The Vice-Chancellor’s Award supports PhD study in any subject excluding premium rate courses at the University of Cambridge. Cambridge Trust administers the award, which is tenable at any Cambridge College.
Selection is based on academic ability, research potential, examination results and references; financial circumstances do not affect selection. The current round is for 2027/28 entry, with funding deadlines of 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027 depending on the course.
Benefits & funding
- University tuition fee at the Home rate.
- Annual maintenance sufficient for one person.
- Cambridge Trust PhD scholarships typically provide three years of support unless an award states otherwise.
Eligibility
- Be an applicant from the UK or Ireland with Home fee status and apply for a PhD at the University of Cambridge.
- Apply in any subject excluding premium rate courses and hold the academic preparation required for doctoral admission.
- Be a new applicant; the Trust does not normally fund students part-way through a Cambridge course unless they are progressing to a higher degree.
- Meet the course-specific funding deadline and receive a conditional offer of admission.
- No age, gender, work-experience or residency requirement is published for this award.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Eligible nationalities
UK · Ireland
Education required
Bachelor · Master
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Application process
- 1Choose an eligible Cambridge PhD course and check its funding deadline in the Postgraduate Course Directory.
- 2Submit the complete admission application, supporting documents and references through the Applicant Portal by that deadline.
- 3In the funding section, indicate that funding consideration is requested; no separate scholarship application is required.
- 4If conditionally admitted, remain under consideration while Cambridge Trust makes awards from March to July.
Program timeline
8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027
Main University funding deadline for 2027/28 entry, depending on the course.
February–June 2027
Funding offers are made, most of them in March–April.
Award must be taken up within the academic year for which it was offered.
Academic year 2027/28