Scholarships for Girls in STEM Across Africa: Programs and How to Apply
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • African Scholarships & Student Funding
Several funded programs support African girls and women studying science, technology, engineering and maths, from PhD research grants to university engineering bursaries.
🎓 L'Oréal-UNESCO funds PhD and postdoctoral research grants for women scientists across Sub-Saharan Africa each cycle.
💵 South Africa's national program pays R80,000 per PhD grant and R160,000 per postdoc grant.
Mastercard Foundation Scholars funds STEM students who show leadership and community impact.
AWARD Africa mentors women in agricultural science graduate study.
Check your target university's engineering or computer science faculty for its own bursaries.
Why These Programs Exist
Women remain underrepresented in STEM enrollment and STEM careers across most African university systems, especially in engineering, physics, and computer science departments. Funders set aside grants specifically for women because open, gender-blind bursary pools tend to still skew toward male applicants in these fields.
Real Funding Options for Girls and Women in STEM
Several programs fund African women specifically in science, technology, engineering and maths, from undergraduate bursaries to postdoctoral research grants. Each has its own field, country, and academic level restrictions, so check eligibility carefully before you apply.
| Program | Level | Grant Amount | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| L'Oréal-UNESCO Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents | PhD and postdoctoral | Research grant, amount set per cycle | 48 Sub-Saharan African countries |
| L'Oréal-UNESCO South Africa Young Talents, PhD track | PhD | R80,000 (roughly 4,300 USD) | South Africa |
| L'Oréal-UNESCO South Africa Young Talents, postdoc track | Postdoctoral | R160,000 (roughly 8,600 USD) | South Africa |
1. L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science, Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents
This program awards research grants each cycle to PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers from across Sub-Saharan Africa, with the number of grants and the doctoral/postdoctoral split set per edition. Check the current L'Oreal Foundation Young Talents call for the exact figures.
You must be a national of a Sub-Saharan African country, hold or pursue a PhD in a life or physical science field, engineering, or technology, and be affiliated with a research institution or doctoral program in the region.
South African nationals doing research in South Africa apply through the separate national program instead of this regional one.
2. L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science, South Africa National Young Talents Programme
South Africa runs its own version of the award: three research grants of R80,000 each for PhD researchers and three grants of R160,000 each for postdoctoral researchers, per the For Women in Science 2025 call . Applicants must be enrolled or working at a South African research institution in a formal, life, environmental, physical, engineering, or technological science field.
3. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
This program funds tuition, accommodation, books, and mentoring for academically strong African students, including many in STEM fields, at partner universities across Africa and worldwide, according to McGill University's eligibility page . Age limits vary by partner university; McGill, for example, requires Mastercard Foundation Scholars applicants to be 35 years or younger at the time of application. Because the program screens for leadership and community commitment alongside academic strength, a STEM applicant should show evidence of using technical skills to solve a real problem, not only strong grades.
4. AWARD Africa (African Women in Agricultural Research and Development)
AWARD runs a fellowship and mentoring program supporting women pursuing graduate degrees and careers in agricultural science and related fields at African universities and research institutions. The program pairs fellows with a mentor in their field and builds skills in leadership, science communication, and grant writing alongside the academic degree. Check the program's current call for applications directly, since cycles and partner countries change.
5. University Women-in-Engineering and Women-in-Tech Bursaries
Many engineering and computer science faculties across Africa run their own bursaries or fee waivers to raise the share of women in male-dominated STEM classes. Check your target university's engineering or computer science faculty page directly, since these bursaries rarely appear in general scholarship lists and change every intake.
6. National Ministry and NGO STEM Bursaries for Girls
Several national education ministries and NGOs run STEM-specific bursaries for girls at secondary and tertiary level, tied to a national push to close the gender gap in STEM enrollment. Check your own country's ministry of education or higher education regulator website for current STEM bursary calls, since these programs and their funding levels change from one academic year to the next.
How to Apply Successfully
Start with your academic transcript and a clear one-page summary of a STEM project or research interest you describe in detail. Selection panels for these awards want evidence of independent scientific work, not only strong exam results.
Apply to more than one program in the same cycle. Award levels, fields, and country quotas differ enough that a strong candidate for one program might not fit another, so spreading applications raises your chances of funding.