Palestinian Studentship Fund

A studentship, open to Palestinians, for a one year postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge

This Studentship is for a one year postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge, as a student member of Churchill College. The aim is to develop an individual’s expertise so that subsequently they may help improve future governance and economic development in Palestine. Participants will have the opportunity afforded to all Cambridge students to broaden their views and perspectives of the world.

Applicants will be Palestinian residing in the West Bank, Gaza or East Jerusalem, are enrolled in a Gaza, West Bank or East Jerusalem university; or are Israeli Palestinians; or hold identity documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. There will be no maximum age and applicants may be male or female. They will be required to explain how their course of study will help them make a greater contribution to Palestinian society, with the expectation that they will return to Palestine after completing their course. Applicants will have to be accepted for the course of their choice at the University of Cambridge. Requirements include holding a good first degree and proficiency in English.

The Studentship will pay all University and College fees together with a substantial allowance towards living costs.

By investing in my education, you have not only invested in my future, but in the future of my community.

We’am Hamdan

Palestinian Studentship holder (G22)

Since completing my Master’s in Development Studies at Churchill College in 2014, my career has been dedicated to understanding and addressing complex socio-economic challenges in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. I worked in Palestine for three years, as a researcher and policy analyst, while advising policymakers and presenting at global platforms like the EU Parliament, the US Congress and UN agencies. I then pursued my doctoral studies at the University of Oxford and was one of the first two Palestinian Rhodes scholars.
I am currently based in the US, working as a Fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where I am co-leading the political economy program. My research has so far focused on the politics of austerity, food insecurity, economic inequality, and the reconstruction process in Gaza.
The Studentship I received from Churchill College was instrumental in enabling this journey. It provided essential financial support that allowed me to fully immerse myself in my studies and develop the knowledge that has been crucial to my subsequent work.

Dr Nur Arafeh

Past Palestinian Studentship holder (G13)

Patrons of the Studentship are:

Lord Rees of Ludlow – President of the Royal Society
Professor Nabeel Kassis – President, Birzeit University
The Countess of Sandwich – Research Associate, Middle East Institute, SOAS
Professor Manuel Hassassian (past patron)
Professor Stephen Hawking (past patron)

For further information about making a gift to the Studentship Fund please contact the Development Office.

Student Applications

Applications should be made by ticking the Cambridge Trusts funding box in the University Applicant Portal.

Related Links

Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust

In Gratitude: Remembering Dr. Edward Powell by We’am Hamdan

It is with a heavy heart and deep gratitude that I write these words in memory of Dr Edward Powell, Eddie, whose generosity and vision helped make my studies at Cambridge possible. Eddie passed away on 14 March 2025, and though I did not know him long, his impact on my life, and on so many others, is lasting.

Eddie established the Palestinian Studentship at Churchill College in 2011. I was one of its recipients. For me, this wasn’t just financial support, it was an invitation. It meant being seen, being trusted, being given the space to learn, think, and grow. Eddie understood that a scholarship could be political, not in a partisan sense, but in the most human one: a gesture of recognition, of dignity, of belief.

He once told me about his visit to Bethlehem University, and how moved he was to see so many Palestinian women, full of ambition and eagerness to learn. He spoke of it with such clarity, not as an outsider observing, but as someone deeply inspired. That moment, for me, explained so much about his generosity. It wasn’t abstract. It came from something real; a connection, a spark, a sense of shared possibility.

Eddie’s own life moved across fields and worlds. From chemistry to accountancy, corporate leadership to coaching college rowing, he never stopped learning, building, giving. He and his wife Ruth created a home in Cambridge that was full of connection — to Churchill, to students, to new ventures, and to long-standing friendships. He gave his time just as freely as he gave financial support, serving on College committees, supporting the Boat Club, mentoring, attending events, listening.

He remembered people’s names. He showed up. He asked about your work, and meant it.

His legacy is not only financial or institutional. It is deeply human. It lives in the students he believed in, not out of charity, but out of solidarity. It lives in the generosity he modelled, the relationships he nurtured, and the kind of quiet leadership he embodied.

To his family — Ruth, Rachel, Christine, and all who loved him, I offer my deepest condolences. And to Eddie — thank you. For your trust, your kindness, and your presence. You will always be remembered.