Call for Applications: Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme for African Women in Science 2024

Founded in 1998, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Fellowships aims to promote and encourage young African women in science. Its programs reward established women scientists whose outstanding achievements have contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge and of its benefits to society and provide support to promising young women who are already making significant contributions in their scientific disciplines.

This program identifies and rewards talented young female scientists in the field of Life Sciences (such as biology, biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, physiology, neurosciences, biotechnologies, ecology and ethology) as well as Physical Sciences (such as physics, chemistry, petroleum engineering, mathematics, engineering sciences, information sciences, and earth and universe sciences).

About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. Political and economic arrangements of governments are not enough to secure the lasting and sincere support of the peoples. Peace must be founded upon dialogue and mutual understanding. Peace must be built upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity. I... continue reading

Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme

Aim and Benefits of Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme

• €10,000 each will be granted to Ph.D. Students enrolled in- an African University.
• €15,000 each will be granted to 2 postdoctoral researchers- working in a laboratory or research institute registered in one of the region’s countries.

Requirements for Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme Qualification

Applicants for L’Oréal-UNESCO Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme must meet the following general criteria:

• Having obtained Ph.D. degree in Life or Physical Sciences or pursuing studies leading to a Ph.D. degree
• Having the nationality of a Sub-Saharan African country
• Working in a Research Laboratory or Institution in one of the region’s countries or being- enrolled in a doctoral programme at a University in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Candidates must be no more than 40 years old by the end of the application period for- PhD and not more than 45 years for Post-doctoral.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme

Selection Criteria: 

The selection criteria of the candidate by the jury are the following:

• The candidate’s outstanding academic records (including number, quality and impact of the publications (impact factors to be submitted), conference presentations, patents…)
• The scientific quality of the research project
• The innovative nature and productivity of the research and its potential application in science

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Applications can be only made  here  by the candidates themselves.  An application is considered complete only if it includes all documents below:

• A detailed Curriculum Vitae (including outreach activities among youth, tutoring, etc.)
• Certified copies of the degrees or recent diplomas-
• A proof of having obtained a Ph.D. degree for postdoctoral candidates-
• A proof of being enrolled in an African University for doctoral candidates-
• A detailed project of maximum 2 pages, including:
  • The research project description
  • The proposed use of the grant motivating the candidature with some budget indications
• Letters of recommendation from the research supervisor and/or the director of the- scientific institution where the research project is carried or the Dean of the University under which the candidate is running her research
• The list of publications and patents

Incomplete files or received after the deadline for application, as well as candidatures that do not meet the requirements mentioned above, will not be taken into consideration.

For more details, visit L’Oréal-UNESCO website.