Application fee waiver

Some applicants do not need to pay the application fee when they apply to Cambridge.

Depending on your circumstances, your fee may be waived automatically or you might need to submit a fee waiver request.

International applicants

You do not need to pay an application fee if you are a national of an eligible country listed below and have lived there since birth.

The application fee will be waived automatically when you submit your application—you do not need to take any action.

Eligible countries

Please note:

• International applicants from countries not on this list must pay the application fee. Requests not to pay will be refused.
• If you were born in an eligible country and have since moved to another eligible country or were forced to leave due to displacement or conflict, please request a fee waiver via our Contact Form (use ‘Fee waiver’ as the reason for contact and ‘Application Fee Waiver Request’ as the subject line). You will need to submit supporting evidence to confirm your circumstances.
• This list is reviewed and updated annually (last updated September 2026).

* The UK government has announced a ‘visa brake’ on new Student visas for nationals from these countries. For more information, see Visa Brake for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan.  

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program applicants

If you’re an African student applying for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and you're not from one of the countries listed above, you may request an application fee waiver.

In these circumstances, you should complete and submit a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Application Fee Waiver Request Form by 20 November 2026, after starting but before submitting your Cambridge application. 

UK applicants and applicants with Refugee, Asylum Seeker, or Humanitarian Protection Status in the UK 

You can request an application fee waiver as a UK applicant if you can show with documentary evidence that you meet one of the following conditions:

• You received full state support for living costs (also known as maintenance) in your final undergraduate year at a UK university (within the last 4 years).
• You were not a student in the last full academic year and are receiving one of the following when you apply:
  • Income Support
  • Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Employment Support Allowance
  • Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
  • Universal Credit
• You are Martingale qualified candidate and have received a 'Martingale eligible' letter
• You hold a UK Biometric Residence Permit confirming Refugee/Humanitarian Protection status 
• You hold an Asylum Registration Card issued by the UK Home Office confirming Asylum Seeker status 

We are unable to offer fee waivers to refugees or those seeking asylum in a country outside the UK.

Requesting an application fee waiver

If you cannot show you meet one of the conditions listed, do not request a fee waiver as your request will be refused. If you can show you meet one of the conditions:

1. Start your Cambridge application (but do not submit it).
2. Complete and submit the  Application Fee Waiver Request Form and your supporting evidence.
3. Allow at least 10 working days for your request to be reviewed.
4. Once you receive confirmation, you can submit your application.

Deadlines for requests

You should submit your application fee waiver request well in advance of your course or funding deadline.

If you are applying for funding, you must submit your request by:

• 24 November 2026 for the 8 December 2026 funding deadline
• 11 December 2026 for the 6 January 2027 funding deadline

If you have already submitted and paid the application fee, a waiver cannot be given.