Study Abroad: British Council partners with UK universities to launch Women in STEM Scholarships for 2024-25

NEW DELHI: The British Council, in partnership with UK universities, has announced the launch of the British Council scholarships for women in STEM programmes. The scholarship is being launched for female STEM graduates who desire to pursue Masters degrees in the United Kingdom. The scholarship also welcomes applications from women with dependents, offering additional support.

Total 25 scholarships have been reserved for female STEM scholars from India and other South Asian nations. These are for five UK higher education institutions, including Queen Mary University of London, Anglia Ruskin University, Greenwich University, The University of Southampton, and Coventry University. The scholarships will enable the recipients to further develop their STEM careers.

The scholarship will cover tuition fees, stipend, travel costs, visa, health coverage fees, and English language support. The scholars can pursue courses like Data Science, Computer Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, Civil Engineering Management, Intelligent Healthcare, Actuarial Science, among others.

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Rittika Chanda Parruck MBE, director education India, British Council, said, “Almost half of the world's population is female and represents half the potential brain power of researchers and innovators. The global challenges facing the world can only be addressed through science and research and we cannot solve these problems with one hand tied behind our backs, with only one half of the population working towards the solutions. Gender equity is not just a nice idea, it is essential for the progress of mankind. Through programmes like the Women in STEM Scholarships, we aim to provide the financial assistance needed for women to pursue their education and unleash their full potential in STEM fields, thereby driving transformative change and contributing to the sustainable development goals in a more meaningful way.”

Over 300 scholarships awarded since 2020

Since 2020, the programme has awarded over 300 scholarships. In the 2023-24 global cohorts, 92 scholars enrolled in their preferred courses. So far, 52 Indian women have been given scholarships to pursue one-year postgraduate study in the UK.