Why a scholarship programme? 

The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions is well documented. Not only do women make up a small fraction of the workforce and research teams in STEM, but they are also published less, paid less and are less likely to reach positions of leadership than their male counterparts, despite being proven to be on average 8% more productive. 

Scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year are now open!                                                                                  

  1. ASEAN – UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships: The UK Government, in collaboration with the UK Mission to ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat, has awarded scholarships to exceptional women from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste. This initiative, funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the ASEAN – UK Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education (SAGE) Programme, aims to address gender disparities in digital skills and employment across the region.  

  1. British Council Women in STEM Scholarship Programme: Working in partnership with UK universities, the British Council's Women in STEM scholarship programme is designed to help address this situation by providing opportunities for women to continue with their studies through funding for a one-year master's degree in the UK. The programme is in its fifth consecutive year, having awarded over 400 scholarships.

Those who successfully secure a scholarship will benefit from: 

  • Academic prestige of attending a leading UK university. 
  • Economic support including tuition fees, living stipend, travel costs, visa and health coverage fees. 
  • English language support (IELTS). Please note that the costs of applying for the IELTS exam will be reimbursed to successful applicants only. 
  • Special support for mothers and people with caring responsibilities. 

 

Eligibility 

We are looking for women and people who identify as women who:  

  • can take up a course of study in the UK for the 2025-2026 academic year, starting in September/October 2025.  
  • can demonstrate a need for financial support.  
  • have an undergraduate degree that will enable them to gain access onto one of the pre-selected postgraduate courses at a UK university (for master’s level).  
  • can attain the level of English required for postgraduate study at a UK university.  
  • are active in the field with work experience or a proven interest in their subject area.  
  • are passionate about their course of study and are willing to engage as committed as the scholarship recipient alumni.  
  • To apply for ASEAN – UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships you need to be from one of the following countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste.  
  • To apply for British Council Women in STEM Scholarship Programme you need to be from one of the following countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.  

You are not eligible for Women in STEM Scholarship if you:  

  • Hold dual British citizenship.  
  • Are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of His Majesty’s Government (including British Embassies/High Commissions; the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Department for International Trade; the Ministry of Defence; and the Home Office); the British Council.  
  • Are currently in receipt of financial support or funding towards your study programme in the UK from any other source. 
  • Have previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK government-funded scholarship or a UK institutional scholarship/financial bursary.  

* Relatives are defined as parents or stepparents, siblings or stepsiblings, children or stepchildren, spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner (where the couple have been in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years).  

How to apply 

Click on the links below to visit the websites of the UK higher education institutions that we are working with to provide the scholarships and apply for the course(s) that you are interested in. You can make more than one application, but you will need to apply through each institution separately. 

ASEAN UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships:  

Malaysia  University of Warwick 

Applicable courses -  

Analytical Sciences and Instrumentation (ASI)

Polymer Chemistry

Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Science route) (GDCC)

Humanitarian Engineering

Humanitarian Engineering with Sustainability

Humanitarian Engineering with Management 

Diagnostics, Data and Digital Health

Digital Transformation for Healthcare

Healthcare Operational Management

Sustainable Automotive Electrification

Applied Artificial Intelligence

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brunei Darussalam 

University of Warwick 

 

Applicable courses -  

Analytical Sciences and Instrumentation (ASI)

Polymer Chemistry

Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Science route) (GDCC)

Humanitarian Engineering

Humanitarian Engineering with Sustainability

Humanitarian Engineering with Management 

Diagnostics, Data and Digital Health

Digital Transformation for Healthcare

Healthcare Operational Management

Sustainable Automotive Electrification

Applied Artificial Intelligence

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brunei Darussalam 

Manchester University 

Applicable courses -  

Precision Medicine

Medical and Molecular Virology

Clinical Biochemistry

Molecular Pathology of Cancer

Clinical Immunology

Health Data Science

Audiology

Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REaCT)

Geosciences for Sustainable Energy (GSE)

Subsurface Energy Engineering (SEE)

Biomaterials

Advanced Manufacturing Technology & Systems Management (AMTSM)

Robotics

Advanced Computer Science

British Council Women in STEM Scholarship Programme: 

Malaysia

Brunel University 

(Application deadline extended to 22 April, 2025)

Applicable courses –  

Flood & Coastal Engineering (with Infrastructure Design)

Water and Environmental Engineering

Public Health & Health Promotion

Mechanisms and Therapy in Cancer

Sustainable Electric Power

Artificial Intelligence

Note: Deadlines for scholarships vary across the institutions taking part. Check deadlines with your chosen institution carefully to avoid any disappointment. For questions relating to your course of interest, please contact the university in question. All applications must be directly submitted to the respective higher education institution. After submitting an application, you will next hear directly from the university about the status of your application. 

Brunel University has extended the Women in STEM Scholarships application deadline to midnight on 22 April 2025, due to its Easter closure.

If you have questions about the scholarships, please contact the British Council by emailing WomenInStem.Scholarships@britishcouncil.org. Should you be unable to locate the university’s contact information, you may also email us. 
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