About this opportunity
Faculty for the Future is the Schlumberger Foundation’s program for women engineers and scientists from the world’s developing and emerging economies. It funds PhD and post-doctoral research in STEM at a well ranked host university or research institute outside the applicant’s home country, on the clear expectation that the fellow brings that expertise home.
Applications for the 2027 cohort opened on September 1, 2026 and close on November 7, 2026 at 12:00 noon Central Standard Time. Referees have until November 14, 2026 to submit their letters online. The Foundation is particularly keen to see applications this cycle from Physical Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics.
The grant is based on actual expenses incurred by the student alone. It covers university tuition and bench fees, accommodation, a living allowance covering food, a small allowance for books and supplies, medical insurance, child care and transport, plus a budget for initial travel to the host country, visa charges and conference expenses. Grants can be up to USD 50,000 per year for PhD courses and up to USD 40,000 for post-doctoral research. An exceptional child care grant may also be awarded per eligible child, up to a maximum of USD 3,000 a year for a child under six and USD 1,500 a year for a child aged six to fifteen, capped at USD 10,000 per grantee in any grant year.
The award is for one academic year at a time. Renewal is never automatic and depends on academic progress, the quality of references including a mandatory reference from your host university supervisor, and the Foundation’s renewal process. Winning also brings something harder to price: membership of a supportive academic and professional global cohort of Faculty for the Future fellows.
What you receive
- A grant of up to USD 50,000 per year for PhD study, or up to USD 40,000 per year for post-doctoral research
- University tuition and bench fees covered
- Accommodation costs and a living allowance covering food, books and supplies, medical insurance, child care and transport
- A budget for initial travel to the host country, visa charges and conference expenses
- An exceptional child care grant of up to USD 3,000 per annum per child under six, and up to USD 1,500 per annum per child aged six to fifteen, capped at USD 10,000 per grantee per grant year
- Annual renewal possible, subject to academic progress, references and the Foundation’s renewal process
- Membership of the Faculty for the Future global cohort of fellows, with peer and professional support
Who can apply
- Be a woman and a citizen of a low or middle income country where women are underrepresented in STEM
- Be preparing for a PhD or post-doctoral research in a STEM discipline or a cross disciplinary study involving the major STEM fields
- Be enrolled, admitted or have applied to a host university or research institute abroad that is well ranked and recognised for strong research in your field
- Hold an excellent academic record
- Be willing to return to your home country or region on completion of your studies to contribute to its socio-economic development
- Have a proven record of teaching experience in your home country, and demonstrate your commitment to returning to an academic or research position in a STEM faculty, or to becoming a STEM entrepreneur addressing regional challenges, or to contributing to the public sector with evidence-based STEM policy support
- Demonstrate leadership skills, active community outreach and a track record of encouraging young people, particularly girls and women, into STEM
- Have language skills for study at a top university, and English sufficient for an interview to be conducted in English
- Applicants already living in a developed country to study are still eligible if they remain citizens of a developing or emerging country
- Sandwich programs are accepted provided the final degree is awarded by the host university abroad
- There is no age limit. Women of any age are eligible, though the number of teaching years remaining after your PhD or post-doc is taken into account
Who should not apply
- You are not eligible if you hold dual or secondary citizenship of which one is citizenship of a developed country
- If you are awarded a grant and later obtain citizenship of a developed country, the grant is discontinued from the date of that additional citizenship
- Master level studies are not funded. The program is for PhD and post-doctoral applicants only
- Schlumberger employees are not eligible to apply
- Applications are not accepted from candidates who have not yet applied to a host university
- The host university or research institute must not be in your home country, unless it is a sandwich program where the final degree is awarded by the foreign host university
- The grant does not cover the financial costs of an entire family, or school tuition fees for children
- Awards in the biological sciences are limited
- If you do not meet the eligibility criteria the Foundation states your application will not be retained in the selection process
Documents to prepare
- A completed online application on the Faculty for the Future application site, including the Personal Essay and the Research Proposal Statement
- Your study program details, including the host university and research project. Neither can be changed after submission without prior approval from the Foundation
- Financial information for the grant year, which becomes available in the form once the study program section is complete
- Documents uploaded in the Upload doc tab of the online application
- Reference letters submitted online by your referees, with a deadline of November 14, 2026 for both new and renewal applications
- A reference from your host university supervisor, which is mandatory and matters for renewal
How to apply
- Read the eligibility criteria and FAQs on the Faculty for the Future application site, and confirm your country and discipline qualify before you begin.
- Identify and apply to a well ranked host university or research institute abroad. You must have applied, been admitted or be enrolled to be eligible.
- Register a new account on the Faculty for the Future application site at https://www.fftf.slb.com and set a password of at least ten characters with an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a digit and a symbol.
- Complete each section of the online application, including the Personal Essay, the Research Proposal Statement, the study program and the financial information.
- Ask your referees to submit their letters online. All reference letters must reach the Foundation by November 14, 2026.
- Submit your application by November 7, 2026 at 12:00 noon Central Standard Time, which is UTC minus 6 hours.
- Use Firefox or Chrome to access the application site, as the Foundation recommends, and keep your username and password safely for future access.
Selection process
- First round: applications are screened for compliance with eligibility criteria such as country of origin, discipline and overall quality. Non-compliant applications are eliminated.
- Second round: the first shortlist is scored on academic performance, quality of references, scientific interest of the research proposal, commitment to teaching, relevance of research to the home country, commitment to inspiring young women in science, and quality of the host university.
- Third round: the second shortlist is reviewed by the Schlumberger Foundation scientific committee, focused on the quality, scientific interest and home country relevance of the research proposal.
- Fourth round: the final shortlist is interviewed by telephone by members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and Executive Management.
- Fifth round: the Board of Directors selects the grant recipients.
- Results are usually available on the application website by the end of March each year, and the Foundation’s applications page gives early April 2027 as the notification date for this cycle. Awarded applicants receive a personal email and other applicants receive a formal letter.
- The competition is intense. For the 2026-2027 academic year, 597 applications were submitted and 54 new grants were awarded.
Sources and verification
- Official source , Discovered by the opportunity automation module.
Questions applicants ask
How much can the grant pay?
Grants can be up to USD 50,000 per year for PhD courses and up to USD 40,000 for post-doctoral research programs. They are based on actual expenses to be incurred by the student only.
Can I already be doing my PhD or post-doc and still apply?
Yes. The Foundation accepts applications from people already pursuing their PhD or post-doc abroad who need financial assistance to continue, and from those who have already commenced their studies or research.
Are Master’s degrees covered?
No. Students pursuing a degree at Master’s level are not eligible. Faculty for the Future funds PhD and post-doctoral study in STEM only.
Is there an age limit?
No. Women of any age are eligible to apply. The number of teaching years remaining after the PhD or post-doc is taken into account during selection.
Can I change my research project or host university after I apply?
No. Applicants may not change their research project or choice of host university once the application is submitted. Any later change needs prior approval from the Schlumberger Foundation, with no guarantee it will be accepted.
Does the grant cover my family?
Your spouse and children may accompany you, but the grant covers the tuition and living expenses of the grant recipient only. An exceptional child care grant is available under specific conditions, and school tuition fees for children are not covered.
When do I hear back?
Results are usually available on the application website by the end of March each year. The Foundation’s applications page lists early April 2027 as the notification date for the current cycle.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
