1. Gates Cambridge Scholarships
NAFA conference July 2011
Gates Cambridge Scholarships
Professor Robert Lethbridge
Provost (CEO), Gates Cambridge Trust & Master, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Mr Jim Smith
Executive Officer, Gates Cambridge Trust
Gates Cambridge Trust

2. Value Core components (per year)
Living allowance of £13,000 in 2011 (US$21,000)
University fee – c.£4K to c. £35K (US$6K, to US$55K)
College fee - c. £2.3K (US$3.7K)
Return airfare
Total p.a. between £20K and £50K (US$32K – US$80K)
Discretionary components
Family allowance, conferences, fieldwork, some fourth year funding for PhD Scholars, hardship funding
HEADLINE: One of, if not, the most generous international scholarships for study in the UK.
LIVING COSTS
Rent, food, entertainment, books etc.
UNI FEE
Course cost
Different fee rates – all covered – EU to MBA
COLLEGE FEE
Pastoral support in College
Not rent
AIRFARE
One in and out over course
DISCRETIONARY
FAMILY - £7.5K first child, £1.2K second, nothing for partner since eligible to work – ensure those with families are not dissuaded from applying for disadvantaged while in Cam
CONFERENCES – UP TO £500 per year if presenting
4TH YEAR – HOPE 3 YEARS BUT SOME HELP AVAILABLE
HARDSHIP – MEDICAL OR UNFORESEEN CIRC.
SALARY/OTHER MAJOR SCHOLARSHIPS - REDUCED

3. Eligibility Non-UK citizen
Must gain admission to one of the following full-time graduate programs at Cambridge:
- PhD (three year research-only degree)
- One year postgraduate course (e.g. MPhil, LLM, MASt, Diploma, MBA etc.)
MSc or MLitt (two year research-only degree)
No age limit
HEADLINE =OPENNESS
2 KEY POINTS
NO UK CITIZENS
GRADUATE COURSES
ADMISSION
IMPORTANT - TRUST DOES NOT PLACE SCHOLARS, SO MUST MAKE A PARALLEL APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION AND FUNDING
UNIVERSITY DEALS WITH ALL ADMISSION ELEMENTS, TRUST ONLY FUNDING ELEMENT
BASIC UNI REQS:
HAVE/ABOUT TO BE AWARDED AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
MAY NEED MASTERS
VARIOUS OTHER ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
MINIMUM GPA = 3.5, SOME COURSES HAVE 3.7 OR HIGHER
SEE GRADUATE STUDIES PROSPECTUS FOR DETAILS
AGE
MANY STRAIGHT OUT OF UNIVERSITY
BUT A GOOD NUMBER OF MATURE STUDENTS WITH INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AND/OR WITH FAMILIES

4. Applying One application pack for: Admission to a degree course
Membership to a Cambridge College
A Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Other relevant Cambridge funding
What to submit
University’s GRADSAF application form
Three references (2 x academic for University, 1 x personal reference for funding)
Academic transcripts
If required, any additional documents
Full details available from website 1 September 2011
Quick overview as full details on website
HEADLINES: ONE APPLICATION PACK WITH MULTIPLE USES
- DEPARTMENT
- COLLEGE
- FUNDING BODIES
WHAT TO SUBMIT
Fairly standard for scholarship
PART A – ADMISSION (DEPT & COLLEGE)
PART B – FUNDING (GATES ESSAY)
FULL DETAILS WILL BE ON WEBSITE FROM 1 SEPTEMBER

5. Selection criteria and interpretation
Scholarships are awarded on the following criteria:
intellectual ability
a good academic fit with Cambridge
leadership capacity
a desire to use knowledge to improve the lives of others
No one ‘template’ for a Gates Scholar
ALL IMORTANT SECTION ABOUT HOW WE SELECT GATES SCHOLARS
INTELLECTUAL ABILITY
FIRST HURDLE IS ACADEMIC – DEPTS RANK TOP 4 ONE-YEAR AND TOP 4 PHD (POSSIBLE CHNAGES IN 2012)
TRUST ONLY LOOKS AT CANDIDATES RANKED BY DEPTS
AVERAGE GPA OF THOSE SELECTED AFTER INTEVIEW = 3.92; RANGE = 3.7 TO 4.0
MUST BE LIKVELY TO SUCCEED AT CAM
No point in encouraging those with strong leadership and social commitment if they are not likely to thrive academically at one of world’s best universities
ACADEMIC FIT
Gates Cambridge – Trust deed says “to benefit from an education at Cambridge”
Real need to mesh with what Cambridge offers
Advice - research course content, potential PhD supervisor, resources (library, institute, equipment) and show clear link between applicant’s needs/plans and what Cambridge offers
LEADERSHIP
Too many books written on this to discuss various definitions here
Trust takes broad view - nurtures leaders in every field of human endeavour - Anglo-Saxon – Zoology, applied & theoretical, right across the spectrum
Shortlisting committee and interview panels look for evidence of some leadership experience and, above all, future leadership potential
Rather than give examples of leadership traits of Gates Scholar here you can see their bios on our website
A desire to use knowledge to improve the lives of others
Broad view again - Scholarships to those who it thinks will make a difference in every walk of life: in the Arts and the Sciences; in applied and theoretical subjects; and across all the disciplines and research in which the University of Cambridge is preeminent.
Expect applicants to be aware of responsibility that higher education at one of the world’s leading universities brings.
Want to see evidence of a genuine commitment to help to others – check out on-line bios of Gates Scholars for specific examples
Flip it round, someone who is an academic star but without any evidence of leadership and improving the lives of others is unlikely to get a Gates
KEY POINTS:
ACADEMICALLY NEED TO BE AMONG VERY TOP APPLICANTS APPLYING
TRUST INTERPRETS GATES CRITERIA BROADLY
No one template
Bios of selected Gates Scholars each year - huge diversity in terms of experience, background, area of interest and ways in which the Scholars meet the selection criteria.

6. Personal statement The question:
“If you wish to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, please describe below – in not more than 500 words – how your interests and achievements, both academic and extra-curricular, demonstrate a capacity for leadership and a commitment to improving the lives of others. Please also set out why you think there is a good fit between your professional aspirations and the graduate programme at Cambridge for which you are applying.”
Vital part of application
Must be targeted to Gates Cambridge
Help us distinguish them from other applicants
VITAL
IS THE ONLY PART OF APPLICATION WHICH ASKS THE APPLICANT ABOUT THEIR FIT WITH GATES CAMBRIDGE
READ BY SHORTLISTING COMMITTEE AND INTERVIEW PANELS
USED TO FILTER THE LARGER GROUP OF ACADEMIC SUPERSTARS RANKED BY DEPARTMENT DOWN TO THOSE WITH GATES CAMBRIDGE QUALITIES
TARGETED
HIT GATES CAMBRIDGE BUTTONS – LEADERSHIP, IMPROVING LIVES OF OTHERS, GOOD ACADEMIC FIT WITH CAM
NEED TO RESEARCH COURSE AT CAM AND SHOW HOW IT WILL HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS
NOT A RE-HASH OF A PERSONAL STATEMENT FOR ANOTHER SCHOLARSHIP
NEED TO GIVE INTERVIEWERS SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT AT INTERVIEW – ALLOW THEM TO EASILY DRAW OUT GATES QUALITIES
DISTINGUISH
Shortlisting and interview committees looking for ways to distinguish applicants
Anything that shows an interesting or unique way they fit the Gates Cambridge profile is useful
KEY POINTS
APPLICANTS’ CHANCE TO CONVINCE US THAT THEY ARE A GOOD FIT WITH GATES CAMBRIDGE.
ADVICE - GET THEM TO LOOK THROUGH SCHOLAR BIOS FOR INSPIRATION

7. Personal reference
Joint reference for Gates and other scholarships trusts:
Gates: “Please give below your assessment of the applicant’s leadership potential and commitment to improving the lives of others. Please attach a separate letter if necessary”
Vital part of application
Targeted to Gates Cambridge
Standard, template letters not helpful
VITAL
ONLY SECTION FROM A REFEREE WHICH RELATES TO GATES CAMBRIDGE
READ BY SHORTLSITING AND INTERVIEW COMMITTEES TO REDUCE FIELD
TARGETED
HIT GATES CAMBRIDGE BUTTONS – LEADERSHIP, IMPROVING LIVES OF OTHERS, GOOD FIT WITH CAM
WE SEE A LOT OF REFERENCES – STAND OUTS ARE THOSE WHO KNOW THE APPLICANT WELL AND CAN COMMENT IN A TARGETTED WAY
NOT – “THIS IS THE BEST APPLICANT I’VE SEEN IN 500 YEARS….”
INTERESTED IN WHY THIS PERSON WOULD BE A GOOD GATES SCHOLAR
REFEREES SHOULD GRASP THE KEY CRITERIA AND WRITE WITH THAT IN MIND
GIVE INTERVIEWERS SOMETHING TO DRAW OUT FROM REFERENCE
STANDARD
WE SEE LOTS OF REFS
“BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD” – DOESN’T TELL US MUCH
SHOWING US THEY HAVE A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF THE APPLICANT’S ABILITIES IS VERY HELPFUL
GOOD TO GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY FIT GATES CAMBRIDGE CRITERIA
NOT A THIRD ACADEMIC REFERENCE – FINE TO MENTION ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, BUT PRIMARILY RELATED TO LEADERSHIP AND IMPRROVING

8. Departmental comments: example
Academic excellence
“Joe Bloggs is an outstanding candidate. He is in his final year as an undergraduate at University of Somewhere and has a 3.99 GPA. He was on the Dean’s list for the last three years and has been awarded numerous other honors. He is clearly in the very top bracket academically. “
Contact
“Prof X and Dr Y at Cambridge interviewed him on the telephone and have also had extensive contact with him. “
Distinguished from other applicants
“He has shown a real interest in gaining experience throughout his undergraduate career by working in various labs. This has allowed him to gain valuable experience in a range of techniques and approaches. What was additionally impressive was his passion for science. “
Understanding of what Cambridge offers
“He had a surprisingly good grasp of what is being done in the relevant laboratory here and his questions were probing and mature. “
Gives an idea of type of applicants departments are ranking to Trust
ONLY for academic ability and good fit with Cambridge
After dept ranking we start to apply other Gates criteria

9. Selection process and timetable
Stage
Application
Departmental ranking
Trust shortlisting committee
Interviewees contacted
Interviews
Selection
US round
15 October
Late November
Mid-December
Late December
Early February
Within a week
International round
2 December
Mid-February
Early March
Mid March
Late March
Within a week
HEADLINES:
ACADEMIC HURDLE FIRST
GATES CRITERIA AFTER
ROUNDS:
This happens twice a year: USA and international rounds – explain reasoning behind two rounds (e.g. American doing MPhil)
APPLICATION:
Applicants submit all of the required materials by the relevant deadline
RANKING:
Trust send academic departments lists
Ask them to rank UP TO 4 PhD and UP TO 4 one-year applicants based on academic merit only
SHORTLISTING
Trust's shortlisting committee composed of 12 academics from six University’s Schools
Committee review applications of ranked applicants and apply all four Gates criteria
Produce a manageable number for interview
INTERVIEWS:
Four broadly subject-based panels
Trust officer, Cambridge academic, US academic and Gates Cambridge alum
Apply all four Gates criteria
Interviews are 25 minutes.
Usually start with an intro about their proposed degree and subject then teases out leadership potential and a desire to give back.
Interviews are not easy, but interviewers are not out to trip applicants up – try to get best out of them.
SELECTION:
Meeting with the Chairs of the interview panels
Agree a list of those who will be offered scholarships.
Offers sent out within a week

10. Update for 2012 application round
Estimated numbers for 2012
Interviews:
US in San Francisco on 3 and 4 February 2012
International interviews in Cambridge on 28 and 29 March 2012
News for 2012
Updated on-line application process
University’s application fees
International deadline – midnight 2 December
Stage
US round
International
round
Total applications
400 – 500
c. 2000
Ranked by departments
c. 200
c.400
Interview
100
120
Successful 35 55
Success rate
7 - 8%
2 - 3%
INTERVIEWS
US – moved to west coast because some of our trustees felt the location of the interviews might affect application patterns
US - if in person is difficult (e.g. travel costs) then scope for Skype and telephone
International – tend to have 50/50 mix of in person and Skype/telephone
International – some Americans (MPhil to PhD)
FORMAT: our stats suggest no advantage/disadvantage of in person/Skype/telephone
PROCESS
IMPORTANT UPDATE - new fully on-line system in Cambridge – all application documents can be uploaded by applicant and referee– details will be on BGS website on 1 September
FEES – £50 on-line, £100 paper – move towards as many as possible on-line
DEADLINE – new system will process huge number of applications over a weekend so midnight 2 December = we will advertise but encourage applicants to apply as earlier as they can
TABLE
Estimated figures for 2012 just to give an indication

11. THE GATES CAMBRIDGE EXPERIENCE

12. FURTHER INFORMATION Gates Cambridge website - www.gatesscholar.org
University of Cambridge -
Jim: