The British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG) - The British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG)

BFWG Academic Award

You will receive a sum of one-off cash prize of roughly 1,150 EUR to 6,900 EUR (£1,000 to £6,000), with the average amount being around 3,450 EUR (£3,000). This is a prize, not a monthly scholarship. Payment is made in two instalments: the first in the autumn and the remainder the following spring. The award is presented annually by the British Federation of Women Graduates, an organisation for female university graduates in England and Wales. As a rule, between five and eight prizes are awarded, with academic merit alone – and not financial need – being the decisive factor.

Who can apply

• Women only: The prize is open to female PhD students of all nationalities.
• Degree level: You are seeking to obtain a research or part-time doctoral degree (e.g. PhD or DPhil). Master’s students are not eligible to apply.
• Where you study: You are enrolled at a university in England, Wales or Scotland (not in Northern Ireland).
• Where you live: You must be living in England, Wales or Scotland, at least temporarily. Distance-learning students who live permanently abroad are not eligible to apply.
• Study stage: At the time of your application, you will be in roughly your second year of your PhD. You expect to submit your thesis between March 2027 and February 2028 (full-time) or by February 2029 (part-time).
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• One try only: You may only apply once.

How to apply

Please download the application form, complete it and email it to the scholarships office. You must also pay a non-refundable application fee of £25.. The application deadline is 2. March at 9 am, and your referee must submit a reference shortly afterwards. If you are shortlisted, you will give a 8-minute presentation on your research to an academic panel, usually in early July in London, followed by a question-and-answer session.

How realistic are your chances?

The eligibility criteria are strictly defined: only women, only second-year PhD students, and only those at universities in the UK. The pool of applicants is therefore smaller than for open scholarships. However, with only five to eight scholarships awarded each year – some of which are decided on the basis of a live presentation to a panel – there is genuine competition amongst equally strong candidates. If you have an outstanding academic record and can explain your research clearly to a non-specialist audience, your prospects are good.