Schlumberger Foundation FFTF Fellowship: African Women Guide

The Schlumberger Foundation (FFTF) Fellowship is one of the most substantial annual funding programs available to women from developing countries pursuing a PhD or postdoctoral degree in STEM abroad. It covers actual eligible expenses up to $50,000 per year for PhD candidates and $40,000 per year for postdoctoral researchers, is renewable through completion, and comes with a genuine expectation of return: you go, you research, you come back and build science in your home country. Applications for the 2027-28 academic year are open right now, closing November 7, 2026.

Quick Facts

• Sponsor: Schlumberger Foundation (now rebranded as SLB Foundation)
• Established: 2004
• Scale: Over 900 women from 93 countries supported since 2004
• Level: PhD and Postdoctoral research only — Master’s level is not funded
• Fields: STEM disciplines — physical sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics. Biological sciences are eligible only for interdisciplinary research between physical and biological sciences; pure biology or life sciences without a physical-science crossover generally don’t qualify.
• Study Location: At a leading university or research institute abroad (outside your home country)
• Value: Up to $50,000/year (PhD) or $40,000/year (postdoc), based on actual eligible costs
• Duration: One academic year initially, renewable annually through completion, subject to performance and supervisor recommendations
• Deadline: November 7, 2026 (2027-28 cycle — currently open)
• Results Announced: By end of March / early April 2027

What “Up to $50,000” Actually Means

This is the most commonly misrepresented detail about Schlumberger FFTF Fellowship: the grant covers your actual eligible expenses, up to the cap. If your tuition plus living costs abroad total $38,000, the grant covers $38,000. If they total $65,000, you receive $50,000 and cover the $15,000 difference yourself. This means the real value of your fellowship depends heavily on where you’re studying — a PhD at a Northern European university may cost considerably less than one at an institution in the UK or the United States, which affects how much of your real costs the grant covers.

Eligible expenses typically include tuition and mandatory fees, monthly living stipend, health insurance, round-trip airfare, and books or essential equipment — confirmed within the fellowship’s own documentation. Expenses that are luxury or non-essential aren’t covered regardless of the annual cap.

Schlumberger faculty for the future Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, you must:

• Be a female citizen of a developing country or emerging economy where women are underrepresented in STEM. Dual citizenship with a developed country disqualifies you entirely — if you acquire citizenship of a developed country after receiving the award, the grant is discontinued from that date.
• Be preparing for, admitted to, or enrolled in a PhD or postdoctoral program in STEM at a university abroad. The degree must be awarded by the foreign (host) institution, not your home institution. Sandwich courses are allowed only if the degree is awarded abroad or jointly — a home-country-awarded sandwich arrangement doesn’t qualify.
• Demonstrate an excellent academic record.
• Have prior teaching or research experience in your home country — a track record of contributing to science in your home context is a genuine evaluation criterion, not just a formality.
• Commit to returning to your home country or region upon completion, to contribute to socioeconomic development through teaching, research, entrepreneurship, or public policy in STEM. This return commitment is a core condition, not a preference — fellows who remain abroad after completion may face issues with renewal or future grant eligibility.
• Demonstrate leadership, community outreach, and a track record of encouraging girls and women into STEM.

African Countries Covered by Schlumberger Foundation FFTF Fellowship

FFTF (Faculty for the Future) scholarships for women in STEM is open to women from all developing countries and emerging economies — no specific country list restricts African eligibility. The African Energy Chamber specifically named Angola, the Republic of Congo, Namibia, and Gabon as among the African countries invited to apply for the 2026-27 cycle, but this should be understood as illustrative, not exhaustive. Any African woman from a developing or emerging economy is generally eligible provided she meets the other criteria. The dual-citizenship restriction is the primary country-level exclusion to watch.

What Makes a Competitive Application for Schlumberger faculty future

Based on the fellowship’s own stated criteria and application guidance from multiple corroborating sources, the evaluation framework weights:

• Research quality and alignment with development challenges: Your research proposal should clearly articulate how your PhD or postdoc work will eventually contribute to addressing a specific development challenge in your home country or region — not just advance knowledge in your field generally.
• Reintegration plan: A well-defined, realistic plan for how you’ll return and contribute to your home institution or country. Vague “I’ll come back and teach” language scores poorly; specific plans tied to your institution’s current needs score well.
• Leadership in encouraging women and girls into STEM: A demonstrated track record in this area — not just a statement of intent.
• Host university supervisor’s endorsement: A strong reference from your proposed or current host supervisor is specifically highlighted in application guidance. This letter matters more than a general academic reference.

How to Apply

1. Confirm your research falls within eligible STEM disciplines — physical sciences, engineering, computer science, mathematics, or genuinely interdisciplinary work crossing physical and biological sciences.
2. Confirm your host university is abroad and will award the degree (or jointly award it).
3. Secure a strong endorsement from your host university supervisor — this is where most competitive applications are won or lost.
4. Prepare your personal statement around your research’s development relevance and your specific reintegration plan, not just your academic record: Personal Statement for Scholarship / SOP Examples
5. Gather supporting recommendation letters — your home institution supervisor and your host supervisor both matter: Recommendation Letter for Scholarship
6. Apply through the Schlumberger Foundation’s official portal before November 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Schlumberger fellowship currently accepting applications? Yes. The 2027-28 cycle opened September 1, 2026 and closes November 7, 2026.

Does FFTF fund Master’s degrees? No. The program funds PhD and postdoctoral research only — Master’s level is explicitly excluded.

Is pure biology or life sciences eligible? Only if your research is genuinely interdisciplinary between physical and biological sciences. Pure biology without a physical-science crossover generally doesn’t qualify.

Can I hold FFTF alongside another scholarship? The fellowship covers actual costs up to the cap — if another funding source covers some of those costs, FFTF typically covers the remainder up to its maximum. Confirm with the Foundation directly for your specific situation.

What happens if I acquire citizenship of a developed country after receiving the grant? The grant is discontinued from the date of that citizenship. This applies mid-award, not just at application.

Is the Schlumberger fellowship renewable? Yes, annually through completion of your degree, subject to satisfactory academic progress and supervisor recommendations.

Official Resources

• SLB Foundation Faculty for the Future (official): slb.com/slb-foundation/scholarships/faculty-for-the-future-scholarships
• Application portal: Opens September 1 each year

For More Scholarships:

Africa Hub, Europe Hub, USA Hub, Back to Hub Scholarships for African women, Google Women Techmakers Scholars Program,