Fees and funding

Fees and course costs

The MPhil in African Studies comes under the fee registration of nine months graduate courses of tuition at the University of Cambridge (there is a separate fee structure for UK and European Union students and for international students from all other countries). Applicants should ensure that they have adequate financial provision in place to pay University and College fees, maintenance costs, and to cover any research-related costs (see below). The sum deemed to be sufficient for a nine-month stay in Cambridge (not including travel expenses and research costs) is specified by the University year by year; precise details are made available in the annual Fees Listings. Students from overseas should also budget an additional sum for settling-in expenses.

Students admitted to the MPhil in African Studies may also be liable for additional costs associated with research-related travel and/or fieldwork expenses. Although limited research grants are available from the Centre of African Studies, the bulk of these costs are normally paid for by students’ own private funds. Students should be aware of these costs, and budget accordingly, before taking up their place. Prospective applicants should also note that the MPhil in African Studies requires full-time study; it is not possible to enrol on the course part-time while in full-time employment. 

Funding opportunities

Application deadlines for the various scholarship schemes and funding opportunities available to support UK, EU and international students at the University of Cambridge run from October through to January each academic year. Full scholarships are highly competitive, and deadlines can be up to a year in advance of the proposed course start date, particularly for international students. Given the complexity of the various schemes on offer, it is best to visit the Fees and Funding homepage for more information about funding opportunities, eligibility criteria and how to apply. CamFunds is a useful database for searching the range of scholarships offered by the University of Cambridge (including by academic departments and colleges).

Applicants wishing to be considered for the main funding rounds, including Gates Cambridge, the Cambridge International Scholarship Scheme, the Cambridge Commonwealth European and International Trust and the Cambridge Home and European Scholarship Scheme should take note of the application deadlines, listed on the Postgraduate Admissions pages.

Please note that applications for Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme must include a separate statement within your MPhil application. For further details please click here.

For applicants wishing to apply for admission without funding, the deadline is 28 February. Nonetheless, it is advisable to apply as early as possible because places on the course are limited.