British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM

Overview

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. They build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

The British Council has established programmes to support Women and Girls in STEM around the world, designed with a lifecycle approach in mind, from inspiring young girls to stay in STEM to supporting women working in STEM fields reach positions of leadership and network with their peers in their region and the UK.

This year, supported by the British Council, the University of Strathclyde is delighted to announce six fully funded scholarships for female students from South Asia interested in pursuing master’s studies in the field of Energy Transition. The six scholarships are on offer for female students from the following countries: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Each of these scholarships covers full tuition fees, monthly stipends, a return economy class ticket and other study-related costs such as IELTS exam fee, visa application, NHS surcharge and study materials.

• Number of scholarships: 6 scholarships available
• Value: Full costs of study - tuition fees, monthly stipend etc
• Opens: 10 December 2020
• Deadline: 31 March 2021
• Help with: Tuition fees, Living costs, Travel costs, Equipment and study costs, Childcare
• Duration: The scholarship will last for the duration of the one year MSc

Eligibility

The following programmes are eligible for these scholarships:

• Advanced Chemical Engineering
• Advanced Mechanical Engineering
• Advanced Mechanical Engineering with Energy Systems
• Advanced Mechanical Engineering with Industrial Placement
• Advanced Mechanical Engineering with Power Plant Technologies
• Electrical Power and Energy Systems
• Electronic and Electrical Engineering
• Energy Systems Innovation
• Offshore Wind Energy
• Smart Grids
• Subsea and Pipeline Engineering
• Sustainable Engineering: Chemical Processing
• Sustainable Engineering: Offshore Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Engineering: Renewable Energy Systems and the Environment
• Wind Energy Systems

To be eligible for the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM, you must:

• Be a woman (cis-gendered or trans) or identify as non-binary.
• Be a passport holder and permanent resident of one of the eligible countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.
• Have submitted an application to study on one of the eligible University of Strathclyde postgraduate programmes, as listed above.
• Have completed all components of an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry onto a postgraduate programme at the University of Strathclyde by the time you submit your application and be due to start your postgraduate programme in the UK during 2021.
• Demonstrate a case for financial support need via a means-test conducted by the University of Strathclyde.
• Have not previously studied at degree level or higher in the UK or lived recently in the UK.
• You must not be in receipt of financial support or funding towards your study programme in the UK from any other source.
• Meet the English language requirement of the University of Strathclyde (or are expected to meet the requirement after a 3-month English Language pre-sessional course).
• Return to your country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after your scholarship award has ended.
• You are required to show in your application that you are active in the field with work experience or with a proven interest in the programme area you are applying for.
• You are willing to demonstrate future contribution to capacity-building and socio-economic advancement through the benefits achieved after graduating from UK higher education and returning your home country.
• You must demonstrate in your application a plan and passion to engage other women and girls in STEM from your home country.
• You agree that your personal data being shared with the British Council as a condition of applying for the bursary.
• If you are awarded a scholarship, you agree to maintain contact with the British Council and act as an ambassador for the UK and engage with activities as part of a British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM alumnus during and after your study in the UK. Any involvement in these activities during your study in the UK will take up no more than five hours per term.

You are NOT eligible for a British Council Scholarship if you:

• Hold dual British citizenship.
• Have previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK Government-funded scholarship or a UK institutional scholarship/financial bursary.
• Are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of Her 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).
• Are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM – eligible countries.

(*): Relatives are defined as parents or step-parents, siblings or step-siblings, children or step-children, 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).

Number of Scholarships

The scholarship covers the full costs associated with study at the University of Strathclyde, this includes:

• Tuition fees
• Up to 15-months monthly stipend at the rate of £1,116 p/month to cover costs of living, including accommodation
• Fees for an up to 3-month pre-sessional English course if required (3 months accommodation and stipend included in the 15-month timeframe stated above)
• IELTS exam fee (for scholars without a valid Test of English)
• Return economy-class travel from home country to UK (this will not reimburse costs of fares for dependants)
• Study-related costs, such as essential travel, materials, equipment, thesis printing etc.
• Visa and insurance / NHS surcharge costs
• Ad hoc costs (heavy baggage allowance, etc.)
• If the scholar is a mother and widowed, divorced or a single parent, the bursary should also cover child allowance of at least £465 per month for the first child, and £114 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if they are accompanied by their children and are living at the same address in the UK.