Money

Fees & Funding (PG)

Funding is available to help postgraduate students cover their course costs, including grants awarded directly by Wolfson College.

Money

Wolfson College funding

Wolfson College distributes around £1 million each year to postgraduate students in the form of fully-funded studentships and partial awards. There are two fully-funded PhD studentships awarded by Wolfson, as well as several match-funded studentships delivered by the College in partnership with other University institutions and departments.

These awards are highly competitive and based on academic merit. This is determined by faculties and departments upon receipt of an application. 

For match-funded awards, candidates need to ensure their applications are submitted before the relevant University or Department funding deadline. No separate scholarship application is required.

Priority is given to students who have listed Wolfson as first or second choice in their application.

PhD Scholarships

John Hughes PhD Studentship at Wolfson College: Thanks to the generosity of Wolfson College alumnus John Hughes, the College first offered this PhD award in 2023. This covered three years of tuition, at the home rate, and maintenance costs for a PhD candidate in any subject.  The next award will be in 2026/2027.

Wolfson College PhD Studentship in Geopolitics: Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the College is able to offer a studentship that will cover three years of tuition and maintenance costs for a PhD candidate working on a topic in Geopolitics.  
Applicants pursuing a PhD in History or in Politics & International Relations are likely to be the strongest candidates for these awards. Applications will be considered from students working in any subject, provided their research topic falls within one of the Centre for Geopolitics' key research areas.  Competitive applications will propose research which applies historical analysis, area studies expertise, political science and the experience of practitioners to address major problems of conflict and world order: past, present or future. 

Rowan Williams Cambridge & Wolfson College Studentship: We are proud to partner with the Cambridge Trust in sponsoring this funding to a student facing severe barriers in coming to study in Cambridge. 
Named after the former Chairman of the Cambridge Trust's Board of Trustees, this is a full-cost award available to undergraduate and postgraduates (both MPhil and PhD).  Detailed information available from the Cambridge Trust. No separate application required.

Arts and Humanities Research Council & Wolfson College PhD Studentship: These awards cover tuition and maintenance for 10 terms of doctoral study in any topic in the Arts & Humanities. No separate application required.

Vice-Chancellor’s & Wolfson College PhD Studentship: Generous donations from friends and alumni enable Wolfson to partner with the Cambridge Trust in funding up to five PhD studentships each year. These cover tuition and maintenance costs for doctoral study in any subject. In 2023/2024, preference may be given to applicants in Chemistry, Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, and Physics.  No separate application is required.

Wolfson College-CDT Studentship for Women in the Physical Sciences: Applications are invited for a four-year PhD studentship beginning in 2024 for candidates with a first degree in Physics, Astrophysics or Mathematics, specialising in Astronomy, Particle Physics or related topics in Theoretical Physics. 
The studentship will be based at the Cambridge Centre for Doctoral Training in Data Intensive Science, an innovative, interdisciplinary centre, distributed between the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP), Department of Physics (Cavendish Laboratory), and the Institute of Astronomy (IoA).  The CDT DiS website has more information.

Wolfson College-PDN PhD Studentship:  For the fifth consecutive year Wolfson College has partnered with the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (PDN) to fund a four-year PhD studentship. This will cover fees at the home rate, maintenance, research consumables and training costs. Student who are not eligible for home fees will be considered, but need to secure extra funding to cover the difference between Home and Overseas rates. 
The successful applicant will join the Cambridge Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme. They will also participate in training and cohort-building events, and undertake a three-month Professional Internship for PhD Students. More information is available from PDN.

Teape PhD Scholarship in Hindu-Christian Studies: The Teape Scholarship in Hindu-Christian Studies will contribute up to £14,000 a year to support students who wish to undertake a PhD in Hindu-Christian studies at the University of Cambridge. The Scholarship is funded by the Teape Trust, originally established by Cambridge alumnus William Marshall Teape (1862-1944), to further study of the relationship between Hindu and Christian thought.
Informal enquiries regarding potential projects may be made to Dr Ankur Barua, Senior Lecturer in Hindu Studies. The scholarship is only tenable at Wolfson College, which will endeavour to secure additional funding to supplement the Scholarship, but this cannot be guaranteed. To ensure full consideration applications must be submitted by the funding deadline for the student's PhD course. No separate application is required.

Cambridge International & Wolfson College PhD Studentship: Wolfson partners with the Cambridge Trust in funding up to 12 PhD studentships each year, covering tuition and maintenance costs for doctoral study in any subject. Around half are awarded to home-fee status students as Vice-Chancellor's PhD Studentships. The rest are awarded to overseas-fee status students as Cambridge International PhD Studentships. The College often partners with specific Faculties, Departments or Doctoral Training Partnerships to co-fund these awards.
In 2024/2025, preference may be given to applicants in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology, Development & Neuroscience (PDN) and/or in subjects related to the College's Interdisciplinary Research Hubs. (Gender, Global Health, Sustainability & Conservation and Race, Ethnicity, Culture and Heritage.) These awards are offered in partnership with the Cambridge Trust. Please see the Cambridge Trust website for more information: Cambridge International Scholarships & Vice-Chancellor’s Awards - Cambridge Trust

Cambridge Africa Changemakers & Wolfson College PhD Scholarship: Wolfson College partners with the Cambridge Trust to fund one Cambridge Africa Changemakers Scholarship each year. This is a full-cost scholarships for PhD students in any subject, open to candidates from any country in Africa. The partner-funded award is tenable only at Wolfson College.
The scholarship aims to support talented PhD students who require financial assistance to take up their places at the University. Priority will be given to students whose research contributes to the development of the continent and to climate-resilient and sustainable futures. This programme is closely affiliated with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme

Wolfson has also previously partnered with the Cambridge Judge Business School, the Departments of Land Economy, Biochemistry, Pathology and Pharmacology to fund PhD Studentships. We expect to announce additional co-funded PhD studentships in the future.

 

Master's Scholarships

Aziz Foundation Scholarship:  The Aziz Foundation has partnered with Wolfson College to fund scholarships for home-fee students only to improve access for individuals from British Muslim communities who historically have been underrepresented at the University.  
An Aziz Foundation Scholarship will cover the University Composition Fee for the course. The scholarships are aimed at those who wish to advance in their careers and bring positive change to their communities. We invite applications from people who are dedicated to community service, social development and effective advocacy within and for British Muslim communities.  Applications will be accepted from students who have already been offered admission to Cambridge for 2024/2025 and are pursuing courses and/or career aspirations in the following priority areas:  Media & Journalism, Technology, Sustainability/Environment, Law, Policy, Arts & Culture, Sports.  Applications will not be accepted for students intending to take up courses in science, health policy or mathematics. The aim is to support emerging leaders who have a high level of commitment to the British Muslim community as well as the aspiration to lead and inspire in their respective fields.  The next cycle will run from January 2024. Applications are made directly to the Aziz Foundation.   
Applications from international students cannot be considered. 

Boyce Family Scholarship: An endowed MPhil scholarship in the Social Sciences. The Boyce Family Scholarship will cover the tuition fees of one full-time, one-year MPhil student, and a contribution towards the successful student's maintenance costs. It is open exclusively to students who are normally resident in North America (including the Caribbean) and South America. 
Preference will be given to students: from backgrounds underrepresented at postgraduate level in their field of study; female students and those from minoritised backgrounds; and to those who are pursuing an MPhil in Land Economy, or another course with a focus on the built environment, sustainability, and/or conservation. 

Cambridge Opportunity Master's Scholarship at Wolfson College: In partnership with the Cambridge Trust, Wolfson College funds at least one Cambridge Opportunity Masters award a year. This is for a home fee status student from a low-income household with experience of educational disadvantage. The award is intended to cover University fees and living expenses when the maximum postgraduate grant/loan is taken with government student finance. No separate application required.

Cambridge UK & Wolfson College Hoath Family Master's Scholarship in Sustainability and Conservation: One award of £12,000 for a home fee status MPhil student in a field related to sustainability and conservation. This scholarship is made possible by the support of the Cambridge Trust and a generous donation from the Hoath Family. 
Hoath Family awards were established in December 2020 by a gift from Emeritus Fellow Professor Steve Hoath in memory of his parents. The gift's purpose is to stimulate the development of Wolfson College’s interdisciplinary Sustainability and Conservation Research Hub. This includes encouraging students, alumni and members to be involved in the Hub’s activities and supporting students who have a broad interest in its aims. 
The scholarship is aimed at students who might not otherwise have the financial means to do so and no separate application is required. 

Cambridge UK & Wolfson College Master's Scholarships: Each year Wolfson partners with the Cambridge Trust to cover the cost of two awards of £12,000 each for home fee status MPhil students in the Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences.  No separate application is required.

'Get In Cambridge' Master's Scholarship at Wolfson College: Each year Wolfson College funds at least one 'Get In Cambridge' award. This is to support a British Black, Bangladeshi or Pakistani Master's student from a low-income household with experience of educational disadvantage. The award is intended to cover University fees and living expenses when the maximum postgraduate grant/loan is taken with government student finance. 
The Get In initiative aims to increase the number of students from historically under-represented ethnic minority communities at Cambridge, in order to become representative of UK society, at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Awards are made in consultation with the Cambridge Trust. All eligible Wolfson College offer holders are considered. No separate is application required.

Rowan Williams Cambridge & Wolfson College Studentship: Wolfson partners with the Cambridge Trust to support students who face severe barriers in coming to study in Cambridge. Named after the former Chairman of the Cambridge Trust's Board of Trustees, this studentship is a full-cost award available to undergraduate and postgraduates (both MPhil and PhD).  Detailed information is available from the Cambridge Trust. No separate application is required.

Professor Ajit Singh Scholarship:  Established in 2024 by a generous anonymous gift in honour of Professor Ajit Singh (1940-2015), this scholarship provides an award of £3000 to support a Wolfson College Master's student in Economics, Economic Development or Sustainability.  No separate application is required.

Wolfson College Scholarship for Women Entrepreneurs from Emerging Economies: This will cover up to £25,000 for one recipient a year for five years, from 2023/2024. Co-funding opportunities will be sought in order to increase the amount available to each recipient. 
This scholarship is funded by a generous anonymous donor who wishes to support female students from overseas. Applicants should ordinarily be resident and consider their home to be one of the countries that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has defined as developing, listed here; and are pursuing a full-time Master's course. The course must be intended to prepare them to return to their home country and develop or improve business opportunities there. The scholarship aims to expand the role of women, particularly those wishing to start or develop their own business, in economies where they have been historically under-represented.  No separate application is required.

Wolfson OCS Kenya Scholarship: Up to £40,000 to cover University and College fees and maintenance for a student from Kenya on a one-year Master's course. The scholarship is offered in conjunction with the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Kenya and the Cambridge Trust.  No separate application is required.

Postgraduate Awards

Thanks to the generosity of its donors, Wolfson is able to offer around £100,000 per year to postgraduate students to help meet the costs of their study. These awards are made on the basis of academic merit and typically range from £3,000-£8,000 per recipient, to enable the College to provide funds to a greater number of students. See the full list of College awards.

Wolfson also offers additional financial support in the form of hardship funds, sports awards, travel and research grants, and musical scholarships.

University of Cambridge funding

Every year the University of Cambridge awards over £100m in scholarships to new postgraduate students. Prospective students are encouraged to read through all of the funding pages on the Postgraduate Admissions website, particularly how to apply for postgraduate funding, as well as using the Postgraduate Funding Search tool to look for specific awards in your field and level of study.

Government and external funding

UK nationals and those residing in the UK with EU settled status may be eligible for a postgraduate study loan from the UK Government. Specific funds are available for UK students with disabilities via the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). Financial support is also available for students with families to help meet childcare costs.

International students should check UK postgraduate scholarships, funding opportunities from their governments, as well as international funding bodies. There are also many other sources of external funding to which both UK and international prospective students can apply.

Research Councils

Research Councils are the largest funder of PhD students at Cambridge. There are six UK Research Councils, and each council is also able to offer a limited number of studentships to international students. Some studentships also include funding for Masters programmes taken prior to a PhD in a 1+3 year format.

Personal funding

Over 75% of masters students and 25% of PhD students were self-funded in the academic year 2022-23. All prospective students are required to demonstrate that they can cover their course costs in the process of making their application.