Call for Applications: OWSD PhD Fellowships 2018 for Women Scientists in the Developing World

• To improve access to educational and training opportunities in science and technology for young and talented women graduates from STLCs.
• To increase the scientific productivity and creativity of women scientists in STLCs.
• To empower a new generation of talented women to assume a leadership role in science and technology.
• To encourage women scientists to contribute to the sustainable development of their home countries.
• To enable women scientist from the South to collaborate and network on a regional and international level.

Fellowship support

Candidates can choose between two study schemes:

• a full-time fellowship (maximum 4 years funding), where the research is undertaken entirely at a host institute in another developing country in the South.
• a sandwich fellowship, where the candidate must be a registered PhD student in her home country and undertakes part of her studies at a host institute in another developing country.
  The sandwich fellowship is awarded for a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 3 research visits at the host institute. The minimum duration of the first visit is 6 months. The total number of months spent at the host institute cannot exceed 20 months. The funding period cannot exceed 4 years.
  OWSD particularly encourages candidates to consider the sandwich option, which allows them to earn the PhD in their home country while accessing specialist researchers and equipment abroad, at the host institute.

The fellowship support is only provided while the student is on site, at the host institute.

Benefits

The OWSD fellowship covers:

• A monthly allowance to cover basic living expenses such as accommodation and meals while in the host country
• A special allowance to attend international conferences during the period of the fellowship
• A return ticket from the home country to the host institute for the agreed research period
• Visa expenses
• Annual medical insurance contribution
• The opportunity to attend regional science communications workshops, on a competitive basis
• Study fees (including tuition and registration fees) in agreement with the chosen host institute which is also expected to contribute

The OWSD fellowship does not cover:

• Bench fees and consumables
• Support for language training, either before or during the fellowship programme
• Costs for personal computer or software purchase
• Support for family members
• Additional return tickets to the home country for personal reasons

Eligibility

• Candidates must confirm that they intend to return to their home country as soon as possible after completion of the fellowship.
• Eligible scientific fields
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences
  • Biological Systems and Organisms
  • Chemical Sciences
  • Computing and Information Technology
  • Engineering Sciences
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Medical and Health Sciences
  • Neurosciences
  • Physics
  • Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology
• The minimum qualification is an MSc degree in one of the above listed study fields.

Eligible countries

The list of eligible countries is also available here.

• Afghanistan Angola
• Bangladesh Benin Bhutan Bolivia Burkina Faso Burundi
• Cambodia Cameroon Central African Rep. Chad Comoros Congo Côte d’Ivoire
• Dem Rep. Congo Djibouti
• El Salvador Eritrea Ethiopia Equatorial Guinea Gambia Ghana Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau
• Haiti Honduras
• Kenya Kiribati
• Lao People’s Dem Rep. Lesotho Liberia
• Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mongolia Mozambique Myanmar
• Nepal Nicaragua Niger
• Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip) Paraguay Rwanda
• Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Solomon Islands Somalia South Sudan Sri Lanka Sudan Swaziland
• Syrian Arab Republic
• Tajikistan Tanzania Timor-Leste Togo Tuvalu
• Uganda Vanuatu Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

Eligible host institutes

• Host institutes must be located in a developing country in the South (not the candidate’s home country).
• A list of recommended institutes is available here.
• Other institutes, not included in the link above, will also be considered if they demonstrate appropriate resources and expertise.
• Candidates should identify a host institute outside their home country. They can identify a further two host institutes if desired.
• Candidates who are already on site in the host country will not usually be considered eligible.

Required documents for application

They strongly encourage eligible applicants to start gathering all requested documentation as soon as possible; sometimes it takes weeks to receive all relevant letters.

• PhD research proposal outline
• Degree certificates and transcripts
• Curriculum Vitae
• Preliminary acceptance letter
• Letter of commitment. Candidates must submit a letter of commitment from the prospective host supervisor confirming that the host institute has the resources (e.g. bench fees, laboratory equipment) required to undertake the project.
• Reference letters
• Passport

Candidates applying for a SANDWICH study scheme must, in addition, submit also the following documents:

• Registration and No objection certificate
• Supporting statement from home supervisor

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