The British Council scholarships for women in STEM are back for a second year. The scholarships will support over 100 women from around the world in continuing their STEM studies at a UK university.
The British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM support women wishing to pursue postgraduate study in science, technology, engineering or maths at a university in the UK.
This prestigious scholarship will allow over 100 women from selected countries including from South Asia, East Asia, the Americas to obtain a Masters degree or an Early Academic Fellowship from a UK university, giving them the opportunity to further develop their careers in STEM subjects.
Partnering with 26 universities across the UK, this scholarship scheme includes tuition fees, a monthly stipend, travel costs, visa and health coverage fees. The scholarship is also open to women with dependents to apply, with extra support available.
According to data from the UN Scientific Education and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), fewer than 30 percent of researchers worldwide are women and only 30 percent of female students select STEM-related fields in higher education. As a typical STEM worker earns two thirds more than non-STEM workers, giving women equal opportunities to pursue STEM careers helps narrow the gender pay gap and would be a major contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
The first cohort of 119 scholars enrolled on their chosen course this Autumn.
A range of programs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects are being offered by 12 UK Universities to women from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This year we have 65 scholarships for women across the South Asia region and all 65 are open to all countries, including Bangladesh, which is a larger allocation than last year for each country.
Salvador Lopez, Regional Director Education South Asia, British Council said: ‘We are excited to keep supporting talented and deserving women from across South Asia to study a top UK degree in STEM fields. We are committed to girl’s education and addressing gender imbalances in science, technology and innovation, including in academia and we aim to transform lives of communities through women empowerment and strengthening links between people of the UK and South Asia.’’
