In a bid to celebrate International Women’s Day, here’s a look at some of the dedicated scholarships for women available around the world.
The continued underrepresentation of women in many fields, particularly at the highest levels, underlies many of the scholarships for women provided by institutions and organizations around the world.
Of course, just being a woman will not get you a scholarship. Scholarships for women come with all kinds of criteria, including academic performance, sporting achievement, leadership skills, affiliation to a particular culture or community, age, or belonging to a part of a minority group.
List of International Scholarships for Women
Examples of some of the most prominent providers of international scholarships for women are discussed in the subsequent headings.
1. American Association of University Women (AAUW)
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) gives seven different types of grants and fellowships to women.
Additionally, these cover American Fellowships for women scholars who are US citizens or permanent residents; International Fellowships for women from other countries who want to study in the US; and Selected Professions Fellowships to support women in the US pursuing a master’s degree in the fields of architecture, computer science, engineering, and mathematics.
2. The Schlumberger Foundation
The non-profit Schlumberger Foundation gives support to women in science and technology education.
Its flagship Faculty for the Future program awards fellowships to women who are from developing and emerging economies for Ph.D. or postdoctoral studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at universities around the entire world.
Recipients are picked based on both scientific talent and leadership potential, with grant amounts decided based on an assessment of the costs involved, up to US$50,000 per year.
3. PEO International
Established in 1869, the US-based PEO International runs six projects dedicated to assisting women in furthering their education.
The PEO International Peace Scholarship Fund also offers international scholarships for women from outside of the US and Canada hoping to pursue graduate-level studies in one of those two countries.
The Program for Continuing Education provides need-based grants of up to US$3,000 for women in the US and Canada whose educational track has been interrupted for numerous reasons.
The PEO STAR Scholarship and PEO Scholar Awards also give scholarships to women applying to study at undergraduate and doctoral levels, respectively.
4. Margaret McNamara Education Grants
The Margaret McNamara Education Grants also provide scholarships for women aged 25 or over who are studying in the US, Canada, or select universities in South Africa and Latin America.
Applicants have to be able to demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of women and children and be from a country designated as a “lower or middle-income developing member country”.
5. Zonta International
It is also Working to protect the rights, well-being, and professional status of women worldwide, Zonta International offers two scholarship programs.
The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship gives a series of annual scholarships for women studying business management at the undergraduate or master’s levels.
Additionally, recipients have to be members of the Zonta Club, with scholarships worth US$2,000 at the district or region level and US$8,000 at the international level.
The Amelia Earhart Fellowship is for women doing Ph.D. in the aerospace field.
This scheme also awards 30 fellowships each year to women around the world, worth US$10,000 each, which can be used to assist doctoral studies at any university or college.
