The FNRS has been a partner of the L'Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science” programme for 18 years. Within this framework, the call for applications for the 2026 International Awards, which recognise and support eminent women scientists around the world, has just been opened. The FNRS is pleased to inform you.
Main features
- The 2026 edition of the Awards will designate five outstanding scientific researchers in the fields of Life and Environmental Sciences, working in the following regions:
- Africa and the Arab States
- Asia and the Pacific
- Europe
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- North America
- One candidate will be selected for each of the five regions, the determining factor being the place of work for at least 10 years, not the nationality of the candidate.
- Each Award amounts to 100.000 € (for personal use).
Eligible applicants
- The candidate must:
- Be recognized for her scientific excellence by the international scientific community.
- Be actively involved in scientific research.
- Work in any field within the Life and Environmental Sciences mentioned in appendix 1 of the regulations.
- There is no age limit for the candidates.
- Self-nominations and teams’ nominations are not eligible.
Selection criteria
- The candidate’s outstanding contribution to the general advancement of science.
- The impact of the candidate's research on the current state of the relevant scientific field (number, quality and impact of publications, conference presentations, patents).
- The recognition of the candidate by peers within her discipline through publications.
- The recognition of the candidate’s commitments to education, teaching activities, mentoring and/or to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals more broadly.
Call timeline
- Deadline of the call: July 4th, 2025
- Panel meeting: December 2025
- Awards Ceremony: June 2026
How to apply ?
To be considered eligible for an Award, it is necessary to be nominatedin writing by an eminent scientist.
Qualified nominators may be:
- Heads of University or Scientific Institutions.
- Members of Academies of Science.
- Holders of Research Chairs.
- Full professors.
- Past For Women in Science Award Laureates.
- or at a minimum holders of a PhD in Science.
Nominations can only be submitted electronically through the online-dedicated platform and must be written in English.
The complete regulations are available here.
Collaboration with the FNRS
The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Programme also allows the FNRS to run an additional funding instrument aiming at grantingAdditional Research Credits Grants for female postdoctoral researchers in the field of Exact and Natural Sciences every two years.
These Additional Research Credits (ARC) Grants amount to 20.000€ and come on top of the regular Research Credits attached to the FNRS Postdoctoral Researcher Grants. These ARC Grants follow the same regulation than the regular Research Credits attached to these FNRS mandates and can be used to cover eligible running costs during their timeframe.
Three ARC Grants will be available in 2026.
Questions about these Grants should be addressed via email toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
