Jardine Oxford & Cambridge PG Scheme

Overview

The Jardine Oxford & Cambridge PG Scheme is the Jardine Foundation's main postgraduate programme for outstanding students from Asia heading to Oxford or Cambridge. The route with the clearest official documentation is the Jardine Cambridge Graduate Scholarship, run with the Cambridge Trust, which fully funds Master's and PhD study at the University of Cambridge.

It's one of the more generous postgraduate awards open to students from a set list of Asian countries and territories. The aim is to take financial pressure off strong candidates, so it covers tuition, living costs, travel and a few other things. The scheme works through a small group of Jardine-affiliated Cambridge colleges.

The funding isn't the only draw. Jardine Scholars join a community with a long record of producing leaders in business, public service and academia.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Universities: University of Cambridge (and University of Oxford under the wider Jardine scheme)
• Official Cambridge route: Jardine Cambridge Graduate Scholarship, via the Cambridge Trust
• Level of study: Postgraduate (Master's and PhD)
• Funding type: Full funding
• Covers: Tuition, maintenance stipend, immigration health surcharge, visa cost and return economy airfare
• Academic development funds: Available on top of the stipend
• PhD writing-up: Up to six further months of maintenance may be available on application
• Eligible regions: A defined list of Asian countries/territories
• Eligible Cambridge colleges: Downing, Magdalene, Peterhouse and Trinity
• Apply by: The course's funding deadline (usually December or January)

Eligibility Criteria

The Jardine Cambridge Graduate Scholarship is open to applicants from a specific group of Asian countries and territories and is tied to a handful of Cambridge colleges. Whether you qualify comes down to your nationality or place of residence, your college and your course.

• Region: Applicants come from countries and territories including Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
• Eligible colleges: The scholarship is generally tied to Downing College, Magdalene College, Peterhouse and Trinity College.
• Level: Open to Master's and PhD applicants.
• Excluded courses: Some programmes don't qualify, including certain business and premium-rate courses such as the MBA.
• Academic standing: You'll need an outstanding academic record and clear potential.

The country list, the colleges and the excluded courses can change, so check the exact criteria on the Cambridge Trust and Jardine Foundation websites each cycle.

Scholarship Benefits

This is a full-funding scholarship meant to cover postgraduate study at Cambridge for the length of your course, and it goes well past tuition.

• Tuition fees: The international tuition fee for your course is covered.
• Maintenance stipend: An annual stipend toward board, lodging and incidental living expenses, usually paid in instalments.
• Immigration health surcharge and visa: The UK Immigration Health Surcharge and student visa cost are covered.
• Airfare: A standard economy return airfare between your home and the UK, reimbursed at cost, at the start and end of the scholarship.
• Academic development funds: Extra money for things like fieldwork, conferences or a required software licence.
• PhD writing-up support: Doctoral scholars can apply for up to a further six months of maintenance to write up.

Stipend amounts are set each year, so treat any figure as a guide and confirm the current value with the Cambridge Trust.

How to Apply

There are two linked steps: getting admitted to an eligible course and college at Cambridge, and completing the funding application. You generally can't be considered for the scholarship until you've applied for admission.

• Apply for admission to your postgraduate course through Cambridge's standard graduate application.
• Where you can, pick an eligible college (Downing, Magdalene, Peterhouse or Trinity).
• Fill in the funding section of the Cambridge application so the Cambridge Trust can consider you, and submit by the funding deadline.
• Do any extra steps the Jardine Foundation asks for, which may include a separate application on its own website.
• Keep an eye out for interview invitations; shortlisted candidates are often interviewed.

The Jardine and Cambridge Trust processes are connected but separate, so read both sets of instructions and note every deadline.

Required Documents

The exact documents follow Cambridge's graduate admissions and funding requirements, plus anything the Jardine Foundation asks for. Here's what to get ready as a general guide; check the official pages for the precise list.

• Academic transcripts and degree certificates.
• Academic references or letters of recommendation.
• A research proposal (for PhD applicants) or a statement relevant to your course.
• Evidence of English language proficiency, if your programme requires it.
• A CV and any personal statement the application asks for.
• Proof of nationality or residence to confirm regional eligibility.

Requirements vary by course and can change year to year, so go by the current official instructions rather than this list.

Important Dates & Deadlines

The deadline that matters most is your course's funding deadline at Cambridge, which usually lands in December or January. A few things, like the separate Jardine Foundation application, may run on their own timing.

• Admission and funding application: Submit by the course's funding deadline, often December or January.
• Jardine Foundation steps: Complete any separate Foundation application within its window.
• Selection and decisions: Awards are usually decided from spring into summer, on a rolling basis.

Deadlines differ between courses, so find the exact funding deadline for your programme as early as you can.

Tips for a Strong Application

This is a competitive, fully funded scholarship, so every part of your application should be tight.

• Build a strong admission case first: A competitive application for the course itself is the foundation; funding follows academic merit.
• Choose your college carefully: Apply to an eligible college to stay in contention.
• Write a focused proposal: For research degrees, a clear proposal that fits Cambridge's strengths goes a long way.
• Line up excellent references: Ask referees who know your work and can speak to your potential.
• Watch every deadline: Miss the funding deadline and you're usually out of consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the scholarship cover?

Full funding: tuition fees, a maintenance stipend, the UK Immigration Health Surcharge and visa cost, a return economy airfare, and academic development funds. PhD students can apply for up to six more months of maintenance to write up.

Q: Who is eligible?

Master's and PhD applicants from a set list of Asian countries and territories, applying to an eligible Cambridge college. Some courses don't qualify, including certain business and premium-rate programmes.

Q: Which colleges are eligible?

For the Cambridge route, generally Downing, Magdalene, Peterhouse and Trinity. Confirm this on the official page.

Q: How do I apply?

Apply for admission to your Cambridge course, complete the funding section by the funding deadline, and do any extra Jardine Foundation steps.

Q: When is the deadline?

It follows your course's funding deadline, usually December or January. Check the exact date for your programme.

Q: Does it include Oxford too?

The wider Jardine scheme supports study at both Oxford and Cambridge. The route described here, with the clearest official documentation, is the Jardine Cambridge Graduate Scholarship via the Cambridge Trust. For Oxford specifics, check with the Jardine Foundation.

Related Scholarships

If you're after postgraduate funding, a few related options are worth a look.

• Jardine-HKU Scheme: Jardine Foundation undergraduate funding run by the University of Hong Kong.
• Jardine-Fulbright Scholarship Scheme: A Jardine Foundation award for the Master in Public Policy at Fulbright University Vietnam.
• Cambridge Trust scholarships: The Cambridge Trust runs a wide range of other postgraduate awards.