Scholarships for Women 2026: How to Find and Win Funding

What counts as a scholarship for women?

A scholarship for women is funding that only female applicants can win. Some are open to women of any nationality and any field. Others narrow it further: women from developing countries, women in engineering, African women in public service, or female MBA candidates at one business school.

That narrowing is good news. The smaller the pool of eligible applicants, the less competition you face. A women-only award in a specialist field often has fewer qualified applicants than a general scholarship open to everyone.

The awards below come from universities, foundations, companies and international organisations. They differ widely in what they pay, so read the coverage line before you fall in love with the name.

How to read this list of scholarships for women

Each entry names the host, the level, the country of study, what the award covers and the deadline. Start with level and field, because those eliminate most options in seconds. Then check nationality rules and the deadline.

Use the filtered list for this page for current openings, and the scholarship finder if you want to search beyond women-only awards. For background on documents and timelines, the scholarship tips section is a sensible next stop.

Group the options by what they pay

Full funding covers tuition plus living costs, travel or insurance. Tuition-only awards cut your fees but leave living costs to you. Fixed grants pay a set amount you can put toward whatever the rules allow. Knowing which type you need shapes where you apply.

Fully funded awards: tuition, living costs and travel

These are the awards that cover the bulk of your costs. They are also the most competitive, so apply early and prepare strong references.

• Hatfield Lioness Scholarship for Women from Developing Countries at Durham University covers full tuition, a living stipend, a self-catered single room at Hatfield College, a return economy air ticket, a settling-in allowance and the UK visa cost for one academic year of masters study.
• NYU Wagner African Women Public Service Fellowship for African Women covers tuition, housing, travel to and from the United States and a small stipend for books and miscellaneous expenses.
• KOICA Scholarship Program for Developing Countries: Masters in Korea covers air travel, full tuition, accommodation, a living allowance, textbooks, study visits, a medical checkup and health insurance.
• African Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program: Canadian Government Masters Funding includes return airfare, tuition, monthly living allowances, an installation allowance, a books and conferences allowance and health insurance.

Full awards usually demand a full application: essays, references, a clear study plan and proof you meet the nationality and level rules. Treat the deadline as the start of your work, not the end.

Tuition waivers and part funding

Part funding is not a consolation prize. A tuition waiver can still remove a large share of your costs, and it is often easier to win than a full award.

• Eira Francis Davies Scholarship at Swansea University for Female Master's Students covers full tuition for female masters students.
• University of Essex Women of the Future Scholarships for International Women is worth £20,000 and covers tuition fees and a stipend.
• SDA Bocconi MBA Scholarships 2019-2020: Merit Tuition Waivers covers 50 to 100 percent of the tuition fee.
• Fondation Rainbow Bridge MBA Scholarship at HEC Paris for African and Asian Women is worth €20,000 toward an MBA in Paris.
• Nestlé Scholarship for Women at IMD: MBA Funding for Developing Countries is worth CHF 25,000.
• Women in Leadership Scholarship, University of Surrey (MBA, UK) is aimed at women moving into leadership through an MBA.
• HP Women’s Scholarship Fund at University of the People (UoPeople) supports women studying online.

Women in STEM, science and engineering awards

Searches for women in engineering scholarships and women in science scholarships point at one of the strongest groups of awards. These are usually for PhD or postdoctoral researchers, though some target undergraduates in computing.

Faculty for the Future is the standout for mechanical engineering and other lab-based fields, because it is open to women in science and engineering from developing countries who are studying abroad. It renews through to completion, subject to performance and evidence of plans to return home.

Business, finance and leadership funding

Women in finance scholarships and women in leadership scholarship searches usually lead to MBA funding. Business schools use these awards to bring more women into their cohorts.

• Numerix Women in Finance Scholarship 2026 for Master's and PhD Students is an award of US$20,000, with half paid to the winner and half paid to the institution toward tuition.
• Women in Leadership Scholarship, University of Surrey (MBA, UK) targets women building leadership careers.
• SDA Bocconi MBA Scholarships 2019-2020: Merit Tuition Waivers and the Nestlé Scholarship for Women at IMD: MBA Funding for Developing Countries both sit inside European business schools.

For a wider pool, browse the List of MBA Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students and the List of Economics & Finance Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students.

Research, policy and development awards

Several women-only awards sit in the social sciences, peace studies and development. They suit students whose work has a policy or community angle.

• PEO International Peace Scholarships for Women: Masters and PhD Study in the US and Canada pays grants-in-aid set according to need, with a maximum of $12,500 for one year of study and one renewal allowed.
• Dorothy Marchus Senesh Fellowships in Peace and Development Studies for Women from Developing Countries provides $5,000 per year for two years, $10,000 in total.
• AAUW International Fellowships in USA for Women (Masters/PhD/Postdoc) pays $20,000 for a master's or professional fellowship and $25,000 for a doctorate.
• Graça Machel Scholarships for South African Women: Postgraduate Study supports postgraduate study in South Africa.
• 2023 Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships by Mo Ibrahim Foundation is a leadership route rather than a degree award.
• BIGSSS PhD Scholarships in Social Sciences, Germany funds doctoral work in the social sciences.

Related lists worth scanning: List of Peace Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students and List of Social Sciences Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students.

Conservation, environment and general study options

Not every award on this page is women-only, but several are open to women applicants and fit the same searches.

• WWF Prince Bernhard Scholarships for Nature Conservation Training pays a maximum of CHF 10,000 for short training.
• Russell E. Train Fellowships 2020: WWF Conservation Funding for Masters and PhD supports up to US$30,000 per year for masters and PhD study in conservation.
• Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Scholarships for International Students in Germany pays a living grant but does not cover tuition fees for international students.
• MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program for African Students covers tuition, accommodation, books, mentoring and a return air ticket where needed.
• Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) for Master's Study is fully funded, with air travel, a travel allowance and tuition.
• Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030 (BCDI 2030): Government of Canada Funding varies in value by project.
• DRD Scholarships for Sub-Saharan Africans: Masters and PhD at UWC and Ruhr-University Bochum and the LLM/MPhil Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa Scholarships at University of Pretoria cover law, human rights and development.

Field lists to pair with these: List of Environmental Management Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students, List of Development Studies Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students and List of Law and Public Policy Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students.

Who these scholarships suit, and who should look elsewhere

They suit women who already know their level and field, can meet a nationality rule, and are ready to gather references and write a focused statement. They also suit applicants willing to study abroad, since many of the largest awards fund study outside your home country.

Look elsewhere if you need funding for undergraduate study in a general field, since most women-only awards here sit at masters, PhD or MBA level. Look elsewhere too if you cannot meet a nationality condition, such as awards limited to African, Asian or developing-country applicants. And if you need money within weeks, check the deadline before you invest time: several rounds close months ahead of the intake.

How to apply, step by step

1. Decide your level and field first: masters, PhD, postdoctoral, MBA or training.
2. Shortlist three to five awards where you meet every eligibility rule, including nationality and gender.
3. Check the deadline on the official page and work backwards at least eight weeks.
4. Request references early, and brief each referee on the award and your study plan.
5. Write a statement that names the award, your field and what you will do after graduation. Reintegration plans matter to funders like Faculty for the Future.
6. Prepare transcripts, degree certificates, proof of admission or application, a budget and language test results where required.
7. Submit before the deadline and keep the confirmation email.

Documents to have ready

• Academic transcripts and degree certificates
• Two or three academic or professional references
• A motivation letter or statement of purpose tailored to the award
• Proof of application or admission to the course
• Language test results where the host requires them
• A simple budget showing tuition and living costs
• Passport or ID copy

Common mistakes that cost women these awards

• Applying to a women-only award without checking the nationality rule. Many are limited to specific regions.
• Reusing a general statement. Funders read hundreds; one that names the programme and its aims stands out.
• Missing the level. A PhD fellowship will not fund a master's, and an MBA award will not fund a research degree.
• Ignoring what the award does not cover. A tuition waiver still leaves living costs, and some grants exclude tuition entirely.
• Leaving references to the last week. Referees need time and a reminder.
• Assuming one rejection ends the search. Deadlines run across the year, so the next round is often months away.

Where to study and what to check next

Country matters as much as the award. If you are targeting a destination, start from the country lists: Scholarships in United Kingdom, Scholarships in United States, Scholarships in Canada, Scholarships in Germany, Scholarships in France, Scholarships in Switzerland, Scholarships in Italy, Scholarships in the Netherlands, Scholarships in Sweden, Scholarships in Australia, Scholarships in New Zealand, Scholarships in Japan, Scholarships in Belgium and Scholarships in Singapore.

If your field is not covered above, browse the List of Engineering Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students, the List of Science and Technology Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students, the List of Natural Sciences Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students, the List of Health Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students, the List of Education Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students, the List of Human Development Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students or the List of Any field of study Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students. The all guides page has more walkthroughs, and scholarships by country is the quickest way to narrow by destination.