The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions is well documented. Not only do women make up a small fraction of the workforce and research teams in STEM, they are also published less, paid less and are less likely to reach positions of leadership than their male counterparts, despite being proven to be on average eight per cent more productive.
About British Council Women in STEM Scholarships
We want to increase opportunities for women in STEM, strengthen female leadership in science and innovation, and promote a more diverse and gender-representative sector.
Access to education is a leading factor that contributes to the underrepresentation of women in STEM. The British Council Women in STEM scholarship programme addresses this by providing funding for one-year master's degree programmes at top ranking universities and research institutions within the UK, for women from socioeconomically and disadvantaged contexts.
The programme provides:
- Full scholarships – this includes monetary support, tuition fees, living stipends, travel and visa costs, health coverage fees and English language support. Each scholarship is worth a minimum of £40,000.
- Access to world-leading science and research universities – UK universities are globally recognised for science and research excellence. The UK is ranked second in the world for science and research.
- Career opportunities – the scholarships help enhance women’s careers in STEM and enable them to promote research and innovation in their home country through their exposure to expertise in the UK’s renowned STEM fields.
- Alumni networks – the scholarships provide a long-lasting platform to connect with UK alumni.
The scholarship programme is entering its sixth consecutive year. To date, the programme has engaged 43 leading UK universities and awarded around 500 scholarships.
About ASEAN – UK Women in STEM Scholarships
The scholarships are co-funded by the British Council and the UK Mission to ASEAN. 2026 marks the 5 year anniversary of the UK becoming an ASEAN dialogue partner. Aspiring women in STEM scholars from all 11 ASEAN Member States can apply for the scheme to study selected courses at our two partner universities in the UK, Cranfield University and Stirling University.
Apply for a scholarship
Applications for scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year are now open.
19 scholarships are open to applicants from East Asia, working with 4 UK universities.
Please find below a list of participating universities and the courses that are available at each institution. Please use the links provided to visit university websites and course information pages. These are the links you will use to apply directly to your chosen university. You can apply to more than one university, but you will need to apply to each university separately.