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 entering its sixth consecutive year, having awarded almost 500 scholarships to date.
Those who successfully secure a scholarship will benefit from:
- academic prestige of attending a leading UK university
- economic support
- English language support (IELTS) - please note that the costs of applying for the IELTS exam will be reimbursed to successful applicants only.
Applications for scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year have now closed.
Applications for scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year will open in early 2026.