Trinity College offers a range of competitive postgraduate awards (often referred to as studentships or bursaries) to students wishing to study at the University of Cambridge. Only applicants who have applied to the University of Cambridge for admission as postgraduate students are eligible for these awards.
Applicants wishing to be considered for most Trinity College studentships and bursaries will not need to complete any form of separate funding application. Candidates will be asked if they wish to be considered for specific Trinity awards as part of the University application process, if they meet the required eligibility criteria.
Only candidates invited to apply for either a Trinity Internal Graduate Studentship or an Overseas Bursary, or the Peter Shaffer award will be asked to submit a separate funding application. Please note that applicants wishing to be considered for a Dunlevie King’s Hall Studentship or a Trinity External Research Studentship are advised to indicate Trinity as the College of first preference on their application to the University.
For candidates with overseas fee status, the student visa cost and immigration health surcharge will also be covered if applicable.
Please note: Successful applicants may be contacted during their course by Trinity’s Alumni Relations and Development Office to ask for a short account on their progress and experience at Trinity College for the purpose of reporting to the donors of certain awards.
The Alice and James Penney PhD Studentship in English or European Literature is a three-year studentship for Home students who wish to undertake a PhD Course at the University of Cambridge in English or European Languages with a focus on Literature. Students from any university may apply.
For further information on PhD courses available in the Faculty of English, please visit: www.english.cam.ac.uk. For further information on PhD courses available in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, please visit: www.mmll.cam.ac.uk.
Eligible candidates must have applied to the University of Cambridge for admission to a PhD and only be liable for University fees at the Home rate.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees, and
- discretionary maintenance allowance.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
The Studentship may be held for a maximum of three and a half years in total, subject to satisfactory academic progress. The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Arthington Davy Studentship
Students born in Tonga and of Tongan parents, who already have a first University degree and who wish to engage in post-graduate study at any University in the world, are eligible to be considered for an award to cover the cost (or part of the cost) of such study, the award being conditional on the applicant’s acceptance for such a course by their chosen University.
Preference is given to those proposing to engage in the study or research in subjects likely to contribute significantly to the development of Tonga.
Awards are made from the Arthington-Davy Fund, generously set up by the late Humphrey Augustus Arthington-Davy, British High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga from 1973 to 1980, and left by him to be managed by his Cambridge College, Trinity. The Fund’s resources permit only a few awards, these are usually for partial costs.
Applications should include:
- proof of Tongan origin
- a complete curriculum vitae and academic record
- details of the intended postgraduate study, together with a letter of conditional acceptance from the University concerned
- clear and precise details of tuition fees and living expenses and of finances available from the student’s own resources or other institutions
- names and email addresses of two academic referees (whom they should also contact directly before the deadline shown).
- email a short cover message and attach your relevant documents to: [email protected]
The competition is now closed for 2022-23.
Dunlevie King’s Hall Studentships
The Dunlevie King’s Hall Studentships are designed to support outstanding candidates for Masters degrees at Trinity College in the University of Cambridge. The studentships are funded by a generous donation offered by Bruce and Elizabeth Dunlevie, and celebrate the early origins of Trinity College as the King’s Scholars (later the King’s Hall) in 1317. The awards are open to Home and Overseas students applying for Masters level degrees in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
In 2023 up to six Dunlevie King’s Hall Studentships may be awarded, with the possibility of additional awards to candidates from African and Eastern European countries considered for funding through this competition.
Eligible candidates must:
- have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, to the University of Cambridge, and
- have selected Trinity College as their first-choice College.
The Studentships cover:
- Postgraduate Course Fees,
- maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate), and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom where applicable.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
Awards will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a Masters course in the University. Successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Gould Studentship in English Literature
The Gould Studentship in English Literature is a one-year studentship for students who wish to undertake a Masters Course at the University of Cambridge in English Literature. Students from any university may apply. For further information on MPhil courses available in the Faculty of English, please visit: www.english.cam.ac.uk. Candidates for MPhils in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic whose proposed dissertation will fall within the area of English Literature are eligible to apply.
Eligible candidates must have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, to the University of Cambridge. On completion of the MPhil course, the student will be eligible to apply for a Trinity Internal Graduate Studentship at Trinity College in order to study for the PhD degree.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees, and
- discretionary maintenance allowance.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Henry Arthur Hollond Studentship in Law
The Henry Arthur Hollond Studentship in Law is intended for students who wish to undertake the LLM at the University of Cambridge. One or more awards may be made.
Eligible applicants must:
- have received an offer of admission from the University of Cambridge for the LLM degree, and
- not yet have been members of any other College at the University of Cambridge.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees,
- discretionary maintenance allowance, and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom for overseas students.
Partial awards covering a proportion of those costs may also be made. If two or more candidates of outstanding merit are presented, preference may be given to candidates specialising in non-commercial areas of law and/or to candidates who are intending to pursue an academic career rather than to practise law.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for the LLM in the University. Successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Hollond-Whittaker Research Studentship in Law
The Hollond-Whittaker Research Studentship in Law is designed to support outstanding candidates for a PhD in Law at the University of Cambridge.
Eligible applicants must have applied for admission to the University of Cambridge for the PhD in Law, and either have received an offer of admission or be awaiting a decision on that application.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees,
- maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate), and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom for overseas students
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Full or partial awards may be made. The Studentship may be held for a maximum of three and a half years, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
An award will be conditional upon the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. Successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College upon taking up the Studentship.
Knox Studentship for French Students
The Knox Studentship is intended for citizens of France who have either received an offer of admission or await a decision on an application for a one-year taught postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge leading to the MPhil degree, MAST, LLM degree, a Diploma or a Certificate.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form. An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University.
A studentship may also be offered to students conducting research leading to a doctoral degree at a French University, but whose work would clearly benefit from access for up to a year to library or laboratory resources in Cambridge. These candidates must be admitted to a Faculty as a visiting student, but will not be registered for any qualification at the University of Cambridge. For visiting studentship applications, candidates should send the following to [email protected]: proof of French citizenship; a complete curriculum vitae and academic record; a letter explaining their project, confirmation of admission in a Faculty as a visiting student and a letter from their PhD supervisor in support of their application.
Candidates are expected to have applied to all other sources of financial support open to them. For a student who has no support or only partial support from another source, the studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees, if applicable
- maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate), and a
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom.
The successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Krishnan-Ang Studentships for Overseas Students in the Natural Sciences
In 2023, two Studentships, funded by generous donations from Eashwar Viswanathan Krishnan and Tzo Tze Ang, will be awarded to outstanding Overseas postgraduate students undertaking a PhD in the Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Both Eashwar and Tzo Tze were undergraduates at Trinity: Eashwar read Natural Sciences (Matric. 1996) and Tzo Tze read Electrical & Information Sciences (Matric. 1997). The first Krishnan-Ang awards were made in 2008.
Past Krishnan-Ang students:
- Sina Bonyadi – PhD in Chemical Engineering (Matric. 2008)
- Rongrong Zhao – PhD in Neurosurgery (Matric. 2008)
- Sara Ahmadi-Abhari – PhD in Public Health and Primary Care (Matric. 2009)
- Wendy Yanling Wang – PhD in Zoology (Matric. 2009)
- Nathan Yu Heng Lau – PhD in Chemistry (Matric. 2010)
- Thi Hoang Duong Nguyen – PhD in Biological Science (Matric. 2010)
- Matthew Terence Dunstan – PhD in Chemistry (Matric. 2011)
- Hsiao Yu Fang – PhD in Genetics (Matric. 2011)
- Feilin Nie – PhD in Chemistry (Matric. 2011)
- Alexa Pohl – PhD in Psychiatry (Matric. 2012)
- Emily Adlam – PhD in Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics (Matric. 2014)
- Nilesh Tripuraneni – PhD in Engineering (Matric. 2014)
- Teng Zhao – PhD in Materials Science and Metallurgy (Matric. 2014)
- Leong Khim Wong – MASt in Applied Mathematics (Matric. 2015)
- Olga Zadvorna – PhD in Physics (Matric. 2016)
- Trillium Chang – MPhil in Public Health (Matric. 2017)
- Eesha Khare – MPhil in History and Philosophy of Science (Matric. 2017)
- Kevin Lim – MRes and PhD in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Matric. 2017)
- Andrew Counsell – PhD in Chemistry (Matric. 2018)
- Wai In Hui – PhD in Medical Science (Matric. 2018)
- Anna Bird – PhD in Chemical Engineering (Matric. 2019)
- Runzhang Qi – PhD in Chemistry (Matric. 2019)
- Ching Ching Lam – PhD in Chemistry (Matric. 2020)
- Amanda Weerasinghe – PhD in Engineering (Matric. 2020)
- Ranya Behbehani – MPhil in Biological Science (Matric. 2021)
- Arman Ghodisinia – MRes in Cancer Biology (Matric. 2021) Hon
- Isuri Ratnayake – PhD in Engineering (Matric. 2021)
- Zixuan Wang – PhD in Chemistry (Matric. 2022)
- Ziyi Yuan – PhD in Materials Science and Metallurgy (Matric. 2022)
Eligible applicants must:
- have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, for a PhD degree in the Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, and
- not yet have been members of the University of Cambridge as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees
- maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate, pro rated for the MPhil)
- Research Emolument (£450 per annum) and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
The awards will be conditional on the applicants being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. The successful applicants must become members of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Leon Brittan Studentship in European Studies
In 2022, the Leon Brittan Studentship in European Studies will be awarded to an outstanding candidate for a Master’s degree in the field of European Studies at Trinity College in the University of Cambridge. The Studentship is funded by a number of generous donations made in memory of Lord Brittan of Spennithorne (1939–2015), who was an undergraduate at Trinity, and who, among other distinctions, served as Vice-President of the European Commission.
Eligible applicants must have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, to the University of Cambridge for a one-year postgraduate course leading to the award of:
- the LLM, with an intended focus on European law; or
- the MPhil with a significant focus related to Europe, offered by the Faculty of History, the Faculty of Economics, the Department of Politics and International Studies, the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics (for European and Comparative Studies) or the Department of Land Economy.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees, and
- maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate), and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom where applicable.
Holders of the studentship will also be eligible to apply for research funding.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
Awards will be conditional on the applicant’s being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office. The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Louis and Valerie Freedman Studentship in Medical Sciences
The Louis and Valerie Freedman Studentship is designed to support outstanding candidates for a PhD in Medical Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
One full or partial-cost Studentship will be awarded to a Home or Overseas PhD student in the School of Clinical Medicine, or to a PhD student undertaking research that has a clear practical medical impact in a related academic discipline in another school. The Studentship will be tenable for a maximum of four years.
Eligible applicants must:
- have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, for a PhD degree in the School of Clinical Medicine or a related discipline in another School,
- undertake research that has a clear practical medical impact.
In exceptional circumstances an applicant for the MPhil degree in the School of Clinical Medicine, or a related discipline in another School, who has an expressed intention to progress to PhD study may be considered for the award.
The Studentship covers:
- graduate course fees,
- a discretionary maintenance allowance, and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom where applicable.
An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Graduate Admissions Office for a PhD degree in the University of Cambridge. The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Peter Shaffer Postgraduate Award for Playwriting
Trinity College Cambridge invites applications for this award to support a playwright at the beginning of their career. Funded by a generous donation from the Sir Peter Shaffer Charitable Foundation, it will enable the recipient to take up post for twelve months as ‘The Peter Shaffer Playwright in Residence’ at Trinity College in October 2023.
Applicants must be graduates of a university in the United Kingdom who have completed their undergraduate degree no more than five years prior to taking up the award. Students will be eligible to apply to take up the award in the academic year immediately following graduation.
Applicants should submit a CV, a covering letter which summarises their interest and experience in playwriting, and an outline of their proposed drama using less than 1000 words through the competition’s online application system by 12.00 noon on Friday 27 January 2023. Applicants must also supply details for referees who are theatre or appropriate academic professionals through the online application system.
Longlisted applicants will be asked to send an example of their work, not more than 5000 words, by 20 March 2023. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview in early May 2023, and an offer of appointment made by the end of May 2023.
For any enquiries please contact [email protected].
Prince Mahidol PhD Studentship for Thai students in Medicine or Biomedical Sciences
The Prince Mahidol Studentship at Trinity is intended for Thai students who wish to undertake a PhD in Medicine or Biomedical Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
The Studentship is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation. Prince Mahidol of Songkla 1892-1929 is widely regarded as the father of modern medicine and public health in Thailand.
There is an expectation that the studentship recipient will return to Thailand to contribute to the Medical and Biomedical sciences. Applicants will be required to specify their plans after completing the PhD.
The Prince Mahidol Student must become a member of Trinity College and must be admitted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for study in the University.
Eligible applicants must:
- be citizens of Thailand
- have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, for a PhD in a relevant subject related to Medicine or Biomedical Sciences at the University of Cambridge
For a student who has no support or only partial support from other sources, the studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees
- Maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate)
- Research Emolument of £450 per annum
- Student visa costs and immigration health surcharge
- Return ticket from Thailand to the United Kingdom.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition based on their University Application Form.
Ramanujan Research Studentship in Mathematics
To commemorate the connection between the renowned Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan and Trinity College, the College hopes to award a Ramanujan Research Studentship to a student from India who wishes to undertake a PhD in the broad fields of Pure or Applied Mathematics at the University of Cambridge but who is required by the Faculty of Mathematics to take, in the first instance, the course leading to the Master of Advanced Study (MASt) in Mathematics.
Graduates of any university or comparable institution in India who have not already begun residence in Cambridge and who hold a First Class Honours degree or its equivalent, or are likely to do so by the time of entry, are eligible. The Ramanujan Student must become a member of Trinity College and must be admitted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for study in the University. He/she will normally be expected in the first instance to take the nine month course leading to the Master of Advanced Study (MASt) in Mathematics.
The Ramanujan Studentship is normally awarded for nine months, while the student takes the course leading to the MASt in Mathematics. Subject to completion of the MASt with a Distinction and registration for the PhD degree, the Studentship will then be renewed for up to three further years, subject to satisfactory progress. Exceptionally, a Ramanujan Studentship may be awarded for three years of research leading to the PhD degree without the requirement to study for the MASt.
Eligible applicants must:
- hold a First Class Honours degree or its equivalent from any university or comparable institution in India,
- be citizens of India,
- have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, for the MASt degree in Mathematics at the University of Cambridge,
- not yet have been members of the University of Cambridge as an undergraduate or postgraduate student
Candidates are expected to have applied to all other sources of financial support open to them. For a student who has no support or only partial support from other sources, the studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees,
- maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate), and
- return ticket from India to the United Kingdom.
If the Studentship is renewed for the PhD, another return ticket from India to the United Kingdom will be awarded. The applicant may also be considered for a discretionary maintenance allowance for the period between completion of the MASt and commencement of PhD.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to submit further materials during the selection process. Where this is considered necessary candidates will be contacted by email.
An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. The successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Schilt Studentship for United States Students, with a preference for Economics
The Schilt Studentship is intended for citizens of the United States who have applied for or already received an offer of admission for a postgraduate course. Preference will be given to applicants proposing to study one of the following courses in economics at the University of Cambridge:
- a one-year taught postgraduate course leading to the MPhil degree (in Economics, Economic Research or Economics and Finance) or
- the Diploma in Economics, or
- a PhD in Economics (three and a half years).
The award of a Studentship will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University for a particular course. Candidates are expected to have applied to all other sources of financial support open to them. For a student who has no support or only partial support from any other source, the studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees
- maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate)
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
A Studentship may be offered for one, two or three and a half (maximum) years, depending on the course of study which the applicant wishes to pursue. An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. The successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Sheepshanks Studentship in Astronomy
The Sheepshanks Studentship in Astronomy is a one-year studentship for students who wish to undertake research in Astronomy at the University of Cambridge but who are required by the Institute of Astronomy to take, in the first instance, the course leading to the Master of Advanced Study (MASt), either in Astrophysics, Mathematics or Physics.
For further information on the Institute of Astronomy, please visit: www.ast.cam.ac.uk.
Eligible candidates must:
- have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, to the University of Cambridge for the course leading to the MASt degree, and
- not yet have been members of the University of Cambridge as an undergraduate or graduate student.
On completion of the MASt, the student may be eligible to apply for a Trinity Internal Graduate Studentship at Trinity College in order to undertake the PhD degree.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees,
- discretionary maintenance allowance, and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom for overseas students.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
An award will be conditional upon the applicant being accepted by the University’s Graduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Singhvi Trinity Scholarship
The Singhvi Fund was established in 2017 by Dr Abhishek Singhvi, in memory of his late father, Mr Laxmi Mall Singhvi. The Singhvi Trinity Scholarship provides financial assistance to a resident of India to undertake the LLM at the University of Cambridge.
Eligible applicants must:
- have received an offer of admission from the University of Cambridge for the LLM degree, and
- have been resident in India for at least the first of the two academic years preceding the LLM.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees (in full or in part), and
- maintenance allowance (in full or in part up to the minimum rate set by the University of Cambridge).
Please note that, in the coming academic year, the Scholarship will not cover full fees and maintenance allowance. Applicants may hold the Scholarship alongside partial funding from other sources.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
It is anticipated that the Trinity Singhvi Scholar will be given an option to work as a lawyer in the chambers of Dr Abhishek Singhvi in India after successful completion of the LLM.
An award will be conditional on the applicant’s being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for the LLM in the University. The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Scholarship.
Tarner Studentship in Philosophy of Science or the History of Scientific Ideas
Students from any university may be candidates for the Tarner Studentship in Philosophy of Science or the History of Scientific Ideas. Applicants must be admitted to Cambridge University to undertake research for the PhD degree and become a member of Trinity College. Successful candidates may then hold the studentship for up to three years and a half years, subject to satisfactory progress.
At the time of taking up the Studentship a successful candidate will normally be expected to have completed the one-year course of study for the MPhil Degree of the University of Cambridge or a similar course elsewhere.
Applicants will also be expected to apply for financial support from other bodies but, should no financial support from another source be available, a Tarner studentship holder may:
- have all approved University and College fees paid on her/his behalf
- receive a discretionary maintenance allowance, and
- receive a travel allowance for overseas students.
In case of hardship, a married student may be considered for an extra allowance.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
Tom Howat PhD Studentship in Mathematics
The Tom Howat PhD Studentship in Mathematics will support an outstanding candidate undertaking PhD research in the field of Mathematics. The studentship is funded by a generous donation made by Dr T J Howat (Trinity College Matric. 1999).
Eligible applicants must have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, to the University of Cambridge for the PhD in Mathematics. Home or Overseas graduates of any university may apply.
The Studentship covers:
- Graduate Course Fees,
- Maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate)
- Return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Graduate Admissions Office. The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Trinity External Research Studentships
The External Research Studentships are intended for students who wish to undertake a PhD (or MPhil with an intention to continue to PhD) at the University of Cambridge.
Eligible applicants must:
- have received an offer of admission from the University of Cambridge for a PhD (or MPhil with a stated intention to continue to PhD),
- have received an offer of membership from Trinity College, and
- not yet have been a member of the University of Cambridge as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate course fees
- Maintenance allowance (at the UKRI rate, pro-rated for the MPhil)
- Research Emolument (£450 for the PhD per annum or £250 for the MPhil) and a
- Return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom.
Candidates considered for a Trinity External Research Studentship must also apply to other funding bodies for financial support. For details and application deadlines see the ‘Funding’ section of the University’s Postgraduate Admissions website. The Studentship may be held for the normal minimum duration of the course, subject to satisfactory academic progress, and a maximum of three and a half years in total.
Applicants accepted for membership at Trinity will be considered for these awards on the basis of their University Application Form.
Up to six External Research Studentships may be awarded. Competition for these Studentships is intense so it is the College’s practice to elect reserve candidates who may be offered a Studentship if any awards are declined. Honorary Trinity External Research Studentships may be awarded to those who receive a Research Council Studentship or equivalent.
Trinity Internal Graduate Studentships (IGS)
This scheme supports a number of students who have undertaken undergraduate or MPhil studies at Trinity College, and who wish to continue to further postgraduate-level study. It is a condition that anyone considered for an IGS must apply for external funding, including from elsewhere in the University.
If you are currently studying at Trinity College, please see the information at Tutorial: Studentship and Scholarships. If you are an Alumnus returning to undertake a postgraduate course, please request information by email using [email protected].
Trinity Overseas Bursaries
Trinity Overseas Bursaries are intended for overseas postgraduate students who have been offered membership at Trinity College. The value of these Bursaries depends on need. They are not intended to provide a major source of finance, but to give a necessary and just sufficient addition for overseas postgraduate students whose resources fail to meet the financial requirement of the University by a modest amount.
Application forms are sent to all overseas postgraduate students at the point of an offer of admission to the College. Completed applications must be returned no later than 31 May 2023.
Trinity Pre-Research Studentships for Linguistic Study
These Studentships are intended for the holders of Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) or British Academy Postgraduate Studentships or similar awards who wish to study a language during their first or second postgraduate year, in preparation for a subsequent period of research for the PhD degree. They are available only to those whose projected subject of research requires a knowledge of a rare language for a specific research project, during their first or second postgraduate year, in preparation for a subsequent period of research for the PhD degree.
The award of a Pre-Research Linguistic Studentship is normally conditional on the holder securing an AHRC or similar award for doctoral study, and being accepted by the Postgraduate Admissions Office for admission as a postgraduate student. The emoluments of the Pre-Research Linguistic Studentship are then either paid in the first year (if the doctoral studentship can be postponed) or alternatively held in abeyance until the final year of study for the PhD degree. Maintenance is then paid at the same level as that of a Trinity Internal Graduate Studentship.
Applicants should be aware that the authorities administering the AHRC and other postgraduate studentships normally expect the holder to be registered for the PhD degree within the first two years of postgraduate study. At the University of Cambridge a candidate for registration is required by her/his Degree Committee to submit work for assessment. The first years of postgraduate study must therefore include a substantial effort in research as well as the linguistic study. Also, some public authorities now award postgraduate studentships for one year in the first instance, to lead to a Master’s degree, and permit candidature later for a three-year doctoral studentship. In that case, the holding of a Pre-Research Studentship for Linguistic Study is conditional on the three-year doctoral studentship having been secured.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
The holder of a Pre-Research Studentship for Linguistic Study must be, or become, a member of Trinity College from the start of doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge.
Trinity Studentship in Mathematics
The Trinity Studentship in Mathematics is a one-year studentship intended for students who wish to undertake research in Mathematics at the University of Cambridge but who are required by the Faculty of Mathematics to take, in the first instance, the course leading to the Master of Advanced Study (MASt).
On completion of the MASt, the student will be eligible to apply for a Trinity Internal Graduate Studentship at Trinity College in order to undertake the PhD degree.
Eligible candidates must:
- have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission, to the University of Cambridge for the MASt degree,
- not yet have been members of the University of Cambridge as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.
The Studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees for the MASt,
- discretionary maintenance allowance, and
- return ticket from the country of origin to the United Kingdom for overseas students.
Exceptionally promising students may be elected straight away to a Studentship which provides up to four and a half years of support, the first year to be devoted, under the conditions detailed above, to the MASt, the next three and a half years (subject to good performance in the MASt) to be spent on research for a PhD in Mathematics.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. Successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Trinity Studentship in Theology
The Trinity Studentship in Theology is intended for students who wish to undertake a PhD in Theology. Graduates of any University are eligible to apply.
Eligible applicants must have applied for admission, or already received an offer of admission to the University of Cambridge for a PhD degree.
Candidates are expected to have applied to all other sources of financial support open to them. For a student who has no support or only partial support from any other source, the studentship covers:
- Postgraduate Course Fees, and
- maintenance allowance.
The Studentship may be held for a maximum of three and a half years, subject to satisfactory progress.
Among equally strong candidates preference will be given first to lineal descendants of members of the Haberdashers’ Company and then to candidates from Staffordshire.
Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
An award will be conditional on the applicant being accepted by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office for a course in the University. Successful applicant(s) must become member(s) of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.
Wittgenstein Studentship in Philosophy
The Wittgenstein Studentship in Philosophy will support an outstanding candidate who intends to undertake the MPhil in Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy in the University of Cambridge.
Candidates intending to study philosophy within an MPhil in the Faculty of Classics or the Department of History and Philosophy of Science are also eligible to apply.
Open to any student who is, or is about to be, registered as a Graduate Student in the University of Cambridge and who intends to undertake research on a philosophical topic, either in the Faculty of Philosophy or elsewhere in the University.
Tenure of the Studentship is conditional on the elected student having applied for admission to the University’s Graduate Admissions Office and been accepted for the MPhil degree.
The Studentship covers:
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- Postgraduate Graduate Course Fees and
- a discretionary maintenance allowance
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Eligible applicants who have indicated that they wish to be considered for this funding will be included in the competition on the basis of their University Application Form.
The successful applicant must become a member of Trinity College on taking up the Studentship.