The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Programme is a unified initiative created in 2026 through the merger of the South African National Programme and the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Programme. For over 25 years, the Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO have worked together to support women in science. This programme now serves researchers from all 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, and aims to build a single Pan-African community of scientific excellence.
Program Overview
• Partners: UNESCO
• Awards: The programme provides research grants for thirty (30) doctoral candidates and eight (8) post-doctoral research candidates, along with training in Leadership, Management, Negotiation, and Communication.
• Endowment Amounts: Doctoral students receive €10,000, and post-doctoral students receive €15,000.
Main Eligibility Criteria
• Nationality & Location: Applicants must be citizens of one of the 49 Sub-Saharan African countries, including South Africa, and must 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: Applicants must be currently enrolled in a doctoral school and must be in their second year of a PhD or higher. First-year students are not eligible.
• Post-doctoral Researcher Requirements: Applicants must be enrolled in a post-doctorate program and must have started their research before the call for applications opened. They must have defended their thesis after February 2021.
• Maternity Clause: The five-year post-thesis eligibility window is extended by one year per child.
• General Exclusion: Previous awardees of any L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science national or regional programme are not eligible.
Selection Criteria
• Scientific excellence of the research project
• Quality of the application
• Ability to communicate and promote science
Application Timeline
• Call for Applications Opens: 11 March 2026
• Application Deadline: 15 May 2026
• Final Selection of Candidates: 6 July 2026
Program History
• Initial Launch Date: 2010
• Total Endowments Awarded Since Launch: 320
This programme seeks to identify and support the next generation of women scientists across Sub-Saharan Africa who are committed to excellence and positioned to make meaningful contributions in their fields. It offers international scientific recognition and the opportunity to join a long-standing community advancing African scientific discovery.