Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

General Help

The initial duration of the grant is for one academic year. The renewal of the grant is not automatic, but is subject to academic progress, quality of references (a reference from host university supervisor is mandatory) and the discretion of the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future program renewal process.

The Schlumberger Foundation does not require any document certifying that you will have a faculty position when you return to your home country upon completion of your studies. However, during the selection process (for both new and renewals), the reviewing committee closely examines evidence of the commitment to return home and the level of relationship with home country university[ies], research or other institutions in the relevant discipline. The quality of this evidence, and in the case of renewals in later years of the program of study, the actual effort, as evidenced by applicants’ initiative to find research, faculty or other positions, or to engage in various collaborative or significant outreach projects with home country institutions, has a significant impact on the likelihood of receiving and renewing an award.

Applicants may not change their research project or choice of Host University once they have submitted their application. If you are selected for an award, it is on the basis of your application form and you may not subsequently modify your research project and/or Host University without the prior approval of the Schlumberger Foundation. You are therefore advised to carefully select your choice of Host University and your research project at the time of applying as there is no guarantee that subsequent changes will be accepted.

You must inform the Foundation staff of this interruption and the reasons for it. When doing so, please explain how this affects your studies / research project, your plans to deal with this interruption as well as your host institution position on such interruption.

Question: I applied for a Faculty for the Future grant previously but was not selected for an award. Which application form should I fill in if I wish to reapply?

Answer: You should use the NEW application grant form (and not the Renewal grant form).

Question: I would like to know if have to find a host university and a prospective Host supervisor by myself?
Answer: Yes, all applicants are responsible for finding a host university and a Host university supervisor themselves.

No. However, you are encouraged to apply to the best universities abroad in your discipline. The Host University that you are currently enrolled in/or have applied to, will be taken into account in the decision process.

The competition is very intense for a limited number of awards. No individual correspondence will be engaged in to provide reasons to unsuccessful applicants for not receiving a grant;
In addition to tough competition, applications are typically unsuccessful due to the following reasons:

Poor quality and/or incomplete application (especially in the Personal Essay and Research Proposal Statement)
Failure to meet eligibility criteria
insufficient evidence of commitment to home country return; to teaching
Level of qualification (the Schlumberger Foundation only funds PhD and post-doctorate programs).

The Faculty for the Future grant program seeks to have an impact on gender balance in science disciplines by reinforcing the presence and qualifications of women university teachers in developing and emerging economies. We firmly believe that better gender balance at faculty level will encourage more women to study the sciences and engineering disciplines.

If you are well prepared to meet the core criteria and decide to embark on a doctoral program next year, you are most welcome to apply (or re-apply as the case may be) online in September 2019.

Question: I’ve just submitted my application, what else am I expected to do? When will I be informed of the selection results?

Answer: You should wait for results to be delivered. The results are usually available on the application web site by the end of March every year. Applicants who are awarded a grant will then receive a personal email. The other applicants will receive a formal letter.

Faculty for the Future grants are based on actual expenses to be incurred by the student only. This typically includes university tuition and bench fees, accommodation costs and a living allowance (e.g., food, a small allowance for books and supplies, medical insurance, child care, transport costs) in addition to a budget for initial travel to the host country, visa charges as well as conference expenses. Grants can be up to USD 50,000 per year for PhD courses and a maximum of USD 40,000 for post-doc research programs.

In addition, and at the discretion of the Schlumberger Foundation, an exceptional child care grant may be awarded (per eligible child) to a grantee when certain conditions are met. These conditions are provided in the financial section of the application form.

The renewal of the grant is not automatic, but is subject to academic progress, quality of references (a reference from host university supervisor is mandatory) and the discretion of the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future program renewal process.

We do not require any document certifying that you will have a faculty position when you return to your home country on completion of your studies. However, during the application selection process (for both new and renewals) – the Reviewing Committee closely examines the evidence of commitment to return home and the level of relationship with home country university[ies]. The quality of this evidence has a significant impact on the likelihood of winning and renewing an award.

Question: I plan to apply for a PhD degree or a Post-Doc research position in a host university in 2022, should I apply for the Faculty for the Future grant in September 2021 or in September 2022?

Answer: You are eligible to apply for a grant when the application session opens in September 2021. For example, if you apply to a host university during 2021 and receive a grant from the Schlumberger Foundation (results of which will be announced at the end of March 2022), this grant is valid until spring 2023, by which time you must have begun your studies in one of the Host Universities stated in your Application Form. Each year, the grant application session opens in mid-September and applications can be submitted up until mid-November (this year the closing date is November 5^th 2021).

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If you cannot find an answer to your question in this set of Frequently Asked Questions, you may send us a question using the Contact Us link on the home page (top right hand side).

A total of 235 applications were submitted for the 2021-2022 academic year. Out of this, a total of 31 new grants were awarded.

The Faculty for the Future grant does not cover school tuition fees for children. However, it covers a contribution towards pre-school day care costs and after school care costs.

Child care grant: At the discretion of the Schlumberger Foundation, an exceptional child care grant may be awarded (per eligible child) to a grantee where the following conditions are met:

the child/children is not older than 15 years of age (proof of age may be required);
the child/children permanently reside in the same household as the grantee in the host country; and the grantee provides proof of reasonable and documented child-care costs. (All day-care expenses must be supported by a formal letter from the day-care center, including the name of the child and an estimate of monthly charges).
The Foundation may award up to a maximum of 3,000 USD per annum/per child under 6 years of age, and up to a maximum of 1,500 USD per annum/per child from 6 years of age to 15 years of age.

A grantee will not be entitled to receive an exceptional child credit for any child who has reached 16 years of age. The total child care grant shall not exceed 10,000 USD per grantee in any grant year.

Applicants may not change their research project or choice of host university once they have submitted their application. If you are selected for an award, it is on the basis of your application form and you may not subsequently modify your research project and/or host university without the prior approval of the Schlumberger Foundation. Therefore, you are advised to carefully select your choice of host university and your research project at the time of applying as there is no guarantee that subsequent changes will be accepted and approved.

Your spouse and children may, of course, accompany you to your Host Country. However, the Schlumberger Foundation does not handle, or assume responsibility for the visa process. It should be noted that the Faculty for the Future grant is intended to cover the tuition fees and living expenses of the grant recipient only and does not cover the financial costs of an entire family. An additional child care grant is available under certain conditions.

APPLICATION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

You are eligible if:

you are a female and are a citizen of a developing country or emerging economy. You are not eligible to apply if you hold secondary citizenship from a developed country. (N.B. If you have been awarded a Faculty for the Future grant and after the award you obtain citizenship of a developed country, the grant will be discontinued as of the date of such additional citizenship);

you are preparing for PhD or postdoctoral studies in the physical sciences, engineering and related disciplines (see the http://www.facultyforthefuture.net/ web site for some examples of typical disciplines awarded). Awards in biological sciences are limited to interdisciplinary research between physical and biological sciences. The Faculty for the Future program does not fund Master level studies;
you are currently enrolled, have been admitted to or have applied to a host university/research institute abroad (applications are no longer accepted where an individual has not yet applied to a university). If you are applying for a sandwich PhD the final degree must be awarded by the Host University abroad (i.e., not from the home country university);
have a proven track record of teaching experience;
hold an excellent academic record;
can demonstrate active participation in faculty life and outreach programs to encourage young women to pursue studies in the sciences
are willing to contribute to the socio-economic development of your home country and region by strengthening the faculties in your home universities, pursuing relevant research, or using your scientific expertise to address public policy matters.
Schlumberger employees are not eligible to apply for Faculty for the Future grants.

IF YOU DO NOT MEET THE ABOVE CRITERIA, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR A GRANT, AS YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE RETAINED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS.

Yes, as described in our manifesto, our long-term goal is to support role models and improve gender balance at the faculty level so that more young women are attracted to scientific disciplines.

You can apply as we accept applications from people who are already pursuing their PhD or post-doc abroad but are in need of financial assistance to continue.

Students pursuing Master Degrees are not eligible to apply for a grant. Faculty for the Future fellowships apply to PhD and Post-doc applicants only.

Yes, you can apply even if you have already commenced your PhD studies or post-doc research.

The Faculty for the Future program aims to give the opportunity to scientific women from developing and emerging countries to pursue a PhD or a post-doc in the best universities abroad. If you’ve been accepted in a university of excellence you are eligible to apply, even if the university is not in a developed country. However, the host university or research institute that you choose for your studies must not be in your home country (unless it is a sandwich program and in this case the final degree must be issued by the foreign host university).

Applicants pursuing a degree at Master’s level are not eligible to apply for a grant. Only students who have applied to, have been admitted to, or are currently enrolled in a university abroad to pursue a PhD or a Post-doctoral degree can apply for a Faculty for the Future grant.

No. You are not eligible to apply if you hold secondary citizenship from a developed country .Note: If you have been awarded a Faculty for the Future grant and after the award you obtain citizenship of a developed country, the grant will be discontinued as of the date of such additional citizenship.

The Faculty for the Future program aims to provide the opportunity to scientific women from developing and emerging countries to pursue a PhD or a Post-Doc in the best universities abroad. However, in some cases “sandwich programs” are accepted where students spend only a part of the grant year in a Host University abroad. In these cases, however, it is important to note that the final PhD degree must be awarded by the foreign HOST University.

Applicants need to have an excellent knowledge of the language required to pursue their studies at top universities. Additionally, applicants need to have English language skills that are sufficient for the application to be filled in English, and an interview to be conducted in the English language, as well as to enable Schlumberger Foundation’s mission to encourage creating an international community of woman leaders who will support scientific development and act as change agents in their home countries.

Question: I am from a developing nation and am currently pursuing my PhD, aiming to graduate in approximately one year from now. Can I apply for the Faculty for the Future Fellowship for postdoc funding if I have pursued my PhD in a developed country, but wish to continue my postdoc research at the same university where I obtained my PhD?

Answer: You are eligible to apply for funding for a Post-Doc if you are continuing in the same university where you are doing your PhD (i.e., in a university/institution abroad). However, in light of the intense competition for this award, there are statistically a higher number of Post-Doc grants awarded to those applicants for whom a Post-Doctoral research position would be an opportunity to gain international experience abroad for the first time.

No. However, you are encouraged to apply to the best universities abroad in your chosen discipline. The host university that you have applied to or are currently enrolled in or have been admitted to will be taken into account in the decision process.

The Faculty for the Future program focuses on developing and emerging economies. The determination or classification of a country as advanced, developing or emerging is a complex process, requiring the analysis of numerous, often-changing, criteria. Faculty for the Future derives its eligible country list from a number of objective sources, including criteria seeking to identify developmental opportunities relating to science, gender and education. Among the most significant sources relied upon by the Schlumberger Foundation is the multi-variable United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) including the Gender Development and Gender Empowerment Indexes, as well as indicators of adult educational levels. The list is reviewed every year and levels of development fluctuate, so a country may be on the list this year and not on it the next, or vice versa.

Depending on the study year you are applying for, you should demonstrate:

3 years before graduation: show active links with home universities or other institutions;
2 years before graduation: collaboration and active engagement in home country communities;
1 year before graduation: job offer, job applications or comparable evidence of steps in furtherance of return to home country.

I am a female Ph.D. holder, and live in a developing country. I have just received my Ph.D. degree from an institution in the US and am starting my career as a lecturer in a university in my home country. I need to continue my Post-Doc research, however I am not sure if I will be able to officially join a foreign institute as a post-doctoral fellow right now because i have jsut started my new posiion in my home university. If I were to continue my postdoctoral research on my own, while providing evidence of good publications and research records, would I be eligible for the Faculty for the Future Program? One of the criteria of eligibility is to have applied to, have been admitted to or are currently enrolled in a University abroad to pursue PhD or Post Doc research.

The selection process is highly competitive. Out of 300+ eligible applications for the 2024-2025 Fellowships, 53 were granted an award. A successful application will have gone through four review rounds, with the reviewers paying particular attention to the following criteria: i) Academic performance; 2) Quality of references; 3) Quality of Host University; 4) Scientific interest of research proposal; 5) Relevance of research to home country; 6) Evidence of intent to return to home country; 7) Commitment to teaching, policy making or entrepreneurship; 8) Commitment to inspiring young women into the sciences.

No. Women of any age are eligible to apply. However, the added-value of the PhD or Post-Doc will be examined more in depth if you are already well established in a STEM career in your country as a leader in your field. I.e.: what is the additional degree doing to bring to your career, to your institution, to your country and to your field of research.

We do not require any document certifying that you will have a faculty position when you return to your home country upon completion of your studies. However, during the selection process (for both new and renewals) – the reviewing committee closely examines evidence of the commitment to return home and the level of relationship with home country university[ies]. The quality of this evidence has a significant impact on the likelihood of winning and renewing an award.

During the selection process (for both new and renewals) – the reviewing committee closely examines evidence of the commitment to return home and the level of relationship with home country university[ies]. The quality of this evidence has a significant impact on the likelihood of winning and renewing an award.

C.F. Question: “Which home return plans should be demonstrated?”

The selection process includes five rounds:

First Round: Is based on compliance with eligibility criteria such as country of origin, discipline and overall quality of application. Non-compliant applications are eliminated.
Second Round: The first shortlist is reviewed based on scoring of the following criteria:
- academic performance
- quality of references
- scientific interest of research proposal
- commitment to teaching
- relevance of research to home country
- commitment to inspiring young woman to pusure studies in the sciences
- quality of host country university
Third Round: The second shortlist is reviewed by the Schlumberger Foundation scientific committee with a focus on quality of research proposal, scientific interest and relevance to home country.
Fourth Round: The final shortlist of candidates is interviewed by telephone by members of the Schlumberger Foundation Board of Directors and Executive Management.
Final Round: Selection of grant recipients by Schlumberger Foundation Board of Directors.

Eligible applicants are preparing for PhD or post-doctoral study in STEM and related fields or cross disciplinary studies involving the major STEM fields. Awards in the biological sciences are limited. Please review the disciplines of the Faculty for the Future grantees since program inception.

The Faculty for the Future program aims to provide the opportunity to scientific women from developing and emerging countries to pursue PhD or Post-Doc studies in the best universities abroad. If you have been accepted in a center of excellence for your chosen discipline of study, you are eligible to apply even if it is in another developing country.

The Faculty for the Future program aims to provide the opportunity to scientific women from developing and emerging countries to pursue a PhD or a Post-Doc in the best universities outside of their home country. However, in some cases “sandwich programs” are accepted where students spend part of the grant year in a university abroad and part of it in their home university. N.B. The final degree must be awarded by a host university in a developed country.

If you are a citizen from a developing or emerging country but reside in a developed country for the purpose of pursuing your studies, you are eligible to apply. You are not eligible to apply if you hold dual citizenship one of which is a developed country.