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The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation established the Gates Cambridge Scholarships with a $210 million endowment in 2000 to enable outstanding graduate students from outside the United Kingdom to study at the University of Cambridge. The awardees are given funding for postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge in England for at least one year, but no more than four. The award includes all tuition costs, a maintenance allowance and a discretionary spending allowance for study related activities. The first scholars arrived at Cambridge in October 2001.

Applicants from any country other than the United Kingdom are eligible for the scholarships. Approximately 100 new Gates Scholars are elected each year, with about 230 Gates scholars studying at Cambridge at any one time. Each year approximately 100 Gates Scholars are selected from all over the world, about 40% of them from the US. The Cambridge Gates Trust aims to maintain about 200 Scholars in residence at any time, which leads to slight fluctuations in newly awarded scholarships from year to year.

The Trustees are required to award scholarships on the basis of a person's intellectual ability, leadership capacity and desire to use their knowledge to contribute to society throughout the world by providing service to their communities and applying their talents and knowledge to improve the lives of others. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation hopes to create a network of future leaders from around the world who will bring new vision and commitment to improving the life circumstances of citizens in their respective countries. Over time, it is anticipated that Gates Cambridge Scholars will become leaders in helping to address global problems related to health, equity, technology, and learning - all areas in which the Foundation is deeply engaged.

The Gates Scholarships are similar in structure to Oxford University's Rhodes Scholarships, although the Gates Scholarships are much younger and are awarded through a more centralized selection process. Their duration is also more flexible, as the Rhodes Scholarships generally only last for two years (sometimes three).

In 2002, the Gates Scholars self-organized and elected a student committee titled "The Gates Scholars' Council". The Council aims to represent the Gates Scholars at Cambridge and to build a scholar community interwoven into the fabric of the University. In cooperation with the Gates Cambridge Trust, the University and various academic and professional organizations, the council has organized a number of successful academic, social and professional events that have distinguished and built the reputation of the Gates Scholars at Cambridge University.

In 2005, the scholars once again self-organized to create the Gates Scholars Alumni Association. This association aims to build upon the friendships and contacts that were first made at Cambridge, and to bridge the gap between the different generations of Scholars.

• Official website
• Gates Scholar Alumni Directory
• " Gates opening for the leaders of tomorrow" The Independent

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