Schlumberger Foundation

Fully funded

Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowships

Schlumberger Foundation, United Kingdom

Scholarship overview

Faculty for the Future Fellowships fund women from low- and middle-income countries to pursue PhD degrees or post-doctoral research in STEM at well-ranked universities abroad, including in the UK. The programme, launched in 2004, aims to improve gender balance in science by strengthening the presence of women university teachers in developing and emerging economies.

Grants are based on the fellow's actual costs, typically including tuition and bench fees, accommodation and a living allowance, plus initial travel, visa charges and conference costs. Grants are for one academic year and may be renewed based on progress. The community includes more than 1,000 women from 95 countries; 54 new grants were awarded for 2026-27 from 597 applications.

The Foundation particularly welcomes applicants in Physical Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics. Master's study is not funded.

Award Information

  • Woman who is a citizen of an eligible low- or middle-income country where women are underrepresented in STEM. Dual citizens holding citizenship of a developed country are not eligible; gaining such citizenship after the award ends the grant.
  • 2026-2027 eligible countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, DRC, Djibouti, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
  • Preparing for a PhD or post-doctoral research in a STEM discipline (master's study is not funded).
  • Enrolled in, admitted to, or applied to a well-ranked host university or research institute abroad; applications without a university application are not accepted. For sandwich programmes, the degree must be awarded by the host university abroad or jointly.
  • Excellent academic record.
  • Willing to return to the home country or region after studies to contribute to its socio-economic development.
  • Proven teaching experience in the home country and commitment to return to an academic or research post in STEM, to STEM entrepreneurship, and/or to public-sector STEM policy work.
  • Leadership skills, active community outreach and a record of encouraging young people, especially girls and women, into STEM.
  • Applicants must find their own host university and supervisor; the research project and host university cannot be changed after applying without approval.
  • Up to USD 50,000 per year for PhD study; maximum USD 40,000 for post-doctoral research.
  • Based on the grantee's actual costs: tuition and bench fees, accommodation, living allowance (food, books and supplies, medical insurance, child care, transport).
  • Initial travel to the host country, visa charges and conference expenses.
  • Discretionary child care grant of up to USD 3,000 per year per child under 6 and up to USD 1,500 per year per child aged 6 to 15 living with the grantee.
  • Initial award for one academic year, renewable subject to progress and references.
  • Other awards may be held, with the grant adjusted accordingly.

2027-2028 Fellowships: applications open 1 September 2026 and close 7 November 2026; reference letters are due by 14 November 2026. Results are announced at the end of March / early April 2027, and the grant is valid until Spring 2028, by which time studies must have begun.

  1. Apply to a well-ranked host university abroad and secure a host supervisor.
  2. Create an account on the Faculty for the Future online application portal.
  3. Complete the new grant application, including personal essay, research proposal statement and financial details, and list other funding sources.
  4. Arrange reference letters to be submitted by the reference deadline.
  5. Submit between 1 September and 7 November 2026.

Official links

Documents you will need

  • Personal essay
  • Research proposal statement
  • Reference letters
  • Evidence of host university application, admission or enrolment
  • Information on other funding sources

How selection works

  • Applications go through four selection rounds.
  • Criteria: academic performance; quality of references; quality of host university; commitment to return home; commitment to teaching, STEM entrepreneurship or policy making; relevance of research to the home country; commitment to inspiring girls and women into STEM.
  • Common reasons for rejection include incomplete or weak essays and research statements, ineligibility, weak evidence of commitment to return or to teaching, and applying for master's study.
  • No individual feedback is given.

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