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Call for Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Programme 2026 is open now!!!

Starting in 2026, we are breaking down borders to create a single, prestigious community of excellence. The South African National Programme and the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Programme have officially merged to become the unified L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Programme.

For over 25 years, the Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO have stood side-by-side to champion the brilliance of women in science. Today, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Programme serves as a powerful catalyst for change, uniting researchers from all 49 countries across the region, including South Africa to lead as a single, Pan-African force for global advancement.

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Are you ready to join this elite community of trailblazing researchers? From the leading labs and research centers across the continent, they are seeking the next generation of women scientists who are poised to change the world. They invite applications from researchers dedicated to excellence in the following fields: Formal & Life Sciences, Environmental & Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technological Sciences.
Step into the spotlight of international scientific recognition. Join a legacy of excellence and lead the future of African discovery.

When you validate your application by clicking on the “Submit” button, you are sent back to your dashboard where a notification indicating “The application has been correctly registered” is displayed. At the same time, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from the address info@forwomeninscience. Please note that this e-mail may arrive in your junk mail. We invite you to check this before contacting our technical teams.


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1. Youth Opportunities: https://m.me/j/AbZTmgEzD1UchDte/
2. Fully Funded Conferences: https://m.me/j/AbZTfhFTiPCnXf2D/
3. Full Scholarships: https://m.me/j/AbbrjbkOMM6I68Cs/
4. Paid Internships/Jobs: https://m.me/j/AbaAskb6jFFnRser/
5. Circle: https://m.me/j/AbY0vVKSPJULUnE4/

While waiting for their technical team to get back to you, if you do not find any confirmation e-mail, neither in your e-mail box nor in your junk mail, you can check if your application is submitted from your dashboard. If your application is still editable, it means that it has not been submitted. On the other hand, if the “Edit” button is no longer available, it means that your application has been submitted.

Any submission of a file is definitive. It is therefore very important to check that your file is complete and includes all the required documents before submitting it.
If you have any doubt, please use the “Save as draft” button to save your application as a draft before sending it definitively before the closing of the call for application.

Location:

South Africa

Benefits

  • Research grants for (30) doctoral and (8) post doctoral research candidates
  • Training in Leadership, Management, Negotiation and Communication
  • 10.000€ for doctoral students.
  • 15.000€ for post-doctoral students.

Eligibilities

  • Nationality & Location: Must be a citizen of one of the 49 Sub-Saharan African countries (including South Africa) and be conducting research within a laboratory or institution in one of these countries.
  • Research Fields: Research must be in Formal, Life, Environmental, Physical, Engineering, or Technological Sciences.
  • Doctoral Candidate Requirements:
    • Must be currently enrolled in a doctoral school.
    • Specifics: Must be in their second year of PhD or higher (first-year students are not eligible).
  • Post-doctoral Researcher Requirements:
    • Must be enrolled in a post-doctorate and have started their research before the call for applications opened.
    • Academic Cut-off: Must have defended their thesis after February 2021.
  • Maternity Clause: The 5-year post-thesis window is extended by one year per child.
  • General Exclusion: Previous awardees of any L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science national or regional program are not eligible.
Eligible Regions: Open to 49 Sub-Saharan African countries (including South Africa).

Application Process

To submit applications/nominations for this program, the call for application needs to be open and you must be logged in to your account.

Application Deadline: May 15, 2026 (36 Days Remaining)

Apply nowOfficial link

For Further Queries

For any questions relating to the regulations, please consult the online FAQ on the platform www.forwomeninscience.co
Disclaimer: Youth Opportunities spreads opportunities for your convenience and ease based on available information, and thus, does not take any responsibility of unintended alternative or inaccurate information. As this is not the official page, we recommend you to visit the official website of opportunity provider for complete information. For organizations, this opportunity is shared with sole purpose of promoting “Access to Information” for all and should not be associated with any other purposes.

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