The
Gates Cambridge Scholarships were established by the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 with a $210 million endowment 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 for the duration of the degree. The award includes all tuition costs and a maintenance allowance, currently £13,300, and a return economy airfare. Scholars are also able to access travel funds for conferences, have exclusive use of recreational and social facilities, and participate in an annual retreat to the lake district. The first scholars arrived at Cambridge in October 2001, and the Scholarship celebrated its 10th anniversary in July 2010.