The 2012 Applications have now closed

Over 14 years ago, L'Oréal and UNESCO founded the For Women In Science Programme to promote and highlight the critical importance of ensuring greater participation of women in science.

Each year, the programme recognises the achievements of exceptional female scientists across the globe and awards them with fellowships to help further their research.

Since the programme was founded in 1998, more than 1,200 women in 103 countries have been recognised for their research and received funding to further their careers.

There are three distinct tiers:

1.0 The International Laureate Programme:

The founding awards provide five leading female scientists, one from each continent, every year with a prestigious laureate of $100,000 in recognition of their groundbreaking achievements and contributions to scientific progress. These women are at the cutting edge of their research fields. The international structure of the programme ensures that the laureates are distributed among women who are working under a wide variety of conditions. 72 laureates have been given since this programme's creation.

These laureates are selected by a the L'ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards Life Sciences Jury which is made up of 18 eminent members of the international scientific community.

To read more about this year's International Laureates – click here

2.0 The International Fellowships:

These fellowships help young women scientists from around the world take up research positions in other countries, allowing them to pursue their research in some of the world's most prestigious laboratories. There are 15 fellowships given out each year to support 'the faces of science for tomorrow'

To make an application to the International Fellowships please go to: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=44170&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

3.0 The National Fellowships:

The National Fellowships, such as the For Women In Science UK & Ireland programme, are run in 46 countries around the world. Each National Fellowship helps women scientists at a critical point in their career to continue to pursue their research with flexible financial aide.

The L'Oréal UK & Ireland Fellowships For Women in Science

The L'Oréal UK & Ireland Fellowships For Women in Science were launched in January 2007. The Fellowships are awards offered by a partnership between L'Oréal UK & Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, with the support of the Royal Society. Four fellowships are awarded annually to outstanding female postdoctoral researchers. Each worth £15,000 (equivalent € for candidates in Ireland), the Fellowships are tenable at any UK or Irish university / research institute to support a 12-month period of postdoctoral research in any area of the life or physical sciences.

The fellowships have been designed to provide practical help for the winners to undertake research in their chosen fields. For example, winners may choose to spend their fellowship on buying scientific equipment, paying for child care costs, travel costs or indeed what ever they may need to continue their research.

Another important part of the fellowship programme is the support, training and networking opportunities that it provides. Fellows make valuable friendships and connections that can lead to interesting collaborations, publications and wider appreciation of their work.

Applications for the 2012 UK & Ireland Fellowship cycle have now closed.