How to fund your studies?
When looking at funding your postgraduate studies, you will need to consider both the cost of tuition fees and covering your living costs. Once you have identified the course you would like to study, you will need to research the wide range of funding options available. Some sources may relate to your nationality, lots will be specific to your area of study, and some funds may support students from particular backgrounds. Securing funding is not always straightforward, and if you are applying to Fitzwilliam, we will support you as much as we can in the process.
Your College Bill
For more detailed breakdown of the way College charges for tuition, rent and other costs, you can visit this page: https://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/understanding-your-college-bill
If you have concerns or questions, do contact the Finance team at college.bills@fitz.cam.ac.uk
How can we help?
Fitz can support your application in two ways: firstly, we have dedicated postgraduate officers in our Student Services Hub who have significant experience in administrating the postgraduate application process. Once you decide to apply to Fitzwilliam, then you will be in contact with Suzy and Vicky, who can offer advice. They may also be able to put you directly in touch with Fitzwilliam postgraduates, either from the course you'd like to study, or perhaps who share your nationality or background.
Often the challenge in funding shorter courses such as MAs comes from the need to gather funding from multiple sources. The Fitz team have expertise in making the most of the funding you already have, and may be able to support you in finding match-funding from sources across the Cambridge network.
Secondly, Fitz has a range of competitive scholarships and support bursaries which may help to fund your course.
10th Term PhD Funding
Fitzwilliam is able to provide up to £3,300 towards the living costs of PhD students whose original source of funding runs out at the end of their third year. This includes self and family funded students. Applications should be made towards the end of the ninth term of study. Funding applies for the tenth term.
Hardship support
All students are eligible to apply for Fitzwilliam College Maintenance Bursaries, which are designed to alleviate moments of specific hardship. Awards are made according to individual circumstances.
The application process will require you to explain why your original sources of finance is no longer available and to discuss this with your Graduate Tutor. Awards are made by the Tutorial Committee, to a maximum of £750 per year, but may typically be £250 or £500.
In exceptional circumstances an award of £1000 can be made. If a postgraduate student has already received an award of £750 or less, and their circumstances remain difficult, they can also apply again within the same academic year.
Masters Studentships and Scholarships
Fitzwilliam has three fully-funded Masters Studentships, as well as range of scholarships to offer part-funding, for both Masters and PhDs. Academic merit is the main criteria for all scholarships.
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Quantedge - LKY Scholarship - available to Masters courses
Value: One award - Fully-funded (fees and maintenance)
Eligibility:
- All full-time one year Masters courses are eligible, with the exception, MBA, MFin, MRes and PGCE.
- Financially disadvantaged student of Singaporean nationality.
- Applicants may apply to any of the University's colleges as their first choice college. The awardee will be required to transfer college membership to Fitzwilliam College before the start of their course.
Financial Criteria for Quantedge Studentship
Applicants must be:
1. Singaporean citizens.
2. Residing, when at home in Singapore, in a Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat.
3. Recipient and immediate family members staying with the Recipient in the same household must not own any private property in Singapore.
4. Able to demonstrate either one of the following:
a. Genuine financial need with a monthly per capita income (“PCI”) of S$2,250 and below. This is computed by dividing the monthly gross household income by the number of family members living in the same household.
b. Success against adversity, such as by vulnerable socio-economic background, through disability, bereavement, or through being a first-generation undergraduate university student.Closing date for applications: This is the University funding deadline for your course.
How to Apply - tick the box to Opt In to this Studentship on your University Application Form
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Hong Leong - LKY Scholarship - available to Masters courses
Value: One award - Fully-funded (fees and maintenance)
Eligibility:
- All full-time one year Masters courses are eligible, with the exception of MBA, MFin, MRes and PGCE
- All nationalities and fee status
- The Studentships are open to all applicants regardless of nationality or subject. However, students must fulfill at least one of the following (it is not necessary to meet all three):
- That their research requires or enables them to undertake part of their study in Singapore, OR
- That they are participating in an academic project involving collaboration between Cambridge University and a university in Singapore, OR
- That their academic research is clearly related to areas of research close to the interests of Lee Kuan Yew and the future development of Singapore.
- Applicants may apply to any of the University's colleges as their first choice college. The awardee will be required to transfer college membership to Fitzwilliam College before the start of their course.
Closing date for applications: This is the University funding deadline for your course.
How to Apply - tick the box to Opt In to this Studentship on your University Application Form
Shortlisted candidates will be notified in February with online interviews to be held in March.
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Fitzwilliam Charlton Scholarships - available to Masters courses
Value: Up to five awards at £10,000 each
Eligibility:
- All full-time and part time Masters courses starting Michaelmas Term are eligible, with the exception of MRes, MBA, MFin and PGCE.
- All nationalities and fee status.
- Awards are made on academic merit.
Closing Date: 15 March
- Applicants must have an offer of a place on the course and membership with Fitzwilliam College by the closing date (to meet this criteria, we recommend that the University application is submitted by 3 December).
- It is not possible to transfer Colleges in order to be eligible for this Studentship, but all those who name Fitzwilliam as their first choice, or who are allocated via 2nd choice or random allocation, will be eligible
Application: All those eligible by the closing date will be automatically considered - no application form required. Interviews are held as part of the Masters Studentship competition. Results available May.
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Cleaver-Wang Studentship - available to Masters courses
Value: 1 award of between £5,000 and £10,000
Eligibility:
- All full-time and part time Masters courses starting Michaelmas Term are eligible, with the exception of MRes, MBA, MFin and PGCE.
- All nationalities and fee status.
- Awards are made on academic merit.
- Preference given to those working across disciplines or with innovative methodologies
Closing Date: 15 March 2025
- Applicants must have an offer of a place on the course and membership with Fitzwilliam College by the closing date (to meet this criteria, we recommend that the University application is submitted by 3 December).
- It is not possible to transfer Colleges in order to be eligible for this Studentship, but all those who name Fitzwilliam as their first choice, or who are allocated via 2nd choice or random allocation, will be eligible
Application: All those eligible by the closing date will be automatically considered - no application form required. Interviews are held as part of the Masters Studentship competition. Results available May.
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Peter Wilson Estates Gazette Studentships - only available for Land Economy courses
Value: Three awards at £4,000 each or two awards at £6,000.
Eligibility
- All full-time, one year Masters courses that are offered by the Department of Land Economy are eligible.
- One of the Studentships will be prioritised for a Fitzwilliam undergraduate student who is applying for MPhil in Cambridge.
- All nationalities and fee status
Closing date - 15 March 2025
- Applicants must have an offer of a place on the course and membership with Fitzwilliam College by the closing date (to meet this criteria, we recommend that the University application is submitted by 3 December).
- It is not possible to transfer Colleges in order to be eligible for this Studentship, but all those who name Fitzwilliam as their first choice, or who are allocated via 2nd choice or random allocation, will be eligible
Application: All those eligible by the closing date will be automatically considered - no application form required. Interviews are not normally held for this studentship. Results available in June/July.
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Plummer-Pollard Studentship - only available for Masters courses related to the study of genetics
Value: £3,500
Details: The Plummer-Pollard Student Research Fund was established in 2019, following a donation from Stephen Plummer (Fitz 1966-69 Mechanical Sciences), in memory of his daughter Sally Pollard, a dedicated lecturer and research scientist in the field of Genetics.
Eligibility:
- Full time or Part-time masters degrees starting Michaelmas term
- And whose research explores a topic that is integrally related to the study of genetics
Closing date - 15 March 2025
- Applicants must have an offer of a place on the course and membership with Fitzwilliam College by the closing date (to meet this criteria, we recommend that the University application is submitted by 3 December).
- It is not possible to transfer Colleges in order to be eligible for this Studentship, but all those who name Fitzwilliam as their first choice, or who are allocated via 2nd choice or random allocation, will be eligible
Application: Please complete the form via this link by 15 March 2025
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Robert Lethbridge Scholarship in Modern Languages
Value: One award of £1,250
Eligibility
- All full-time, one year Masters courses that are offered by the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics are eligible.
- All nationalities and fee status
Closing date - 31 March 2025
- Applicants must have an offer of a place on the course and membership with Fitzwilliam College by the closing date (to meet this criteria, we recommend that the University application is submitted by 3 December).
- It is not possible to transfer Colleges in order to be eligible for this Studentship, but all those who name Fitzwilliam as their first choice, or who are allocated via 2nd choice or random allocation, will be eligible
Application: All those eligible by the closing date will be automatically considered - no application form required. Interviews are not normally held for this studentship. Results available in June/July.
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Fitzwilliam Society JRW Alexander Book Grants - for LLM or MCL courses
Value: £100 each
Details: All students starting the LLM or MCL course at Fitzwilliam receive a Law Book grant in the form of book tokens.
Application: No application is necessary. All eligible will receive the award.
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Gordon Cameron Scholarship - only available for Land Economy courses
Value: up to £20,000 (or as as may be adjusted from time to time by the Tutorial Committee to account for inflation), or the balance of the fund if sufficient funds are not available.
The Gordon Cameron Studentship Fund was established from a legacy by Leland “Lee” Burns, professor emeritus of urban planning at the University of California Los Angeles, to support graduate students in Land Economy at Fitzwilliam College in the name of Gordon Cameron (Master, 1989-1991).
Eligibility: This fund will support studentship for Home students on an MPhil programme in the Department of Land Economy at Fitzwilliam College. Students will be selected by the College, following consultation with the department. Full time only.
Closing date for applications: This is the University funding deadline for your course.
How to Apply - tick the box to Opt In to this Studentship on your University Application Form, applicant is NOT required to specify Fitzwilliam College on their admissions application but must be willing to transfer.
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Fitzwilliam College Leathersellers’ Cambridge Opportunity Studentship
Value: 1 award of £15,000
The Fitzwilliam College Leathersellers’ Cambridge Opportunity Studentship was established in 2023 with the support of the Leathersellers’ Foundation, to provide opportunities for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds to access taught postgraduate programmes at Fitzwilliam College. For more information about how you can apply/be considered for this fund, please see the Cambridge Trust website: https://www.cambridgetrust.org/scholarships/
Eligibility: All information can be found here https://www.cambridgetrust.org/scholarships/cambridge-opportunity-studentships-and-get-in-cambridge-studentships
Application: No separate application is required for this studentship, only the application for admission to the University of Cambridge, which must be submitted by the funding deadline specific to your course (please refer to the Postgraduate Course Directory)
If you wish to be considered for these awards, you will be required to answer specific questions as part of the admissions application form
For more information, please visit About our postgraduate scholarships
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Fitzwilliam College Leathersellers' Get In Cambridge Studentship
Value: 1 award of £15,000
The Fitzwilliam College Leathersellers’ Get In Cambridge Studentship was established in 2023 with the support of the Leathersellers’ Foundation, to provide opportunities for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds to access taught postgraduate programmes at Fitzwilliam College. For more information about how you can apply/be considered for this fund, please see the Cambridge Trust website: https://www.cambridgetrust.org/scholarships/
Eligibility: All information can be found here https://www.cambridgetrust.org/scholarships/cambridge-opportunity-studentships-and-get-in-cambridge-studentships
Application: No separate application is required for this studentship, only the application for admission to the University of Cambridge, which must be submitted by the funding deadline specific to your course (please refer to the Postgraduate Course Directory)
If you wish to be considered for these awards, you will be required to answer specific questions as part of the admissions application form
For more information, please visit About our postgraduate scholarships
PhD Studentships and Scholarships
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College Graduate Scholarship - available for all PhD courses
Value: One award of £1,460 - awarded for one year
This scholarship may not be used towards the financial undertaking required for admission to the course
Eligibility:
- All full-time and part-time PhD courses are eligible. Arts students may be preferred.
- All nationalities and fee status
- You must be a current member of Fitzwilliam College
Apply online. Deadline is 30 November at 24:00 hours. The results will be available by end of February.
One application applies for both College Graduate and ED Davies at the same time. Students may re-apply each year they are eligible
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E D Davies Scholarship - available for all PhD courses
Value: Three awards of £1,460 - awarded for one year
This scholarship may not be used towards the financial undertaking required for admission to the course
Eligibility:
- All full-time and part-time PhD courses are eligible.
- All nationalities and fee status
- You must be a current member of Fitzwilliam College
Apply online. Deadline is 30 November at 24:00 hours. The results will be available by end of February.
One application applies for both College Graduate and ED Davies at the same time. Students may re-apply each year they are eligible
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The Harris PhD Scholarship - available to students undertaking a PhD in New Testament Studies
Value: £10,000 per annum for up to 3.5 years of study.
Details: The fund was established in 2020 with a bequest from Mrs Ivy Elizabeth Harris, a long-time friend of Fitzwilliam.
Eligibility:
The fund will award studentships to support postgraduate students undertaking doctoral research in New Testament Studies in the Faculty of Divinity of the University of Cambridge, with a preference to be given to graduates of the University of Cambridge who are normally resident in the UK. Full time or part time.
Closing date for applications: This is the University funding deadline for your course.
How to Apply - tick the box to Opt In to this Studentship on your University Application Form, applicant is NOT required to specify Fitzwilliam College on their admissions application but must be willing to transfer.
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Scholarships for students studying Theology, or a related topic, or expecting to take holy orders in a Christian church
Please note that one Application Form covers all 3 Scholarships.
Students may re-apply each year they are eligible
Gibson Scholarship
Value: One award of £1,165 - awarded for one year
This scholarship may not be used towards the financial undertaking required for admission to the course.
Eligiblity:
- Applicant should be intending to work towards a doctorate in New Testament Studies
- Students naming Fitzwilliam as first choice are preferred but not exclusively
Deadline is 30 September at 24:00 hours
Hirst-Player Scholarship
Value: One or two awards of up to £2,330 (maximum) - awarded for one year
This scholarship may not be used towards the financial undertaking required for admission to the course.
Eligibility
- Reading for a Degree or a Diploma in Theology.
- Intention to take Holy Orders in a Christian Church preferred.
- Students needing assistance with fees, who would otherwise be unable to study at Cambridge
Deadline is 30 September at 24:00 hours.The results will be available in mid-November
Shipley Scholarship
Value: One award of £1,460 - awarded for one year
This scholarship may not be used towards the financial undertaking required for admission to the course.
Eligibility
- Applicant should be undertaking / intending to undertake research at the Faculty of Divinity.
- Exceptionally, research on a theological topic in another faculty also accepted
Deadline is 30 September at 24:00 hours. The results will be available in mid-November