Are you a woman who holds a degree in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and has a passion for studying and learning?

You may be eligible to receive a scholarship for a Master’s program in the UK.

The British Council launches a scholarship program in partnership with 26 UK universities to support women from the Americas, South Asia and South East Asia in pursuing a Masters in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programme. ) at one of the UK’s leading universities.

Main benefits

• academic prestige – UK universities are among the world’s leaders in the field of STEM;
• economic assistance will include tuition, travel costs, visas and health coverage fees;
• special support for mothers.

Eligibility Criteria

The British Council looks for women who:

• whether citizens and residents of Brazil or Mexico and Peru – for the full list of eligible countries, visit the  British Council global website;
• are able to take a full-time course in the UK during the academic year September/October – 2022 to 2023;
• can demonstrate the need for financial support;
• hold an undergraduate degree that allows entry to pre-selected postgraduate courses at participating UK universities;
• are active in the STEM field with work experience or a demonstrated interest in their subject area;
• are passionate about their studies and willing to get involved as alumni of the British Council.

Women’s STEM Programs at Universities Abroad

Although the landscape is finally changing, women are still a minority in STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – worldwide. According to a US Census Bureau census, while 48% of the entire workforce in the United States are women, only 27% work in STEM. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the UK have initiatives to attract more women to areas hitherto predominantly male-dominated – womeninstem.org.au, womeninstem.co.nz and womeninstem.co.uk.

This latest initiative even includes an article on the positive impact of diversity in the workplace, such as creativity and innovation, which, as a result, generates solutions that can benefit society on a global scale.

“The need to address gender balance in STEM occupations is evident. Women make up just 24% of all people employed in STEM industries [in the UK]. A key area of ​​concern is the huge drop in the number of girls who study STEM subjects after age 16,” the article explains.

The United Kingdom, through the Women’s Engineering Society , was responsible for creating the International Day of Women in Engineering, celebrated on 23 June every year.

In Brazil, of the 960 thousand engineers registered with the Federal Council of Engineering and Agronomy (Confea), only 18% are women, according to the Brasil Engenharia website. Despite this disheartening number, Confea data also showed that female registration grew by 42% between 2016 and 2018.

Everyone wins if that number keeps growing. But it’s not just diversity in the job market. It is to increase the number of female students in the classrooms of universities around the world in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. The more women who graduate in STEM, the more they will be able to assume leadership roles and naturalize diversity in fields that until recently were considered masculine.

The idea that women are not good at exacts has to end.

Women in STEM: programs for women in STEM around the world

For this purpose, many universities around the world create initiatives and programs especially for women interested in studying and building a career in STEM fields.

Research published in PNAS, a multidisciplinary scientific journal, for example, found that professors at research universities rated male student applications as more competent than equally qualified female applications.

Because of injustices and prejudices like these and many others faced by women in male-dominated courses and sectors, initiatives created by universities are important. They foster a safe environment and a welcoming community of women and professionals invested in women’s success in science, technology, engineering and math.

If you, as a woman, are considering studying a STEM field abroad – or even in Brazil – we suggest researching the university’s diversity program, initiatives that encourage more women to enroll in STEM, scholarships specifically targeting women in STEM, classrooms with more balanced numbers between men and women and other factors that prove the genuine interest in changing this scenario of inequality.

The same goes for men – everyone benefits from a diverse classroom and job market!

Below, we’ve selected Women in STEM programs at universities in the world’s top study destinations to serve as examples.

1. Iowa State University, United States

Iowa State University has had the WiSE ( Women in Science and Engineering ) program, for women in science and engineering since 1986.

Concerned about the underrepresentation and underutilization of women in these fields, the faculties of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Design, Engineering, Humanities, Liberal Arts and Sciences and Business, through WiSE, inspire, support and empower current students and future generations to persist and thrive in STEM communities to achieve equity in the area.

At Iowa State, there is an extensive list of courses in STEM such as aerospace engineering, agronomy, biophysics, computer science, data science, genetics, environmental science, industrial technology, microbiology, nursing and more.

WiSE’s community of students and professionals forms global citizens for 21st century careers through experiential learning and leadership opportunities. The program also cultivates environments where women feel safe, welcomed, included and valued so that each of them can reach their potential.

2. University of South Australia, Australia

The University of South Australia has a student club called Women in STEM UniSA formed by university students with the aim of connecting all women, even those not enrolled in a STEM course, and promoting an inclusive culture through community involvement.

The club serves as a great support network for women in areas not traditionally occupied by them, such as aviation, biochemistry, biology, computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, psychology and statistics.

Among the activities promoted by the club, there are workshops and networking events with professionals in the sector.

3. Imperial College London, United Kingdom

Imperial College London, a renowned university in London, UK, has the official WOMENinSTEM@IC group, which is affiliated with the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). It has the following objectives:

• Inspiring and supporting women to reach their potential as scientific engineers and technical leaders;
• Provide a platform for personal and professional growth with mentoring, networking and advice;
• Improve retention of young women in STEM courses;
• Increase the exchange of ideas between Imperial’s academic departments to, consequently, increase career opportunities for graduate students;
• Facilitate dialogue, connections and collaborations between partner groups, academics, students and collaborators to further increase diversity in organizations.

Imperial College STEM students have access to mentoring, sponsorship, support groups, networking events, content and more.

4. Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

“Women are underrepresented in engineering, technology, science and math. These fields change the way we live – but they need more women and people of color to help create new developments that serve the whole of society, not only to a small segment”, says the official website of the AUT.

This famous New Zealand university has a number of women’s STEM groups and networks, such as the following examples:

• AUT STEM Women: Facebook group maintained by university students to encourage and support more women to enroll in STEM courses;
• TechWomen NZ: a group of individuals from technical, digital and IT organizations working to address the shortage of women in technology roles, one of the biggest challenges to the successful growth of technology in New Zealand;
• She Can Code: Created as an online event in 2018, She Can Code now takes place annually during AUT’s Tech Week with the goal of bringing as many girls, women and non-binary people into the field as possible. coding – computer programming;
• She Sharp: group dedicated to the academic and professional development of women in computer science, computer engineering, IT and other technology-related areas.

These are some examples; AUT has more student groups and clubs that encourage women in STEM both inside and outside the university.

5. University of Adelaide, Australia

The University of Adelaide (UoA) in Australia has a Careers Program for Women in STEM.

The Women in STEM Careers Program encourages women to pursue careers in the growing fields of STEM where they have traditionally been underrepresented. With the help of partners and sponsors, the program provides professional development opportunities for young women in the university’s STEM courses, with a series of leadership, career development and entrepreneurship workshops.

There is also a personal development component focused on students’ confidence, strengths and resilience.