University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge — second-oldest English university (founded 1209) and ranked #2 globally (QS 2027). With 750+ Indian students across 31 colleges, Cambridge is the choice for Indian STEM researchers (Stephen Hawking, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar) and the Gates Cambridge Scholarship (fully-funded, ~20 Indians/year) makes it accessible.
📍 Cambridge, England, UK · Founded 1209 · Student body: 24,500
Why Indian students choose Cambridge
- ✓Gates Cambridge Scholarship — 20-25 Indians/year, 100% funded any PhD/Masters
- ✓Cambridge Judge MBA — 1-year program, ranked top 10 in Europe
- ✓Strongest globally for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Computer Science
- ✓1-year Masters — ROI-friendly vs USA 2-year programs
- ✓2-year Graduate Route visa post-graduation
- ✓Distinguished Indian alumni: Jawaharlal Nehru, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Amartya Sen
- ✓Cambridge Trust funds 40+ Indians annually with partial-to-full scholarships
Top programs at Cambridge for Indian students
Most-applied-to programs by Indian students, with current cost + admission stats.
| Program | Duration | Annual fee | Avg GRE/GMAT |
|---|---|---|---|
MPhil in Advanced Computer Science Masters | 1 year | ₹45 L | Strong CS bachelor'sIELTS 7.5 |
Cambridge Judge MBA MBA | 1 year | ₹72 L | 710 GMAT |
MPhil in Economics Masters | 1 year | ₹40 L | 165 Quant |
PhD in any STEM field PhD | 3-4 years | Often fully funded | |
MPhil in Finance Masters | 1 year | ₹50 L |
📅 Application Deadlines
October 2027 — Standard
December 6, 2026
Most departments
October 2027 — Funded courses (Gates)
October 14, 2026
Earlier for Gates eligibility
Judge MBA Round 1
September 10, 2026
Judge MBA Round 4
March 2, 2027
Application fee: £75 (~₹8,000)
📋 What You Need to Apply
- ✓Bachelor's with First Class (8.5+/10 from Indian universities)
- ✓IELTS 7.5+ (academic, writing 7.0+) or TOEFL 110+
- ✓2-3 academic references
- ✓Research proposal (for PhD) / SOP for Masters
- ✓Strong undergraduate research / publications preferred
🇮🇳 Notable Indian Alumni
- ⭐ Jawaharlal Nehru (First PM of India)
- ⭐ Manmohan Singh (Former PM; also at Oxford)
- ⭐ Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (Nobel laureate in Physics)
- ⭐ Amartya Sen (Nobel laureate in Economics)
- ⭐ Salman Rushdie (Author)
💰 Placement & Salary
₹85 L-1.4 Cr (MSc/MPhil) / ₹1.4-1.8 Cr (Judge MBA)
Average starting salary
Cambridge University Careers Service; Judge Business School careers office; ~94% placement within 6 months
🏠 Accommodation at Cambridge
On-campus
College accommodation — typically guaranteed first year
Off-campus
Cambridge city centre / Cherry Hinton / Trumpington shared housing
Typical monthly rent (INR)
₹50,000-90,000 (shared) / ₹90,000-1,40,000 (single)
🎓 Scholarships Available at Cambridge
Indian students can apply to multiple scholarships in parallel. Funded options for Cambridge:
- 🏆Gates Cambridge Scholarship (20-25 Indians/year, fully funded)
- 🏆Cambridge Trust Scholarships (40+ Indians/year, partial-full)
- 🏆Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation
- 🏆Cambridge India Ramanujan Scholarship
- 🏆J.N. Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship
Frequently Asked Questions about Cambridge
How much does Cambridge cost for Indian students in 2027?+
Total cost: ₹55-78 L per year for 1-year Masters. Judge MBA: ~₹92 L total. MPhils in sciences: ₹40-55 L total. PhDs are often fully funded by your department + scholarships. A typical 1-year Cambridge Masters costs 30-40% of a 2-year USA equivalent.
How can I get the Gates Cambridge Scholarship from India?+
Gates Cambridge funds ~80 international scholars/year, including 20-25 Indians. You apply by the Gates deadline (mid-October 2026 for October 2027 start, much earlier than regular Cambridge deadline). Need: Indian First-class degree, exceptional academic record (publications strongly preferred), commitment to improving lives of others, leadership capacity. Highly competitive (~3% acceptance among applicants).
What's the difference between Oxford and Cambridge for Indian students?+
Both are world-class. Differences: Oxford has more humanities/social science Indian student presence; Cambridge has stronger STEM (Math, Physics, CS, Engineering). Cambridge Judge MBA is slightly easier admit than Said Oxford. Both have ~70% acceptance for funded students. Most Indian applicants apply to both — about 65% of Indian admits attend the one that gave funding.
What is Cambridge's acceptance rate for Indian students?+
Overall: ~21%. For Indian Masters applicants: varies — STEM Masters around 18-25% (Cambridge is strong here, lots of Indian applicants), humanities/MPhil around 20-30%. Judge MBA: ~12% for Indian applicants. Funded admissions (Gates, Trust) drop to 5-10% effective acceptance.
Can I work part-time during my Cambridge Masters as an Indian student?+
Yes — UK Student visa allows 20 hours/week during term-time, full-time during holidays. Common jobs: college bar work (£12/hour), tutoring (£20-40/hour), research assistantships at your department. Most Cambridge students earn £400-800/month from part-time work. After graduation, Graduate Route visa gives 2 years to work full-time anywhere in UK.
How do Cambridge graduates fare in the Indian job market on return?+
Excellent. Cambridge brand is recognized everywhere in India. Indian companies (TCS, Infosys, Reliance, Mahindra), MNC India offices (McKinsey, Goldman, JP Morgan), and Indian startups actively recruit Cambridge alumni. Median compensation 5 years post-Cambridge for Indians who return: ₹45-80 L/year. Many use it as launchpad for PhD or US H-1B move later.
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