L’Oréal-UNESCO Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme 2024 for African Women in Science

L’Oréal-UNESCO Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme 2024: Each year the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science call for application from talented young African women scientists to receive fellowship grants to pursue promising research projects.

Application Deadline: 15th March 2024

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: Sub- Saharan African countries listed below

To be taken at (country): Sub-Saharan African Universities

About L’Oréal-UNESCO Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme: 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.

Eligible Field of Study: 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).

Eligibility: 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.

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

Number of Awards: The Program honors 15 doctorates and 5 post-doctorates every year.

Value of L’Oréal-UNESCO 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.

Eligible Countries: South Africa, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Níger, Nigeria, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tomé & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Chad, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe

How to Apply for L’Oréal-UNESCO Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme: 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.

It is important to download and go through application rules and regulations from the Fellowship Webpage below before applying

Visit Fellowship Webpage for details