OWSD PhD Fellowship for Women Scientists

Who can apply

Applications are not currently open; the criteria below describe the programme as it last ran
Woman scientist from one of OWSD's 48 Least Developed Countries or 18 further eligible low-income countries
Holds an MSc or equivalent; no upper age limit
Not resident or registered at a university in a developed country
Full-time mode: up to 4 years of study at a host institute in a developing country other than the applicant's own
Sandwich mode: registered at a home-country university, visiting a host institute in another developing country for at least 6 months at a time, up to three visits and 20 months total
Must independently secure a potential PhD supervisor and a preliminary or commitment letter from the host institute before applying; there is no nominating body

A track record worth knowing, even while the programme is paused

Before it paused, this was a genuinely large and well-tracked programme, not a small pilot. OWSD’s own page states it has awarded nearly 600 fellowships in total, with over 400 already completed, and a retention rate above 80 percent, which OWSD describes as comparing favourably against other international PhD programmes. Funding for the programme has come in part from donors including Sweden’s international development agency SIDA, and OWSD frames the pause as a funding gap to close rather than a wind-down of the programme itself.

No supervisor-matching: you find your own host

The application mechanics here are unusual enough to flag even while the programme is paused: OWSD does not match you with a supervisor. You are expected to find your own PhD supervisor at a host institute in a different developing country, get a preliminary acceptance and a commitment letter from them, and only then submit those documents as part of your OWSD application. There is no nominating national body standing between you and OWSD, which cuts both ways: no gatekeeper to navigate, but also no help finding the host in the first place.

Two study formats, and one coverage detail broader than most

Two study formats exist. Full-time means relocating to the host country for up to four years. The sandwich format is for students already registered at a university at home, letting them visit a host institute abroad in blocks of at least six months, up to three visits and 20 months total, without leaving their home programme. Coverage, per OWSD’s own wording, is broader than most fellowships in one respect: visa expenses are explicitly listed as covered, not just tuition and living costs, though tuition itself is described as shared jointly between OWSD and the host institution rather than fully covered by either alone.

None of this is actionable right now

None of this is actionable right now. OWSD’s own notice says there was no call for PhD applications starting in 2025, attributes it to funding, and has not said anything about reopening as of this check. The eligibility and coverage details above come from OWSD’s own 2022 programme pamphlet, since no more recent version has been published, and should be treated as a description of what the programme looked like rather than a current offer. If you’re specifically in agricultural sciences, the AWARD Leadership Program for Emerging African Women in Agricultural Sciences is a narrower but currently active alternative worth checking while this one remains paused.