New scholarships launched for Olympiad medallists to study at Cambridge

St John’s College has established ‘transformative’ joint scholarships for exceptional STEM students from across the globe to study at the University of Cambridge.

Through the Backing Ingenuity for Growth (BIG) scholars programme, St John’s and the non-profit Global Talent Fund (GTF) will provide full undergraduate funding for two medallists who have excelled in international maths and science Olympiads.

Olympiad competitions help identify students with deep problem-solving skills, and medallists have a very strong track record of contributing to major advances in research and innovation.

The BIG Scholars’ programme, developed and led by GTF, finds and nurtures talented young people – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – and supports them to undertake an undergraduate degree at St John’s and other top colleges and universities.

Dr Matthias Dörrzapf, Director of Studies in Mathematics and Fellow of St John’s College, said: “These truly amazing scholarships are a fantastic opportunity and will be transformative for all of its scholars. We are so excited and proud to be part of this initiative.”    

Patrick Gaule and Ruchir Agarwal, co-founders of the GTF, said: “St John’s College combines intellectual rigor with genuine care – an exceptional environment to shape the world’s next generation of math and science leaders.

“We’re proud to partner with St John’s to empower the problem solvers who will take on humanity’s toughest challenges.”

Once candidates have been admitted to St John’s, BIG Scholars will be selected jointly by the College and GTF. The scholarships will be managed by St John’s with a financial contribution from GTF.

The BIG programme was established thanks to a founding donation and strategic support from leading algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets in partnership with UK universities and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Up to two BIG students are expected to arrive at St John’s in September 2026. They will receive full tuition support and a living stipend of £13,550 per year, subject to means testing.  

Eligibility

Applicants must demonstrate financial need (for example, they would otherwise be unable to meet the costs of studying at St John’s).

Two scholarships are available

• One for offer-holders whose home is in Central and Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine).
• One for offer-holders whose home is in any other overseas country.

Candidates must have received a medal in one of the following:

• International Mathematical Olympiad
• International Physics Olympiad
• International Olympiad in Informatics
• European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (gold or silver)
• International Biology Olympiad      
• International Chemistry Olympiad.

Award conditions

• The scholarship is dependent upon the applicant being admitted to St John’s for the course of study and in the year for which the scholarship is awarded.
• Particularly strong candidates in Economics may be considered, subject to mutual agreement.
• Established in2023, BIG Scholars offers holistic support for students, encompassing tuition costs, assistance with living costs, a stipend for academic pursuits outside the classroom, and other benefits such as social events, networking, internships, and research placements.

Five Cambridge colleges – St John’s, Trinity, Christ’s, King’s, and Trinity Hall – are partners in the programme, along with the universities of Oxford, Bristol, Edinburgh, Warwick and Imperial College London.