Searching for scholarships for women 2026 can leave you with a long list but no clear idea of what you can still apply for. Some well known programmes have already closed. Meanwhile, others are open now or preparing to accept applications for study in 2027.
This guide separates those groups. It compares current status, funding, study level and the main eligibility limits using information published by the providers.
It also makes an important distinction between a full scholarship and a fixed grant. A US$5,000 award may be valuable, but do not call it fully funded if tuition and living costs are much higher.
Three opportunities in this guide were accepting applications when checked on 29 August 2026: AAUW International Fellowships, the MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship and the Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards.
Faculty for the Future and the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship were preparing to open in September.
Application pages can change after publication. The table links to the three programmes that were open when checked. For every other opportunity, search for the named page on the provider’s website and confirm the latest status before preparing documents.
Scholarships for Women 2026: Quick Comparison
First, the table shows opportunities that were open on the date of checking. Upcoming and closed programmes appear separately so that you do not mistake an old programme page for a live application.
Open on 29 August 2026
| Programme | Funding | Main eligibility point | Current deadline | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAUW International Fellowships | US$20,000 for a master’s degree or US$25,000 for a doctorate | Women who are not US citizens or permanent residents and are pursuing their first master’s or doctorate in a STEM field. A minimum 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale and full time study are required | 17 September 2026 at 5 pm Eastern Time | AAUW International Fellowships |
| MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship | Grand prize of US$5,000, plus awards of US$2,000 and US$1,000 | International or DACA women accepted to or enrolled on a full time STEM degree at an MPOWER supported institution in the US or Canada | 31 December 2026 at 11.59 pm Eastern Time | MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship |
| Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards | Recipients can receive between US$1,000 and US$16,000 through the different judging levels | Women with financial need who provide the main financial support for themselves and their dependants. Applicants must be entering or attending vocational training or an undergraduate degree in an eligible Soroptimist country or territory | 15 November 2026 | Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards |
However, none of these three opportunities promises to meet every study cost. Before applying, compare the award with your remaining tuition, accommodation and living expenses.
Opening soon
| Programme | Funding | Main eligibility point | Opening and closing dates | Provider page to check |
| Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future | A grant based on eligible study and living costs, available funding and other support. The provider decides the final amount | Women from developing or emerging economies who are preparing for PhD or postdoctoral STEM study abroad and meet the programme’s return and academic career conditions | 1 September to 6 November 2026 for new 2027 to 2028 fellowships | Faculty for the Future applications page |
| P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship | Up to US$12,500. P.E.O. states that the award is not intended to meet all academic or personal expenses | International women pursuing an advanced degree in the US or Canada, with a full year of formal coursework remaining. First time doctoral applicants doing dissertation work only do not qualify | Eligibility forms accepted from 15 September to 15 December 2026 | P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship page |
These programmes are worth preparing for now. However, do not submit through an old form or an unofficial listing before the provider opens its current application system.
Closed international programmes to monitor
| Programme | Verified 2026 position | Funding and main limitation | Provider page to check |
| British Council Women in STEM Scholarships | The 2026 to 2027 application round is closed | A full scholarship worth at least £40,000 for an eligible one year STEM master’s course at a participating UK university. Country and course lists apply | British Council Women in STEM page |
| L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Sub Saharan Africa | The 2026 round closed on 15 May 2026 | Thirty doctoral grants of €10,000 and eight postdoctoral grants of €15,000. Applicants had to be citizens of one of the 49 named Sub Saharan African countries and conduct research in the region | L’Oréal UNESCO 2026 Sub Saharan Africa call |
| Society of Women Engineers Scholarships | Main 2026 application windows have closed. Collegiate and graduate applications normally open in January, while first year and India routes use separate timelines | Many separate awards rather than one scholarship. Academic stage, location, programme accreditation and award amount vary | SWE scholarship application page |
Closed education support awards
| Programme | Verified 2026 position | Funding and main limitation | Provider page to check |
| Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Support Awards | The 2026 to 2027 cycle closed on 1 August 2026 | Five awards of up to US$5,000 for low income women with minor children. Applicants had to live in the US and study full time at an eligible not for profit US institution | Patsy Mink Education Support Awards page |
| AWIS First Generation College Student Scholarship | The 2026 cycle is closed | Up to four US$2,000 awards. Applicants must be AWIS members in the first three years of undergraduate study at a US institution, study an eligible science and be first generation students under the provider’s definition | AWIS scholarships page |
| ESA Foundation Computer and Video Game Arts and Sciences Scholarship | The 2026 to 2027 scholars have been selected. Applications for 2027 to 2028 are due to become available on 1 March 2027 | For US citizens who are women or members of another underrepresented group, have financial need and are pursuing an eligible undergraduate video game related degree at an accredited four year institution | ESA Foundation scholarships page |
Other closed awards to monitor
| Programme | Verified 2026 position | Funding and main limitation | Provider page to check |
| Zonta Women in Business Leadership Award | The 2025 round is closed. Zonta says to check again in September 2026 | Ten international awards of US$10,000. Applicants must be women aged 18 to 35 with evidence of leadership, entrepreneurship, ethical conduct and relevant social impact. This is an achievement award, not a tuition scholarship | Zonta Women in Business Leadership Award page |
| Zonta Amelia Earhart Fellowship | The main page still shows the 2026 round as closed. Zonta’s 2026 to 2028 programme material gives 15 November 2026 as the next international deadline, so confirm that the new form is live before applying | US$10,000 for up to 30 women pursuing a full time doctorate in aerospace engineering or space sciences. Postdoctoral researchers do not qualify | Amelia Earhart Fellowship page |
| AWIS Distinguished Doctoral Research Scholarship | The 2026 cycle is closed | US$10,000 for an AWIS member enrolled at a US institution whose doctoral research falls within an eligible science and who expects to graduate within two years of the application deadline | AWIS scholarships page |
What Fully Funded Means in This Guide
The British Council Women in STEM programme is the clearest full scholarship in this list. Its published package includes tuition, a living stipend, travel, visa costs, health related charges and, where needed, English language support.
By contrast, the other opportunities provide fixed fellowships, research grants or education awards. They may cover a large share of one person’s costs, but the provider does not promise to pay every expense.
For example, P.E.O. explicitly says its International Peace Scholarship is not intended to cover all academic or personal costs. The applicant must show additional financial resources.
AAUW provides a fixed stipend, while MPOWER offers three fixed prizes. Therefore, applicants should not treat either one as automatic full funding.
Before accepting any partial award, calculate:
Tuition + accommodation + food + local travel + visa and health costs + flights + course costs − confirmed funding = remaining gap
Finally, do not count an award as confirmed until the provider has selected you and issued its formal terms.
Scholarships for Women 2026 That Are Open Now
AAUW International Fellowships
AAUW’s current International Fellowship is narrower than many old summaries suggest. For the 2027 to 2028 cycle, it is mainly for non US women pursuing their first master’s or academic or professional doctorate in a STEM discipline.
Applicants need at least a bachelor’s equivalent and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for their highest completed degree.
In addition, they must have admission or enrolment evidence and normally study full time in the United States. Limited exceptions exist for study in another country, so applicants should read the location and Graduate Women International conditions carefully.
In practical terms, the award is US$20,000 for a master’s programme or US$25,000 for a doctorate. The application opened on 17 August and closes on 17 September 2026 at 5 pm Eastern Time.
This is one of the strongest live scholarships for women 2026, but it is not open to every subject or every postgraduate student. Check the STEM rule, GPA requirement and first degree condition before starting the form.
MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship
MPOWER’s scholarship is open to international and DACA women studying at an MPOWER supported institution in the United States or Canada.
Applicants need an offer for, or current enrolment on, a full time STEM degree and the legal status required to study in the relevant country.
The 2026 prizes are US$5,000, US$2,000 and US$1,000. Applications close on 31 December 2026 at 11.59 pm Eastern Time.
However, the main restriction is the institution list. Admission to a US or Canadian university is not enough by itself. Check that your institution appears on MPOWER’s supported school list before writing the application essays.
Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards
This programme is different from a normal academic merit scholarship. It supports women who provide the main financial support for themselves and their dependants and have financial need.
Applicants need an offer for, or current enrolment on, vocational training or an undergraduate degree. Someone who already has a graduate degree or is pursuing one does not qualify.
The programme also operates only in the countries and territories served by Soroptimist International of the Americas.
First, awards begin at club level and can rise through regional and international judging. A recipient may then receive between US$1,000 and US$16,000 in total. Applications are open from 1 August to 15 November.
This route is particularly relevant to women balancing study with childcare or other dependant costs. However, applicants should check the country list before preparing a personal statement.
Scholarships for Women 2026 Opening in September
Faculty for the Future
Faculty for the Future supports women from developing and emerging economies who are pursuing PhD or postdoctoral STEM research abroad. It seeks recipients who plan to return and contribute to teaching, research and scientific leadership in their home regions.
The application system will accept new applications from 1 September to 6 November 2026 for fellowships beginning in the 2027 to 2028 cycle, according to the provider’s published timetable.
However, this is not a general master’s scholarship. Applicants should first check their country, research field, study stage and academic career plans against the official rules. They should also prepare references and research information before the portal opens.
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship
P.E.O. supports international women completing an advanced degree in the United States or Canada. The maximum award is US$12,500, and smaller awards may be made according to need.
Importantly, the provider requires a full year of formal coursework to remain. Therefore, a first time doctoral applicant who has finished coursework and is working only on a dissertation cannot apply.
Online courses, stand alone research, internships and practical training without formal coursework are also excluded.
Eligibility forms open on 15 September and close on 15 December 2026. Applicants who pass that stage receive later deadlines for their complete materials.
Strong Programmes That Have Already Closed
British Council Women in STEM Scholarships
The British Council programme offered full funding for eligible one year STEM master’s degrees in the UK. In addition, the package included tuition, a living stipend and several major travel and immigration costs, with each scholarship worth at least £40,000.
However, the 2026 to 2027 round is closed. It should remain in this guide as a programme to monitor, not as an award someone can enter today. Do not assume another cycle until the British Council publishes new dates, eligible countries, courses and participating universities.
L’Oréal UNESCO Sub Saharan Africa Programme
The 2026 regional programme offered 30 doctoral research grants of €10,000 and eight postdoctoral grants of €15,000. It covered 49 Sub Saharan African countries, including South Africa after the regional programmes merged.
In addition, applicants had to conduct their research at an institution within the region. Doctoral applicants needed to be in at least the second year of their PhD, while postdoctoral applicants had separate thesis date conditions.
However, the round closed on 15 May 2026. This example also shows why “L’Oréal scholarship” is too vague. The organisation runs different national and regional programmes with different amounts, subjects and dates. Use the programme map on the L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science website to find the correct national or regional call.
Awards for US based students and researchers
The Patsy Mink and AWIS programmes are useful, but their geographic limits need to be clear.
Patsy Mink’s 2026 awards were for women aged at least 17 who had minor children, met the published low income limits, lived in the US and studied full time at an eligible US institution. However, the cycle closed on 1 August.
AWIS’s First Generation and Distinguished Doctoral Research scholarships also require AWIS membership and enrolment at a US based institution.
Their 2026 rounds are closed. International students already studying in the US may qualify if they meet every stated rule, but these are not worldwide awards.
Other Major Scholarships Women Can Apply For
Women should not limit their search to awards carrying the word women in the title. Major programmes such as Chevening, Commonwealth Scholarships, Gates Cambridge, Clarendon and the Rhodes Scholarship may accept eligible women, but they are not scholarships created only for women.
Therefore, that distinction matters for accuracy. A useful funding plan can include both:
- Awards created specifically for women.
- General scholarships that fit your nationality, course and study level.
Do not add a general scholarship to a women only list without explaining the difference.
How to Choose the Right Scholarship
Start with the conditions that can disqualify you immediately:
- Current status: Is the application actually open?
- Country: Does the provider accept your nationality and study location?
- Study level: Is it for undergraduate, master’s, doctorate, postdoctoral research or vocational training?
- Subject: Is the award limited to STEM, engineering, aerospace, video games or another field?
- Personal condition: Does it require financial need, dependant responsibility, a particular age or first generation status?
- Funding gap: Can you meet the costs left after the award?
For example, a woman with dependants on an undergraduate course may fit Soroptimist but not P.E.O. A non US woman beginning her first STEM master’s in the United States may fit AAUW, while an aerospace doctoral researcher may be better matched to Amelia Earhart.
Overall, this method is more useful than applying according to the largest headline amount.
Documents to Prepare
The exact documents differ, but the verified programmes commonly request some of the following:
- Academic transcripts or degree certificates.
- Admission or enrolment evidence.
- Passport, citizenship or immigration documents.
- CV or résumé.
- Personal or academic statement.
- Research proposal or synopsis for doctoral awards.
- References.
- Financial information where need is assessed.
- English language evidence where the programme requires it.
However, read the current application instructions before asking for documents. For example, AAUW requires two recommendations and specific academic evidence, while Soroptimist uses its own online reference process.
In addition, if you need help planning your written evidence, our winning scholarship personal statement guide explains how to use real examples without making the statement sound exaggerated.
A Practical Application Plan
First, open the provider’s own page and confirm that you match the compulsory rules. Next, note the deadline with its time zone. Then work backwards to set an earlier deadline for your references and documents.
Then, write each application for that programme. Do not send one general answer to AAUW, MPOWER and Soroptimist because they assess different things.
AAUW considers academic strength, STEM plans and commitment to women and girls. MPOWER asks applicants to show their potential in STEM. Soroptimist focuses on financial need, dependants, education and career goals.
For a fuller application process, including research, references and submission checks, use our winning scholarship application guide. This article stays focused on choosing and verifying women specific awards rather than repeating that general advice.
Finally, save the application instructions, the version you submitted and the confirmation email. Never pay a fee simply to receive a scholarship or to release an award.
Scholarships for Women 2026 and Real Study Costs
Although a partial scholarship can still help, it does not automatically make an overseas course affordable. Therefore, build a complete budget before accepting an offer.
First, include tuition, accommodation, food, local transport, flights, visa charges, health costs, deposits and course expenses. Then subtract only funding confirmed in writing.
If you are still deciding where to study, our guide to the best study abroad countries for African students can help you compare the wider financial and practical position before choosing a destination.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating every grant as fully funded
A fixed grant is not full funding unless the provider confirms that it will meet all the major costs. Use the provider’s exact wording.
Ignoring the application year
Recruitment during 2026 may fund study in 2027 or 2028. Record both the application deadline and the funded academic year.
Assuming a programme is worldwide
SWE, AWIS, Patsy Mink, ESA and Soroptimist all have important location or citizenship conditions. A provider’s international reputation does not mean every applicant worldwide can enter.
Using an old application form
Some programme pages remain online after a round closes. Check the current date and whether the application portal is accepting submissions.
Writing before checking compulsory rules
Do not spend hours on a statement before checking nationality, study level, subject, institution and financial conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which scholarships for women 2026 are open now?
AAUW International Fellowships, the MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship and Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards were open when checked on 29 August 2026.
Are all scholarships for women 2026 fully funded?
No. Most opportunities in this guide are fixed fellowships, grants or education awards. The closed British Council Women in STEM programme is the clearest full scholarship in the comparison.
Can African women apply?
It depends on the programme. Faculty for the Future supports women from developing and emerging economies. AAUW accepts eligible non US citizens, and MPOWER accepts international students at supported US and Canadian institutions.
The L’Oréal UNESCO Sub Saharan Africa programme is regional, but its 2026 round has closed. Always check the country and study location rules.
Can undergraduate students apply?
Yes, but not to every programme. MPOWER, Soroptimist, SWE, Patsy Mink, AWIS First Generation and ESA may support eligible undergraduates. AAUW International Fellowships, Faculty for the Future and P.E.O. focus on postgraduate study.
Can I combine two scholarships?
Sometimes. Each provider sets its own rules, and one award may affect another funding offer. Disclose other funding when asked and read the acceptance conditions before combining awards.
Should I prepare for a scholarship that is closed?
Only if the programme still suits you and the provider indicates that another cycle is expected. Sign up for official updates, but keep applying to live opportunities rather than waiting for one unconfirmed reopening.
Scholarships for Women 2026: Final Check
The most useful scholarship is not automatically the one with the largest award. It is the one that is open, accepts your circumstances and reduces enough of your real funding gap.
Start with AAUW, MPOWER or Soroptimist if you meet their current rules. Prepare for Faculty for the Future or P.E.O. if those September openings fit your study plans.
Treat the remaining programmes as closed or monitoring opportunities until their providers publish a new live form.
Most importantly, use the official provider page. Scholarship status, eligibility and funding can change, and an old deadline copied across several websites does not become accurate through repetition.