In March the College proposes to elect a number of postgraduate students, in any discipline, to Benefactors' Scholarships tenable from the following October.

Value

For 2024-25, the maximum annual value of the above Scholarships will consist of a maintenance grant (the 2023-24 grant is at the rate of £18,600 per annum) and the approved University Composition fee. Scholars may also be eligible to (a) apply for a contribution towards expenses of travel and reasonable removal expenses from the Scholar's home; (b) apply for an annual contribution towards the cost of a return journey home; (c) apply for financial assistance towards the cost of field-work, attendance at conferences, and other essential academic expenses and (d) receive invitations to certain formal College events such as the Admission of Scholars and the Foundation Dinner during the Michaelmas Term.

Tenure

For the normal minimum duration of the course subject to satisfactory academic progress, ie: three years for the PhD and one year for the MPhil or MASt. For those embarking on an MPhil with the intention of continuing for the PhD, the Scholarship will initially last for one year but the Scholar may apply to be considered for a renewal of funding for a further three years if the distinguished performance standard is achieved in the MPhil.  For those embarking on the Master of Advanced Study degree in Mathematics, with the intention of registering thereafter as candidates for the PhD degree, the Scholarship will initially last for one year but the Scholar may apply to be considered for a renewal of funding for a further three years if a Distinction is obtained in the MASt.

How to apply

For applicants from outside the University of Cambridge and St John's students commencing a Postgraduate course in October 2024, there is no separate application form for these Scholarships.  All eligible applicants who by 1 March have been made a conditional offer by St John’s will be considered. In view of the sometimes lengthy selection processes in departments and the resultant delays that may occur between the submission of applications and their receipt by the College, applicants are advised to apply to the University's Postgraduate Admissions Office (via the Applicant Portal) no later than 30 November. Please note, however, that many University funding opportunities and some courses specify an earlier deadline. 

Applicants in the above categories will be required to also apply for all other research awards for which they are eligible. The value of any Scholarship awarded will be reduced appropriately to take account of payments from other sources. Election will be conditional upon admission by the University's Postgraduate Admissions Office.

Current PhD or CPGS students of St John's who are applying for funding for the second and/or third year of their PhD studies should complete a Competition application form and this can be obtained electronically from the Postgraduate Administrator, Postgraduate Office, St. John's College (graduate-office@joh.cam.ac.uk). The closing date for receipt of completed forms is 1 March. The value of any Scholarship awarded will be reduced appropriately to take account of payments made from other sources. Please note, however, that current PhD or CPGS students of St John's who have already been awarded full funding from other funding bodies before 1 March 2024 are not eligible to enter the 2024 Competition.

Applications from Members of other Cambridge colleges

Students of other Cambridge colleges who are applying to start a postgraduate course in October 2024 are asked to contact the St John's College Postgraduate Office (graduate-office@joh.cam.ac.uk) for details of our funding competition policy before nominating their preference colleges on their University application form.

Postgraduate Students of other Cambridge colleges who have commenced a PhD or CPGS prior to the academic year 2024-25 are not eligible for consideration for St John's College funding.

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