Clare College Link Areas Scholarships (Natural Sciences)

The Clare College Link Areas Scholarships support UK students to study an undergraduate Natural Sciences degree at any College of the University of Cambridge. The Scholarships are open to students from low income backgrounds from any of the Clare College Link Areas: Coventry, Warwickshire, the London borough of Hackney and the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

The Scholarships are non-repayable will cover the full cost of tuition fees and provide a maintenance grant, which will significantly reduce the need for recipients to take out government or commercial loans.

This support will be available to recipients for the three or four years of their undergraduate course. For 2026-27, there are two scholarships available. The total award to each student for the year will be worth £20,000. Receipt of this award will not affect eligibility for a Cambridge Bursary.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for a Clare College Link Areas Scholarship, applicants must:

1. Have a home postcode in one of the following areas:
   • Coventry
   • Warwickshire
   • The London borough of Hackney
   • The London borough of Tower Hamlets
2. Have a confirmed place for entry to the University of Cambridge for a first undergraduate Natural Sciences degree, and due to commence study in October 2026. (You can check the status of your offer on UCAS Hub.) 
3. Be a UK student and have been assessed for fee status as 'home' or 'Refugee'. You were advised of your fee status in the offer letter issued to you earlier this year. If you are in doubt, please contact the Cambridge College that has offered you a place.
4. Have applied to Student Finance (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan, and have received confirmation that you have been assessed and will receive financial support. An income assessment must have been conducted and consent given to share the information with the University. Please note that if you are awarded a Clare College Area Links Scholarship you will be able to reduce the amount of maintenance loan you take out to zero, but you will still need an income assessment from Student Finance to be able to receive the Cambridge Bursary.

How to apply

Applications for 2025 have now closed. Details about scholarships for 2026 entry will be available here later next year.

If you have questions regarding the Clare College Area Links Scholarship, please email ugscholarships@admin.cam.ac.uk.