Gates Cambridge 2021-2022

[aco2]

Hey folks, just thought I would open this up, as the deadline for the US round is next week and it seems about time we had a forum to discuss application experiences. This is for entry to Cambridge Fall 2021.

[Afro Aniyunwiya]

Thanks for getting us started! My application is in GAO right now. I applied to the PhD in Education.

[EggplantFondue]

Hello! Thanks for starting this thread :) I'm an American and applied for a PhD in Physics.

I've been looking at the Gates Cambridge website probably a little too often and noticed that they offer their final results in early February then expect students to accept or decline within 48 hours. I'm also in the process of applying to some other programs & fellowships in the US, but they won't tell me their outcome until March at the earliest. Now I'm worried if I do get accepted I'll have to choose whether or not to leap into Gates without knowing my other options.

This is definitely counting my chickens before they hatch - please don't judge me for that ?. Just wondering if anyone else is pondering what to do in this very hypothetical circumstance.

[Alpha_orionis]

Hi, thanks for starting the thread!

I'm an international applicant (from Switzerland), applying for a PhD in astrophysics. Still have to adjust a few details of the research proposal before next week's deadline, and then the long wait will start... ? @EggplantFondueit's nice to meet a fellow physicist! What area of physics are you interested in?

Good luck to all of you with your applications!

[EggplantFondue]

@Alpha_orionis, interested in AI-based atomic simulation! Really it's more computer science and chemistry than Physics, but go figure my potential advisor has a position in  the physics department ?‍♀️. Good luck with your research proposal! You got this!

[Alpha_orionis]

@EggplantFondue that sounds very interesting! I'm actually also interested in AI, but in my case it's related to cosmic inflation and the CMB. Good luck to you too!

[LinaKM]

Hi there!
Mine is in GAO since November 23; Social Anthropology. 

I tried to find some statistics on how many offers departments usually send and how many eventually get funded.
Any thought?

[coffeelover10]

Hi folks! I noticed something interesting.. it looks like the timeline on the Gates-Cambridge website has changed. The offers are now slated to happen in late January for domestic US applicants, rather than early February, and there is no mention of the interview or panel ranking on the timeline anymore. Thoughts on this? 

[SoccerPlayer101]

Hey everyone, have you noticed that, in past years, today is the day that applicants receive notice of whether they have moved on to the interview stage? Has anyone heard anything? 

[PhilgoreTrout]

5 hours ago, SoccerPlayer101 said:

Hey everyone, have you noticed that, in past years, today is the day that applicants receive notice of whether they have moved on to the interview stage? Has anyone heard anything? 

Recent updates to the website seem to suggest that there won't be interviews this year. It's been removed from the timeline and the following note appears on the "How we select" page: "**Please note that for the 2020-2021 admissions process, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we will not be conducting any in person interviews and our selection panels will make a paper review of nominated candidates for the 2021 class.**"

[coffeelover10]

On 12/4/2020 at 12:32 PM, PhilgoreTrout said:

Recent updates to the website seem to suggest that there won't be interviews this year. It's been removed from the timeline and the following note appears on the "How we select" page: "**Please note that for the 2020-2021 admissions process, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we will not be conducting any in person interviews and our selection panels will make a paper review of nominated candidates for the 2021 class.**"

Wow, great catch!  I wonder when admissions decisions will be announced...

[LivKa]

On 11/26/2020 at 11:16 AM, Alpha_orionis said:

Hi, thanks for starting the thread!

I'm an international applicant (from Switzerland), applying for a PhD in astrophysics. Still have to adjust a few details of the research proposal before next week's deadline, and then the long wait will start... ? @EggplantFondueit's nice to meet a fellow physicist! What area of physics are you interested in?

Good luck to all of you with your applications!

I am also an international applicant (we're neighbours, I'm from northern Italy)! Got my offer for the MPhil in Development Studies last  week  
Good luck with everything!

Edited December 8, 2020 by LivKa

[Alpha_orionis]

Hi @LivKa, nice to meet you! Congratulations for getting an offer and good luck for the funding competition. ?

I submitted my application last week, the day before the Gates deadline for my course. How long did it take for you to get an offer after submitting?

[LivKa]

1 hour ago, Alpha_orionis said:

Hi @LivKa, nice to meet you! Congratulations for getting an offer and good luck for the funding competition. ?

I submitted my application last week, the day before the Gates deadline for my course. How long did it take for you to get an offer after submitting?

Congrats on submitting the app: I feel like PhD apps are a lot more laborious than MPhils! I got my offer after about 6 weeks? It might vary from department to department though. The Centre of Development studies says it tries to make a decision or let you know that they deferred your app until after the final deadline within 8 weeks. I know other departments just look at applications after their final deadline has closed

Good luck! I hope you get in and get funding!

[artandjuno]

I was admitted in November but found that my application to my first preference college was unsuccessful - anyone know what this means?

[Jillybean06]

I applied to the MPhil in Education end of September to get to the Gates deadline, but no admission... I feel like that is a pretty likely indication I am not under consideration for Gates, even if my POI is insistent I will be readmitted (I was accepted and funded last year, but thanks to Covid...) Anyone else waiting to hear back from the US round?

[DeNovo]

On 12/8/2020 at 8:17 AM, artandjuno said:

I was admitted in November but found that my application to my first preference college was unsuccessful - anyone know what this means?

Generally, it means that your application is now before your second choice college. Should that college decline to give you a place, then you will be entered into the pool. There is a randomized process/algorithm that then selects 3 random colleges to review your application package. These are supposedly reviewed "in sequence," which I take to mean that Random 1 reviews and if it declines than Random 2, etc. One of those 3 will offer a place. 

Out of curiosity, did you apply to one of the older colleges or very popular ones, e.g. King's or Trinity? 

[artandjuno]

18 minutes ago, DeNovo said:

Generally, it means that your application is now before your second choice college. Should that college decline to give you a place, then you will be entered into the pool. There is a randomized process/algorithm that then selects 3 random colleges to review your application package. These are supposedly reviewed "in sequence," which I take to mean that Random 1 reviews and if it declines than Random 2, etc. One of those 3 will offer a place. 

Out of curiosity, did you apply to one of the older colleges or very popular ones, e.g. King's or Trinity? 

Yes! I applied Kings as my first choice because of funding. I actually received both college decisions within 1 business day (first and second choice) and was unsuccessful at both. I reached out to the department and they let me know that it was likely because I am applying for lent admission and some colleges aren’t accepting those admits right now!

[Afro Aniyunwiya]

On 12/8/2020 at 7:26 AM, Alpha_orionis said:

Hi @LivKa, nice to meet you! Congratulations for getting an offer and good luck for the funding competition. ?

I submitted my application last week, the day before the Gates deadline for my course. How long did it take for you to get an offer after submitting?

I applied to the PhD in Education on 14/10 and heard back 18/11. Waiting on a college assignment. No word on Gates ??

[Afro Aniyunwiya]

On 12/4/2020 at 3:32 PM, PhilgoreTrout said:

Recent updates to the website seem to suggest that there won't be interviews this year. It's been removed from the timeline and the following note appears on the "How we select" page: "**Please note that for the 2020-2021 admissions process, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we will not be conducting any in person interviews and our selection panels will make a paper review of nominated candidates for the 2021 class.**"

Oh wow, no interviews ?. 

[Afro Aniyunwiya]

46 minutes ago, artandjuno said:

Yes! I applied Kings as my first choice because of funding. I actually received both college decisions within 1 business day (first and second choice) and was unsuccessful at both. I reached out to the department and they let me know that it was likely because I am applying for lent admission and some colleges aren’t accepting those admits right now!

How long after your acceptance to your degree Program did you hear from the colleges?

[artandjuno]

6 minutes ago, Afro Aniyunwiya said:

How long after your acceptance to your degree Program did you hear from the colleges?

Offer 12/3 heard from colleges 12/7! But it was an immediate rejection that probably had something to do with my entry term so the quick turnaround probably doesn’t mean much /:

[creamofwheat]

US applicant here. I also applied to the MPhil in education on Oct 13 and haven't heard back... am guessing it's a rejection on both counts at this point (which I expected, especially as I applied to the children's lit concentration), but perhaps they have only assessed PhD apps and not MPhil apps yet? Ha, one can hope!

[Fingers Crossed!]

I was admitted 2-3 weeks ago, and have not heard from a college yet. I applied last year (withdrew bc of COVID) and was admitted to Peterhouse within a couple of weeks, but this time i applied to Kings so I think the wait might be longer because it is a more competitive college (and because everyone is working from home).

[creamofwheat]

Just now, Fingers Crossed! said:

I was admitted 2-3 weeks ago, and have not heard from a college yet. I applied last year (withdrew bc of COVID) and was admitted to Peterhouse within a couple of weeks, but this time i applied to Kings so I think the wait might be longer because it is a more competitive college (and because everyone is working from home).

May I ask which program you applied to?