Applicant FAQs
We have tried to provide the answers to many of the questions we are asked about applying for Cambridge Trust scholarships. If your question is not listed here, please contact the Scholarships Team who will be happy to assist you.
Am I eligible for a scholarship from the Cambridge Trust?
Please visit these webpages for everything you need to know about eligibility for Trust funding:
How do I apply to the Cambridge Trust for a scholarship?
Please visit these webpages for everything you need to know about applying for Trust funding:
Can the Cambridge Trust help me to get an offer of admission?
The Trust plays no role in the admission of applicants to the University, and is not able to influence the chances of an applicant being offered a place.
Enquiries about applying to the University of Cambridge should be directed to the relevant admissions offices for undergraduate or postgraduate study.
I am starting my course in Lent Term (January) or Easter Term (April). Is there another awards round to cover these start dates?
No. The Cambridge Trust has one awards round (March - July) and this covers any start dates within an academic year - Michaelmas (October), Lent (January) and Easter (April).
If my application for funding is not successful, can I apply again in my second year?
No. Cambridge Trust funding is only offered to new applicants who are applying for a course of study at the University of Cambridge. Once you have started your course, you are not eligible to apply.
I missed the deadline for funding. Will I still be considered for Trust funding?
If you have missed the deadline for submitting your application for admission, it is unlikely that your application for funding will still be considered by the Trust. There may be other sources of funding which are still available, or you may like to consider reapplying for admission and funding in the following academic year.
Please visit the following pages for information on deadlines:
Can I apply to the Cambridge Trust for funding towards study at other universities?
No. The Trust is only able to fund students at the University of Cambridge.
I cannot afford to pay the application fee. Can the Cambridge Trust help with this?
No. The Trust is not able to offer any assistance with application fees (including fee waivers).
For information regarding fee waivers, please visit:
When will I hear from the Cambridge Trust whether my application for funding has been successful?
As the Trust receives an extremely large number of applications, your patience would be appreciated while waiting for a decision. The Trust’s awards period runs from March to the end of July and is an ongoing process throughout that period. The majority of our awards are made in March, but some of our partner-funded awards can take longer to process. In addition, we may be able to promote reserve candidates if and when offers are declined.
As long as you have applied by the funding deadline and have a conditional offer of admission for your course, you will be considered for any awards for which you are eligible. Your application will remain under consideration until the end of our awards period.
Please note that due to the number of applications the Trust receives, it is not possible to notify unsuccessful applicants. Awardees will be notified as soon as possible.
Since the Trust receives a large number of applications each year, it is not always possible for us to answer a query from you about the status of your application, but if your query is urgent, please contact the Scholarships Team.
I have an offer of funding from another institution with an early deadline. Can I find out if I have been awarded Cambridge Trust funding early?
We appreciate that this is can be an anxious time for applicants but we cannot guarantee early notification. We do our best to make our awards as early as we can, but this is not always possible. You are welcome to email the Scholarships Team for an update on your application, but we may not be able to give you the information you need. Cambridge Trust funding is very competitive so we would advise all applicants to carefully consider any offers of funding they may receive. An offer of Cambridge Trust funding is not guaranteed.
Can I get some feedback from the Cambridge Trust about my application?
Unfortunately, due to the large number of applications we receive, we are not able to offer feedback to applicants.
What are my chances of being offered Cambridge Trust funding?
As long as you have submitted your application for admission by the funding deadline specific to your course, have indicated that you wish to be considered for funding and have a conditional offer of admission to the University of Cambridge you will be considered for any awards that you may be eligible for.
The Trust receives over 6,000 applications in a year and we can only offer funding to around 10% of those, however all applications are considered.
Additional FAQs for postgraduate applicants only
I did not indicate on my application form for admission that I wish to apply for funding. Will I still be considered for Cambridge Trust funding?
No. In the interest of fairness, we can only consider you for funding if you indicated on your application that you wish to be considered for funding. If you are applying for admission after the funding deadline, the funding section will not be available for you to complete.
If you have not submitted an application before the funding deadline, you will not be considered for the majority of University funds. There may be some funding opportunities available, but please note that this will be very limited and there is no guarantee of funding. Please visit the University's funding webpages for further information.
Please note, the Cambridge Trust cannot offer advice about any funding not offered by the Trust.
Can I add additional information to my application once it has been submitted?
Once you have submitted your application for admission, you are not able to add information to it. If you have additional information, you are welcome to upload it to your self-service account, but it is not essential.
Can the Cambridge Trust help me to find a supervisor?
No. The Trust has no involvement with the admissions process. You should contact your department for guidance on finding a supervisor.
Can you tell me my departmental ranking for funding?
As the Trust is not involved with the admissions process, we are unable to discuss departmental rankings with applicants.
