British Council scholarships for women in STEM continue for another year

The British Council scholarships for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are back for a second year.

The scholarships will support over 100 women from selected countries including from South Asia, East Asia, and the Americas in continuing their STEM studies at a UK university, read a press release.  

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.

This prestigious scholarship will allow over 100 women to obtain a Master's degree or an Early Academic Fellowship from a UK university, giving them the opportunity to further develop their careers in STEM subjects.

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."

According to data from the UN Scientific Education and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), fewer than 30 % of researchers worldwide are women and only 30 % 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.

This year the British Council has 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.

Applications for the scholarships for women in STEM are open until the end of March 2022.

For more information, including a full list of participating UK universities and available courses, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org/study-work-abroad/in-uk/scholarship-women-stem