Diversity, excellence and a rigorous process: Reflections on the 2025 awards round

As the main 2025 awards round comes to a close, Rachel Coupe, Deputy Director (Awards) explains how our offers of funding to students around the world enriches research at the University of Cambridge and sets the foundation for our scholars to make a lasting, positive impact in their communities.

The Cambridge Trust receives applications for funding from all four corners of the globe. Do you see this diversity coming through in the applications?

Yes we see global diversity across the applications we consider. Through our awards, we enable applicants from all parts of the world and from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds to take up their offers of a place at Cambridge.

Some of our newer scholarships such as the Cambridge Africa Changemaker Programme and Cambridge Caribbean Scholarship have been hugely successful in broadening the diversity of successful applicants.

In addition we have scholarship programmes with external funding partners from many different countries. This also plays a role in ensuring our awards can have an impact on a global scale. On our website you’ll see mention of scholarship programmes linked Australia, Latin America, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, India…I could go on!

What benefits does this international community bring to the University itself?

The diversity of the scholar base brings new perspectives to research and when this research is translated into meaningful impact for the benefit of society at large, it can be extremely powerful.

At the Trust, our offers of funding can be a critical first step in enabling this to happen. The hard work is down to the students and the academics they work with! But together with our funding partners, we’re proud to play a part in making this happen.

And as you see in our impact stories, our scholars go on to do really inspiring work in areas such as international law, healthcare and education that’s bringing around lasting positive benefits in their communities.

Tell us the essentials about this year’s awards round – what’s the timeframe and how many offers of funding have been made?

We start the selection and awarding process at the end of February, as soon as the University has completed its academic assessment of applicants. The majority of our awards are given in the period of March to May.

In a smaller number of programmes with external funding partners, decision-making may involve additional funding applications and interviews by the funding partner. In these cases decisions may need to extend into June or July. We’re working with funding partners to bring this forward as much as we can.

We’ve made around 360 awards and we also make offers to a small number of home undergraduates.

So the candidate has their offer of funding. What’s the next step?

First, they need to decide whether they’re going to accept the offer. Then they submit their response form to the Trust. We ensure applicants can demonstrate they have fulfilled the financial conditions of their award, and we make sure we have provided any documentation needed to ensure as smooth a process as possible when scholars arrive.

And of course, they need to meet the conditions of the offer! So the funding gives them a crucial financial footing, but there are other elements to consider too – especially when they’re coming from overseas. In general, they’ll need to fulfil any conditions of their offer by the end of July, and then they can turn their focus to the practical matters of coming to the UK.

For our scholars joining us from overseas, the University has a dedicated visa advice service, which can help with any visa-related issues, and of course the Trust’s Scholarships Team is always on hand to help with any questions you may have before you join us in Cambridge.

Was there anything in particular that was different this year in our processes or approach?

I joined the Trust last November so it’s difficult for me to compare year on year, but for me it's been really instructive seeing how this award round works and to be able to clarify how we work with funding partners. As part of that, we’re able to document more clearly our principles for selection and awarding.

The Cambridge Trust has decades of experience in awarding funding – do you share this knowledge and expertise with others in the higher education sector?

Absolutely – this is critical. We are also seeking to learn from others, both within and beyond Cambridge, to help inform how our practice continues to iterate and improve.

This year, our leadership team has been engaging with stakeholders in the UK Government and with scholarship awarding organisations across the country, exchanging knowledge and ideas.

We’ve also been speaking more with the Schools and Colleges that are part of the University of Cambridge. It has been valuable to exchange thoughts on how to work in partnership for the benefit of students and the University itself.

And, of course, we engage globally. Along with other colleagues in the Collegiate University environment, I spoke at a Postgraduate International Advisor Conference in June which was attended by people from universities around the world. Arranged by the University, this was a great opportunity to be able to explain more about the Trust, how we go about making awards, and what the funding application process involves. As a result of the conference, staff in other universities are armed with knowledge that will help them provide the best advice they can to support potential applicants as they consider applying to Cambridge and seeking funding.

Want to find out more about the Cambridge Trust's scholarships? Take a look at our Scholarships page.