Zigsun

I would try not to worry about the Gates rejection. Nobody gets the Gates (of course people do, but that's so rare that it might as well not exist). If obsessing about admission is unavoidable, a better way to do that is to check the status of your application on CamSIS. The rule of thumb is that if your status says your application is being checked by the Board of Graduate Studies, then you can assume you've been admitted. It might also be worth it to join the conversation at the UK forum, The Student Room: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3533661

Hi there, Gates does send out rejection letters but not consistently. In 2012 when I applied for my MPhil I didn't receive one but last year when applying for a PhD at Cambridge, Gates sent me a rejection email sometime in mid-January.

It's the same at Cambridge--you apply for "leave to continue" from the masters to the PhD during the first term. Also, Feanor, I have a friend doing the PhD in Pure Maths who studies Category Theory, so at least you wouldn't be the only one if you receive an offer/decide to go to Cambridge!

No problem! I think your best bet is to tell the Cambridge department that you applied to that you have an offer from Oxford and that you need to know the status of your application. My guess is that if you applied more than a month ago, they may have already made a decision on your application, so it's worth asking. If they've already decided to accept you and they nominate you for University funding, then they'll forward your application to the appropriate funding bodies before the deadline. Also, I think you can withdraw from an offer that you've accepted (at least I remember that being an option when I accepted my offer last time), but you should email graduate admissions at Oxford to be sure.

I can only comment on Cambridge's funding timelines, but as an international student (I'm assuming you're from Brazil?), you should find out about funding from the Cambridge International Trust starting in March and ending sometime around June. I think Gates Cambridge announces shortlisted candidates for non-US in March. Colleges have their own funding timelines, so I would suggest not waiting until you have your college offer before applying in case you miss their deadline. College funding timescales run the gambit--one scholarship I'm applying to at St. John's announces results in April, while King's announces scholarship recipients in August, so it really all depends. I imagine Oxford is similar, but I think it's safe to assume that the funding processes at Oxford and Cambridge are separate and independent. Boa sorte!

No problem! And yeah, it's safe to assume they'll ask those questions. Really, I'd just be prepared for anything. If you're worried about nerves, just try to be confident in your abilities and you'll be fine! Cambridge is a great place to study. Hope you make it!

Thanks! And congrats on your interview! Interviews can really depend on the professor and the department. I interviewed for the sociology PhD and the geography PhD--very different experiences. For my sociology interview, it was in person and we just talked about overselves and our research interests over tea. My geography interview was a formal Skype interview and the professor grilled me on my research proposal and didn't ask me anything about myself. It was actually pretty clear once I had the geography interview that it wasn't a great fit, so I wasn't surprised when I received a rejection from geography. So, interviews differ, but you'll definitely be asked about your research, so be prepared to discuss your proposal in depth. I'd also try to use the interview as a way to assess fit, because it's as much about your needs and what you want out of a PhD program as it is about their need to admit quality students. Also, since the PhD there is basically a three-year independent study, it's important to make sure that your propspective supervisor is someone who you not only would want to work with, but who will also support you and who will be invested in your success. Good luck!

Hi! That was me..I found out that day that I received a conditional admission for Cambridge's Sociology department. As for details, I'm not sure how much information you're looking for, but I applied in October. I also interviewed, but it was an informal interview with my prospective supervisor last summer before I applied. I should also mention that I went to Cambridge for my master's in Latin American studies. Funding is a separate process, so the waiting's not over yet!