Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship 2027: Up to $50,000 a Year for Women in STEM, Closes 7 November - ApexTutorial Blog

<p>Applications for the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship 2027 close TODAY, Saturday 7 November 2026, at 12 noon Central Standard Time, which is 7pm in Nigeria. The fellowship supports women from developing and emerging economies, including Nigeria, to pursue PhD or postdoctoral research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at leading universities abroad. PhD fellows receive grants of up to $50,000 a year and postdoctoral researchers up to $40,000 a year. If you are a Nigerian woman already enrolled in, admitted to, or applying for a PhD or postdoctoral STEM programme abroad, submit your application on the official portal before 7pm WAT today.</p> <p>This is a fellowship for doctoral and postdoctoral research only. It does not fund Master's level study, and the Foundation does not accept applications from candidates who have not yet applied to a host university. Reference letters are due separately, by Saturday 14 November 2026, so your referees still have a week after you submit.</p> <h2>Quick information</h2> <ul> <li>Organiser: Schlumberger Foundation (SLB), Faculty for the Future programme, running since 2004</li> <li>Award: grants of up to $50,000 a year for PhD candidates and up to $40,000 a year for postdoctoral researchers</li> <li>Who can apply: women who are citizens of low or middle income countries where women are underrepresented in STEM, including Nigeria</li> <li>Study level: PhD degree or postdoctoral research in a STEM discipline at a host university or research institute abroad</li> <li>Application opened: Monday 1 September 2026</li> <li>Application closes: Saturday 7 November 2026 at 12 noon Central Standard Time (7pm WAT)</li> <li>Reference letters due: Saturday 14 November 2026, submitted online by your referees</li> <li>How to apply: online only, through the official Faculty for the Future application portal linked below</li> <li>Application fee: no fee is stated on the official pages</li> </ul> <h2>Who can apply</h2> <ul> <li>Women who are citizens of a low or middle income country where women are underrepresented in STEM. Nigeria is on the Foundation's 2026/2027 eligible-countries list.</li> <li>Women preparing for a PhD degree or postdoctoral research in a STEM discipline. Master's level study is not funded under this programme.</li> <li>Applicants who are enrolled in, admitted to, or have applied to a host university or research institute abroad that is well ranked and recognised for strong research in their field. Applications are not accepted from candidates who have not yet applied to a university.</li> <li>Applicants with an excellent academic record who are willing to return to their home country or region after their studies to contribute to its socio-economic development.</li> <li>Applicants with a proven record of teaching experience in their home country who can show commitment to returning to an academic or research position in a STEM faculty, to using their knowledge as a STEM entrepreneur, or to contributing to public-sector STEM policy making.</li> <li>Applicants who can demonstrate leadership skills, active community outreach and a track record of encouraging young people, particularly girls and women, into STEM.</li> <li>You are not eligible if you hold dual citizenship and one of those citizenships is of a developed country. Employees of Schlumberger (SLB) are not eligible.</li> </ul> <h2>How to apply, step by step</h2> <ol> <li>Open the official Faculty for the Future application portal linked below and read the eligibility criteria and the instructions on the portal before you start.</li> <li>Register for an applicant account on the portal. Use Firefox or Chrome, as the portal asks for those browsers, and keep your login details safe.</li> <li>Complete the online application form in full and submit it before Saturday 7 November 2026 at 12 noon Central Standard Time (7pm WAT). Do not wait for the final hour; the portal will not accept late submissions.</li> <li>Ask your referees to submit their reference letters online through the portal by Saturday 14 November 2026. Check your mailbox, including the spam or junk folder, for the portal's emails with your username and password.</li> <li>If you are a renewal applicant, log in with your existing details instead of registering a new account. Renewal applications follow the same 7 November closing date.</li> </ol> <h2>What happens after you apply</h2> <ul> <li>The Foundation reviews applications against the eligibility criteria and the strength of the academic record, the research plan, teaching experience and leadership record.</li> <li>Your referees must submit their letters online by Saturday 14 November 2026. A missing reference letter can weaken an otherwise complete application.</li> <li>Successful fellows receive a grant for the 2027/2028 fellowship year. The fellowship is renewable, subject to the Foundation's terms, and fellows join a global alumnae network.</li> <li>The Foundation must comply with applicable sanctions laws, including those of the United States and the European Union, as stated on the application portal.</li> </ul> <h2>Common mistakes to avoid</h2> <ul> <li>Waiting until the last hour. The portal closes at 12 noon Central Standard Time, which is 7pm WAT, not midnight. Submit well before then so a poor connection or a form error does not cost you the chance.</li> <li>Applying for Master's funding. The programme funds PhD and postdoctoral research only, and Master's applications are not retained.</li> <li>Applying without a host university application. You must already be enrolled in, admitted to, or have applied to a host university abroad. Do not apply if you have not started a university application.</li> <li>Forgetting the referees. Your application is not complete in practice until your referees submit their letters online by 14 November 2026. Tell them today.</li> <li>Using the wrong site. Apply only through the official Faculty for the Future portal linked below. Do not pay any agent or third-party site to submit for you.</li> </ul> <h2>Scam warning</h2> <p>Apply only through the official Faculty for the Future application portal linked below, reached from the Schlumberger Foundation's own website. The Foundation does not ask applicants to pay an agent for a guaranteed fellowship, and nobody can add a name to the list of fellows for payment. Anyone who asks you to pay into a personal account for a guaranteed award is running a scam. Confirm every instruction on the Foundation's own pages before sending money or documents to anyone.</p> <h2>Important official links</h2> <p><a href="https://www.fftf.slb.com/">Faculty for the Future official application portal</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.fftf.slb.com/Summary_Eligibility_Criteria.pdf">Faculty for the Future official eligibility criteria (PDF)</a></p> <p><a href="https://schlumbergerfoundation.com/">Schlumberger Foundation official website</a></p> <h2>Frequently asked questions</h2> <p>When does the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship 2027 close?</p> <p>Applications close on Saturday 7 November 2026 at 12 noon Central Standard Time, which is 7pm in Nigeria (WAT). The official portal states the closing date plainly. Reference letters from your referees are due separately, by Saturday 14 November 2026.</p> <p>How much is the fellowship worth?</p> <p>Grants of up to $50,000 a year for PhD candidates and up to $40,000 a year for postdoctoral researchers. The fellowship is renewable, subject to the Foundation's terms.</p> <p>Can I apply if I am doing a Master's degree?</p> <p>No. The Faculty for the Future programme funds PhD degrees and postdoctoral research in STEM only. It does not fund Master's level studies.</p> <p>Can Nigerian women apply?</p> <p>Yes. Nigeria is on the Foundation's 2026/2027 list of eligible countries. You must be a woman and a citizen of a low or middle income country where women are underrepresented in STEM, and you must meet all the other eligibility criteria.</p> <p>Do I need to have a university admission already?</p> <p>You must be enrolled in, admitted to, or have applied to a host university or research institute abroad that is well ranked and recognised for strong research in your field. Applications are not accepted from candidates who have not yet applied to a university.</p> <p>When are reference letters due?</p> <p>Your referees must submit their reference letters online through the portal by Saturday 14 November 2026. Tell them as soon as you submit your application.</p> <p>Is there an application fee?</p> <p>No application fee is stated on the official pages. If anyone asks you to pay for the application or for a guaranteed place, treat it as a scam and report it.</p> <p>How do I apply for the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship 2027?</p> <p>Register and complete the application on the official Faculty for the Future portal linked above, and submit it before Saturday 7 November 2026 at 7pm WAT. Make sure your referees submit their letters online by 14 November 2026.</p>