The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions is well documented. Not only do women make up a small fraction of the workforce and research teams in STEM, but they are also published less, paid less and are less likely to reach positions of leadership than their male counterparts, despite being proven to be on average 8% more productive.
Access to education is a contributing factor leading to the underrepresentation of women in STEM. Working in partnership with selected UK universities, the British Council's Women in STEM scholarship programme is designed to help address this situation by providing opportunities for women to continue with their studies through funding for a one-year master's degree in the UK. The programme is in its fifth consecutive year, having awarded over 400 scholarships to date.
Scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year are now open
We are working with selected UK universities to provide scholarships for women across 24 countries/territories. Those who successfully secure a scholarship will benefit from:
- academic prestige of attending a leading UK university
- economic support including tuition fees, living stipend, travel costs, visa and health coverage fees
- English language support (IELTS). Please note that the costs of applying for the IELTS exam will be reimbursed to successful applicants only.
Who can apply?
This scholarship is open to women and anyone identifying as a woman. They must want to pursue further STEM education and develop their career in a related profession. They must be from an eligible country/territory which is listed below and must also:
- demonstrate a need for financial support
- have an undergraduate degree that will enable them to gain access onto one of the pre-selected postgraduate courses at a UK university (for master’s level)
- attain the level of English required for postgraduate study at a UK university
- be active in the field with work experience or a proven interest in their subject area
- be passionate about their course of study and are willing to engage as committed British Council scholarship alumni
- be able to take up a course of study in the UK for the next academic year, from September/October 2025.
You are not eligible for the British Council's Women in STEM scholarships if you:
- hold dual British citizenship
- are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of His Majesty’s Government (including British Embassies/High Commissions; the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Department for International Trade; the Ministry of Defence; and the Home Office)
- are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM – eligible countries/territories
- are currently in receipt of financial support or funding towards your study programme in the UK from any other source
- have previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK government-funded scholarship or a UK institutional scholarship/financial bursary.
*Relatives are defined as parents or stepparents, siblings or stepsiblings, children or stepchildren, spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner (where the couple have been in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years).
How to apply
If you are from an eligible country/territory listed below, please visit the British Council website for your country/territory to view details of the scholarships that are available to you.
From there, you will be able to visit the websites of the UK universities that we are working with to provide the scholarships and apply for the course(s) that you are interested in. You can make more than one application, but you will need to apply through each university separately.
Please note that deadlines for scholarships vary across the universities taking part. Check deadlines with your chosen university carefully to avoid any disappointment. For questions relating to your course of interest, please contact the university in question. All applications must be directly submitted to the respective university. After submitting an application, you will next hear directly from the university about the status of your application.
If you have any questions about the scholarships, please contact the British Council by emailing womeninstem.scholarships@britishcouncil.org. Should you be unable to locate the university's contact information, you may also email us.
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Eligible countries/territories |
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Americas |
Total of 15 scholarships available for applicants from the Americas. |
| Brazil |
You can apply for a scholarship at:
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| Mexico |
You can apply for a scholarship at:
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Wider Europe |
Total of 25 scholarships available for applicants from Wider Europe. |
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East Asia |
Total of 26 scholarships available for applicants from East Asia. The cohorts at University of Warwick and The University of Manchester are supported by ASEAN UK SAGE. |
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You can apply for a scholarship at:
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You can apply for a scholarship at:
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You can apply for a scholarship at:
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Eligible countries change each year. If your country is not listed for the 2025-26 academic year, please check our website in late 2025 to find out eligible countries for the 2026-27 academic year.