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 West Bank, East Jerusalem, or Gaza (when re-opened) university; or are Israeli Palestinians; or hold identity documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. There is 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 likelihood 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.
The Studentship was established by a group of alumni including Eddie Powell (U and G66), a Benefactor Fellow of the College. It can exceptionally be awarded to fund PhDs as well as MPhil students. A tribute to Eddie is included below.
We’am Hamdan
Palestinian Studentship holder (G22)In 2026 We’am completed her studies. She was awarded the prestigious British Association for Comparative and International Education (BAICE) Student Essay Prize Award. The award-winning essay can be read online.
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
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.
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