Scholarships for African Women 2027: Fully Funded STEM, PhD & Master’s Programs
Quick Overview
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best STEM grants | L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science SSA (€10,000–€15,000) |
| Best Master’s routes | DAAD In-Country/In-Region, DAAD Leadership for Africa, British Council Women in STEM |
| Flagship PhD route | OWSD PhD Fellowships — call status uncertain, verify (see note) |
| Open to all women | Chevening, Commonwealth, Mastercard Foundation, AAUW, Aga Khan |
| Key windows | Sep 17 (AAUW) · Sep–Oct (L’Oréal call) · autumn 2026 (DAAD Africa calls) |
African women are dramatically underrepresented in STEM and postgraduate research — which is exactly why the funding landscape is rich with programs designed for you. This guide covers every major verified scholarship for African women in the 2027 cycle, from research grants to fully funded Master’s and PhDs.
—
1. L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science — Sub-Saharan Africa
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | PhD (doctoral) & post-doctoral research grants |
| Value | €10,000 (doctoral) · €15,000 (post-doctoral) + leadership training |
| Awards | 30 doctoral + 8 post-doctoral (2026 call) |
| Countries | All 49 Sub-Saharan African countries, incl. South Africa |
| Fields | Formal & Life Sciences, Environmental & Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technological Sciences |
| Deadline | 2026 call — exact date on forwomeninscience.com (typically Sep–Oct) |
The South African national programme and the SSA regional programme merged in 2026 into one Pan-African programme. Doctoral candidates must be in their second year of PhD or higher; post-docs must have defended after February 2021. Previous FWIS awardees are ineligible. Beyond the money, awardees get leadership, management and negotiation training.
2. DAAD In-Country / In-Region Programme — Sub-Saharan Africa
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | Master’s & PhD (development-related fields) |
| Coverage | Tuition + living allowance for the regular course duration (up to ~2 yrs Master’s) |
| Route | Study in your home country (In-Country) or another SSA country (In-Region) |
| Eligibility | Graduates/postgraduates from Sub-Saharan Africa; female applicants are especially encouraged |
| Deadline | Further calls published autumn 2026 (some 2026 calls closed April 29, 2026) |
This is DAAD’s flagship Africa capacity-building scheme: you study at a partner university in Africa (e.g., Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya) and commit to teaching/research careers at African institutions. Check the DAAD scholarship database for the autumn 2026 calls.
3. DAAD Leadership for Africa — Master’s in Germany
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | Master’s (any programme) at German public universities |
| Coverage | Tuition-free study + language course (up to 6 months) + living stipend |
| Current countries | South Sudan & Uganda (East Africa) · Cameroon, Senegal & Togo (West/Central Africa) |
| Target countries | Rotate annually — announced before each call |
| Note | Refugee applicants with status granted before April 2, 2024 also eligible |
Female graduates and refugees are a stated priority. Scholars get pre-departure seminars, an orientation language course in Germany, and apply directly to any suitable German Master’s programme. Target countries rotate each year — Nigeria and other SSA countries may be included in future calls.
4. British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM (UK)
Fully funded one-year UK Master’s for women from eligible countries (including many African countries): tuition, monthly stipend, flights, visa, IELTS, health insurance and child allowance. See our British Council Women in STEM guide.
5. AAUW International Fellowships (USA)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | Master’s, PhD, post-doctoral |
| Value | $20,000–$50,000 |
| Deadline | September 17, 2026 (2027-28 cycle) |
| Eligibility | Women who are not US citizens/permanent residents; degree intent in the US |
AAUW funds full-time study or research in the US for women worldwide, with African applicants consistently well represented. See our AAUW guide.
6. OWSD PhD Fellowships — ⚠️ Verify Call Status
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | PhD in Natural, Engineering & IT sciences |
| Eligibility | Women from Science & Technology Lagging Countries (most of Africa qualifies) |
| Coverage | Monthly allowance, research costs, travel, visa, medical insurance (full-time up to 4 yrs; sandwich option) |
| ⚠️ Status | Officially disputed — owsd.net states there was no call in 2025 due to funding constraints, and third-party sources report no 2026 call either. Some portals still list an “August 31” deadline — do NOT trust those; verify on owsd.net |
OWSD is a UNESCO programme based at TWAS (Trieste) funded by Sida. It has produced hundreds of African women PhDs — but the 2027 call is not confirmed. Treat it as “watch and verify,” not an active deadline.
7. Open-to-All Flagships (Women Strongly Encouraged)
- Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program — UG/Master’s at partner universities; women prioritised at many partners.
- Aga Khan Foundation ISP — 50% grant/50% loan for Master’s & PhD; women encouraged; ~Mar 31, 2027.
- Chevening — UK Master’s; closes Oct 6, 2026.
- Commonwealth Master’s — via nominating agency; closes Oct 20, 2026.
- Australia Awards — African women are a stated priority group.
—
Eligibility Checklist (✅/❌)
✅ Common Requirements:
- Citizenship of an eligible country (49 SSA countries for L’Oréal; STLCs for OWSD; rotating lists for DAAD Leadership for Africa)
- For research grants: enrolled in PhD (2nd year+ for L’Oréal) or recent postdoc (defended after Feb 2021)
- For Master’s: Bachelor’s degree with strong grades; English proficiency
❌ Watch Out For:
- L’Oréal: previous FWIS awardees (national or regional) are ineligible
- OWSD: host institute must be in a developing country other than your own; not eligible if already living/studying in the host country
- DAAD Leadership for Africa: only the currently listed countries can apply — check each year’s call
—
Insider Tips
1. Apply to research grants AND degree scholarships in parallel
L’Oréal (Sep–Oct) and AAUW (Sep 17) have different rhythms from DAAD (autumn) and Chevening (Oct 6). A calendar with 4–6 applications across the year maximises your odds.
2. The L’Oréal leadership training is part of the prize
Beyond €10,000–15,000, awardees get management, negotiation and communication training — sell your research’s leadership potential in the application, not just its science.
3. For DAAD, target “women encouraged” language explicitly
DAAD states female applicants are “especially encouraged” for its Africa programmes — a genuine selection priority, not marketing. Say clearly in your motivation letter how you’ll use the degree to build African research capacity.
4. Choose In-Country/In-Region if you want to stay in Africa
DAAD’s Africa-based scholarships fund study at African institutions — ideal for women building careers at home universities, and statistically less competitive than Germany-based calls.
5. Verify OWSD before spending time
Given the disputed call status, spend 10 minutes on owsd.net first. If no call is open, redirect that effort to L’Oréal, AAUW and DAAD.
6. Use your network — women’s STEM communities are strong
OWSD national chapters, L’Oréal-UNESCO alumni and AAUW alumnae networks actively mentor applicants. Reach out before you apply.
—
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these scholarships only for STEM?
No. L’Oréal, OWSD and British Council Women in STEM are STEM-focused; AAUW, Mastercard Foundation, Chevening, Commonwealth, Aga Khan and Australia Awards fund any field.
I’m a Nigerian woman — which of these can I apply to?
L’Oréal-UNESCO SSA (yes), AAUW (yes), DAAD In-Country/In-Region (yes — Nigeria hosts funded programmes), Chevening (yes), Commonwealth (yes). DAAD Leadership for Africa currently excludes Nigeria — check future calls.
Do I need to already be in a PhD for L’Oréal?
Yes — doctoral applicants must be in their second year or higher when applying. First-year students and postdocs who defended before February 2021 are not eligible.
Is the OWSD deadline really August 31?
Disputed. The official OWSD site reports no 2025 call and, per multiple sources, no 2026 call due to funding constraints. Verify current status on owsd.net before relying on any deadline.
What’s the best option for a Master’s in Europe?
DAAD Leadership for Africa (if your country is in the current call), British Council Women in STEM (UK), and DAAD EPOS — plus fully funded options like Türkiye Bursları and Stipendium Hungaricum which welcome women applicants.
—
Timeline Table
| Date | Program |
|---|---|
| Sep 17, 2026 | AAUW International Fellowships deadline |
| Sep–Oct 2026 | L’Oréal-UNESCO FWIS SSA call (verify exact date) |
| Oct 6, 2026 | Chevening closes |
| Oct 20, 2026 | Commonwealth Master’s closes |
| Autumn 2026 | DAAD In-Country/In-Region new calls published |
| Late 2026 – early 2027 | DAAD Leadership for Africa next call (countries TBA) |
| Mar 31, 2027 | Aga Khan Foundation ISP (opens early 2027) |
| TBA (verify) | OWSD PhD — call status disputed |
—
Your Action Plan
1. This week: Check owsd.net status; register for L’Oréal-UNESCO SSA alerts.
2. Before Sep 17: Submit AAUW (if eligible for US study/research).
3. September: Prepare L’Oréal research statement + supervisor letters.
4. October: Chevening and Commonwealth deadlines — apply early.
5. Autumn: Apply to DAAD In-Country/In-Region calls as they open.
Share this with a brilliant woman in STEM who deserves funding.
Related guides: British Council Women in STEM · AAUW International Fellowships · Mastercard Foundation Scholars · Aga Khan Foundation ISP · Fully Funded PhD Scholarships 2027