With the following overview we want to collect prizes, fellowships, and funding opportunities for women in Physics. Click on a country below to explore the available programs and discover funding options tailored to different stages of your academic journey.
Berta Karlik Fellowship
Austrian Academy of Sciences Field: STEM fields Target group: Leading female researchers with at least 10 years of academic experience Amount: Up to €5,000/month + travel costs + €10,000 for outreach Applications: Every year
Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research Field: All academic fields Target group: Doctoral graduates from Austrian universities (40 awards per year) Amount: €3,000 Applications: Every year
Startup Tirol Field: All academic fields Target group: Female researchers and students in doctoral or master’s programs from western Austria with business ideas Amount: Two-day bootcamp
University of Innsbruck Field: Various (including Physics) Target group: Female early-career postdocs or PhD graduates Amount: 36-month postdoc position Applications: Every year
Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Field: All academic fields Target group: Internationally visible researchers; half of the awards go to women Amount: €500,000–€1 million over five years
OeAD (Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation) Field: All academic fields Target group: Students, graduates, and researchers Description: Comprehensive database of scholarships and grants in Austria.
L’Oréal Austria Field: Medicine, Natural Sciences, Mathematics Target group: Young female researchers Amount: Up to €25,000 for 6–12 months Applications: February 1 each year
KIF (Kvinder i Fysik / Women in Physics) Honorary Award
Danish Physical Society Field: Physics Target group: Anyone who represents a minority in physics; candidate must be a Danish citizen or residing or employed in Denmark Amount: Honorary award Applications: Every year
European Physical Society Field: Physics Target group: Female research physicists, students, teachers, or any woman carrying out work related to physics Applications: Every six months
Cluster of Excellence, Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging Field: Physics Target group: Female researchers Amount: €20,000 (Senior), €10,000 (Junior) Duration: Six months Applications: Every year
International Atomic Energy Agency Field: Nuclear-related fields Target group: Female master's students in nuclear-related fields Amount: Up to €20,000 for tuition and €20,000 for living costs
Nature & Estée Lauder Companies Field: STEM fields Target group: Organizations, departments, individuals or project teams who encourage girls or young women to engage with STEM or have increased retention of women in STEM careers Amount: US $50,000; runners-up US $5,000 Applications: Every year
Inspiring Women in Science (Scientific Achievement)
Nature & Estée Lauder Companies Field: STEM fields Target group: Women, trans women, genderqueer and non-binary individuals with a PhD or equivalent within the last 10 years Amount: US $50,000; runners-up US $5,000 Applications: Every year
Laura Bassi Foundation Field: All academic fields Target group: Postgraduates and junior academics Amount: $500–$2,500 Applications: December, April, August
Horizon Europe Field: All fields Target group: Researchers (PhD) seeking to carry out research abroad; global and European fellowships available Amount: Funding for research, training, networking, management and indirect costs
L'Oréal-UNESCO International Field: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science Target group: Outstanding women scientists Amount: €100,000 Applications: Every year
ZEISS Field: Digital Research, Digital Entrepreneurship, Digital Social Impact Target group: Women in IT and digital industries Amount: €5,000 per category Initial launch date: 2025
Italian Physical Society Field: Physics Target group: Female physicists who are members of the Italian Physical Society; two prizes available (early career & mid-to-full career) Amount: €2,000 Applications: Every year
Neutron Scattering Society of America Field: Physics Target group: Women scientists carrying out neutron scattering research in North America, all career stages welcome Amount: $1,500 plus travel allowance up to $2,000 to attend ICNS where prize is awarded Applications: Every four years
NCCR MARVEL - INSPIRE Potentials Field: STEM fields Target group: Women Master's students who demonstrate outstanding motivation and potential to conduct their project in a MARVEL PI's lab Amount: CHF 12,000
INSPIRE Potentials Field: STEM fields Target group: Excellent women Master's students pursuing a Master's degree who want to conduct thesis research with an NCCR SPIN team Amount: Up to 9 monthly payments of CHF 1,200 and travel expenditures
Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund Field: Physics Target group: Full or part-time graduates from underrepresented groups wishing to study towards a doctorate in physics Amount: Up to £38,000 per student
UK Research and Innovation Field: All subjects Target group: Researchers who have had a career break of two years or more (family, caring, health) and want to return to research Amount: Depends on host institution pay scale
UK Funds for Women Graduates (FfWG) Field: All subjects Target group: Graduate women facing an unforeseen financial crisis while studying or researching at an approved UK institution Amount: Up to £2,500
UK Funds for Women Graduates (FfWG) Field: All subjects Target group: Women in final year of a PhD or DPhil registered at a Great Britain institution and resident in Great Britain; helps with living expenses Amount: Up to £6,500
Brookhaven Women in Science Field: Physics Target group: Female graduate students enrolled at Stony Brook University and/or doing thesis work at Brookhaven Lab Amount: $4,000 Applications: Every year
American Physical Society Field: Physics Target group: Women in Physics Groups (graduate/undergraduate level) at colleges and universities in the US and internationally Amount: $1,000
