolio is large and mixed, eligibility depends on the specific scholarship rather than a single blanket rule. The practical step is to use the Trust's scholarship search, filter by your level and nationality, and read each relevant listing carefully.

What is common to most Trust awards is that you must have applied to Cambridge by the relevant deadline and hold a conditional offer of admission. Confirm eligibility for each award on its official listing.

Many awards target international students; some awards have specific eligibility criteria
Some partner-funded scholarships are nationality-specific — read the listing
Eligibility is per-scholarship, not one blanket rule
Filter the official scholarship search by level and nationality

How the application works

A key feature of the Cambridge Trust is that you do not apply to the Trust directly. Funding is considered as part of your standard application for admission to the University of Cambridge — you complete the relevant funding section and submit by the funding deadline for your course.

For postgraduate applicants, this means your admissions application must be submitted by the funding deadline (which is usually earlier than the general application deadline), and you must have — or go on to receive — a conditional offer for your course. For undergraduate applicants, you apply through the normal Cambridge/UCAS route and are considered if you meet the relevant deadline and hold a conditional offer.

Because the exact funding deadlines are course-specific and set each year, check your course's funding deadline on the official Cambridge and Cambridge Trust pages, and give yourself margin — the funding deadline, not the general one, is the one that governs Trust consideration.

No separate direct application to the Trust — it is part of your Cambridge application
Postgraduate: submit by the (earlier) funding deadline; hold/gain a conditional offer
Undergraduate: apply normally and meet the relevant deadline with a conditional offer
Funding deadlines are course-specific and set yearly — verify officially

What the scholarships cover

The value depends on the individual scholarship. Some Cambridge Trust awards are full-cost scholarships covering fees and maintenance; others are part-cost, contributing towards fees. Many are assessed on significant academic achievement and potential together with financial need, though some are purely merit-based.

Because the portfolio mixes full and partial awards funded by different sources, there is no single "Cambridge Trust amount". This is why reading the specific listing is essential — it states that award's value, coverage and any conditions.

GlobalStudyBoard does not publish scholarship figures. For the exact coverage of any award you are eligible for, check its listing on the official Cambridge Trust site and confirm current-year details there.

Ranges from full-cost (fees + maintenance) to part-cost (fee contribution)
Many assess academic strength and financial need; some are merit-only
No single flat amount — value is per-scholarship
Read the specific listing for exact coverage and conditions

Cambridge Trust vs Gates Cambridge

Students often confuse the two, but they are separate. Gates Cambridge is a distinct, full-cost programme with its own application steps and rounds, funding around 80 postgraduates a year. The Cambridge Trust is the University's broader central scheme, covering undergraduate and postgraduate levels, considered within the ordinary admission application.

For many Indian postgraduate applicants, both are worth targeting: you complete your Cambridge application well and on time, which puts you in contention for Cambridge Trust awards, and you can also complete the Gates Cambridge section if eligible. They are complementary rather than either/or.

Read both official sites to see which of their awards you qualify for and how consideration works. As always, no scholarship can be bought or guaranteed — apply only through Cambridge's official channels.

Gates Cambridge: separate, full-cost, ~80 postgraduate awards, own process
Cambridge Trust: broader central scheme, UG + PG, within the admission application
Many applicants are considered for both — they are complementary
Never pay to "secure" a scholarship — none can be guaranteed

Frequently asked questions

Do I apply to the Cambridge Trust separately?

No. Funding is considered as part of your standard University of Cambridge application — you complete the relevant funding section and submit by the funding deadline. You do not send a separate application directly to the Trust.

Are Indian students eligible for Cambridge Trust scholarships?

Yes. The Trust supports many awards for international students, and Indian applicants are eligible for a number of them. Some partner-funded awards are nationality-specific, so use the official scholarship search and filter by your nationality and level.

What is the deadline I need to meet?

For postgraduate study, you generally must submit your Cambridge admissions application by the funding deadline for your course, which is usually earlier than the general application deadline, and hold or gain a conditional offer. Confirm your course's exact funding deadline on the official pages.

How is the Cambridge Trust different from Gates Cambridge?

Gates Cambridge is a separate, full-cost postgraduate programme with its own process and rounds. The Cambridge Trust is the University's broader central scheme, covering undergraduate and postgraduate study and considered within your admission application. Many applicants target both.

Are all Cambridge Trust scholarships fully funded?

No. The portfolio includes both full-cost scholarships (fees and maintenance) and part-cost awards that contribute towards fees. The value depends on the specific scholarship, so read its official listing for exact coverage. We do not publish scholarship amounts.

Can a consultant guarantee me a Cambridge Trust scholarship?

No. No scholarship can be guaranteed or bought, and any service claiming to secure one for a fee is not legitimate. Apply through Cambridge's official admission application and rely on your record; be cautious of anyone promising a result.

Official sources

This guide explains the process and is for guidance only. Eligibility, dates, fees and rules change every year — always confirm the current details on the official site before you act.

Verified against: The Cambridge Trust — scholarships; The Cambridge Trust — postgraduate applicants; The Cambridge Trust — Cambridge International Scholarship.

Last verified: 3 July 2026.