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 www.gatesscholar.org

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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 email 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

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

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

THE GATES CAMBRIDGE EXPERIENCE

FURTHER INFORMATION Gates Cambridge website - www.gatesscholar.org University of Cambridge - www.cam.ac.uk Email Jim: jim.smith@admin.cam.ac.uk