The Gates Cambridge Scholars Announces Its 2026 Winners (One Nigerian Gets The Award)

Twenty-six students have been chosen to be Gates Cambridge Scholars in 2026. This autumn, they will start their graduate studies at the University of Cambridge. Ten Scholars-Elect will pursue one-year master’s degrees, while sixteen will pursue doctoral degrees.

In early April, 50 scholars from around the globe will be unveiled, joining the U.S. Scholars-elect. In October, the entire class of 2026 will join the approximately 250 Gates Cambridge Scholars who are presently residing at the University of Cambridge.

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“I’m thrilled to announce our new US Scholars,” stated Professor Eilís Ferran, Provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust, in a press statement. Gates Cambridge has chosen students since its founding based on their outstanding academic achievement and their commitment to changing the world for the better. After studying at Cambridge they go out into the world, creating a ripple effect of change across disciplines and sectors.”

“We are confident that our new US Scholars, as well as those we announce in early April from other countries, will thrive in Cambridge’s vibrant, global community and make a substantial contribution to bettering the lives of others,” Ferran continued.

At the University of Cambridge, postgraduate study and research in any field are fully funded by the Gates Cambridge scholarship. It was created in 2000 when the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $210 million to the University of Cambridge.

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Outstanding intellectual aptitude, motivations for the scholar’s topic of study, a dedication to bettering the lives of others, and leadership potential are the four main selection criteria. For up to four years, the scholarship provides Ph.D. candidates with an annual living allowance in addition to the cost of attendance at Cambridge. Academic development money and a family allowance, if the beneficiary has children, are among the other discretionary expenses that are covered.

The new American scholars attended 26 universities in the US and abroad, including Rollins College and Salisbury University, which each had a second Gates Cambridge Scholar, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, which had its first Gates Cambridge Scholar.

The researchers intend to explore and investigate topics in a variety of disciplines, including as engineering, the social sciences, the humanities, and the physical and biological sciences. Here is the whole roster.