Name

Gates Cambridge

Legal name

Gates Cambridge Trust

Website

https://gatescambridge.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Scholarships

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE)

Keywords

• Postgraduate scholarships
• International scholarships
• Higher education funding
• Scholarship programmes
• University scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Scholarship disbursements (tuition and maintenance paid to/through the University of Cambridge), Personnel (programme management, selection, scholar support staff), Operations (events, scholar gatherings, administration), Technology or R&D (digital platforms, application systems), Marketing or Sales (outreach and recruitment)

Revenue model

1. Endowment Investment Returns: The Gates Cambridge Trust was established with a US$210m donation from the Gates Foundation in October 2000. The endowment generates returns that fund scholarship awards, operational costs, and community activities. The Trust's Board of Trustees oversees investment strategy with support from the Director of Finance and Operations.
2. Gates Foundation Support: Ongoing relationship with the Gates Foundation, including appointment of two Trustees by the Foundation and strategic alignment with Foundation priorities

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gates Cambridge runs a fully funded international postgraduate scholarship programme at the University of Cambridge for Master's and PhD students from outside the UK. Established in 2000 with a $210 million donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the trust covers tuition fees, maintenance allowance, airfare, and visa costs for selected scholars, who also gain access to a lifelong global scholar network.

Product overview

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Programme is a single scholarship offering at the University of Cambridge for outstanding postgraduate students. The programme includes The Scholar Magazine (an annual online publication since 2021, previously print from 2004-2020), Annual Reports covering Trust activities and finances, and a 25th Anniversary Commemorative Magazine. These publications serve to document and communicate the scholarship community's activities, research, and alumni achievements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 scholarships awarded to date
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Trust is established at and operates in partnership with the University of Cambridge. The University appoints the majority of Trustees (eight of ten) and provides academic infrastructure. The Provost serves as CEO of the Trust. The Trust is regulated by the Office for Students via the University.
• Cambridge University CollegescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGates Cambridge Scholars are affiliated with various Cambridge colleges (e.g., Trinity, Pembroke, King's, Churchill, etc.). Colleges provide residential and academic support. Shortlisting involves academic department nominations processed through college systems.
• Bill Gates Sr. HouseminorOthersNamed headquarters location honoring Bill Gates Sr., who played a key role in establishing the Trust with the Gates Foundation donation.
• Cambridge University Development and Alumni Relations Office (CUDAR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for coordinated alumni engagement. Gates Cambridge works with CUDAR to provide shared alumni with a coordinated approach to alumni relations and communications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fulbright Program: The US flagship international exchange and scholarship program, supporting postgraduate study, research, and teaching globally; comparable in mission-driven selection, prestige, and global alumni network building.
• Chevening Scholarships (UK FCDO): UK government-funded scholarship for emerging leaders to study at any UK university; competes for the same international postgraduate applicant pool as Gates Cambridge and offers similar full funding.
• Rhodes Trust: Runs the Rhodes Scholarship at the University of Oxford — the closest direct competitor, an elite fully-funded postgraduate scholarship with a similar global-recruitment model, prestigious host university, and values-based selection (leadership, service).
• Clarendon Fund (University of Oxford): Oxford's flagship graduate scholarship scheme, funded by a combination of university and external donations; comparable in being an endowed, university-based postgraduate scholarship with global recruitment.
• Marshall Scholarships: UK-funded postgraduate scholarships for US graduates at any UK university; targets high-achieving American postgraduates with leadership potential — directly overlapping applicant profile and funding model.
• Commonwealth Scholarships: Funded by the UK and Commonwealth governments for students from Commonwealth nations to study at UK universities; overlaps with Gates Cambridge's international postgraduate scholarship mandate.
• Schwarzman Scholars: A fully-funded Master's scholarship at Tsinghua University in Beijing for future leaders; directly comparable in scale, target audience (globally recruited postgraduate leaders), and focus on social impact and cross-cultural leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: A large global philanthropic foundation that funds higher education access, fellowships, and social-leadership programs; comparable as a peer in the philanthropic-scholarship funding landscape though broader in mission.
• Wellcome Trust: A major UK-based charitable foundation funding research, health, and education — relevant as a much larger-scale comparator in the philanthropic/foundation space that funds scholarships and research grants at UK universities.

Emerging players

• Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: A large-scale, multi-university fully-funded scholarship for African students focused on leadership and social impact; competes for socially-minded postgraduate applicants and shares Gates Cambridge's values-based selection ethos.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Gates_Cambridge
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GatesCambridge
• Facebookfacebook.com/gatescambridge
• Instagraminstagram.com/gatescambridge.scholars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gates-cambridge

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gates Cambridge