The Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO invite applications for the For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Programme to support young women researchers across the region. This program is open to female PhD students and post-doctoral researchers who are citizens of one of the 49 Sub-Saharan African countries and are conducting research there. Eligible fields include formal and life sciences, environmental and physical sciences, and engineering and technological sciences. The program will award 30 grants of €10 thousand to doctoral students and eight grants of €15 thousand to post-doctoral researchers, alongside leadership and communication training. The deadline for applications is 15 May 2026. Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa
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Morris Animal Foundation — Veterinary Student Scholar Program
The Morris Animal Foundation supports research on animal health and welfare, including wildlife/exotics. The Foundation provides veterinary students with the opportunity to become involved in mentored research that advances the health and/or welfare of companion animals and wildlife exotics. The Veterinary Student Scholars program awards stipends up to US$5 thousand to veterinary students. The program is open to currently enrolled veterinary students from all around the world. Applications are due 20 May 2026. Veterinary Student Scholar Program
MDPI — Water Best PhD Thesis Award
The journal Water invites applications for the Best PhD Thesis Award to recognize young scholars who have completed outstanding doctoral research in any aspect of water science, technology, management, or governance. The competition is open to PhD students or recently qualified PhD fellows worldwide, provided their thesis is original work and was defended during 2025. One winner will be selected to receive CHF 800. Applicants must submit an executive summary of their thesis in English. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2026. Thesis Award
Leakey Foundation — Research on Primates
The Leakey Foundation funds research related to human origins. This includes research on primate biology, ecology, and behavior. The majority of research grants awarded to doctoral students range from US$3 thousand to US$20 thousand. Larger projects by senior scientists and post-doctoral students may be funded up to US$30 thousand. There are no citizenship restrictions. The next application deadline is 15 July 2026. Find out more
American Association for the Advancement of Science — Science and SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists 2026
The SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists rewards outstanding early-career researchers. The prize is awarded annually to four young scientists for research performed while they were graduate students in the fields of cell and molecular biology, genomics, proteomics and systems biology, ecology and evolution, or molecular medicine. Applicants must have been awarded their PhD between 01 January 2023 and 31 December 2024. The grand prize winner receives US$30 thousand, and each of the three category winners receives US$10 thousand. Additionally, the grand prize-winning essay is published in Science, and the category winners’ essays are published online.The deadline for entries is 15 July 2026. SciLifeLab Prize
MDPI — Plants Awards 2026
MDPI is a publisher of peer-reviewed, open-access journals. The publisher has several awards in the category “Plants.” MDPI currently invites nominations for the Best PhD Thesis Award (CHF 500) for original work defended in 2025, with a deadline of July 31, 2026, and the Travel Award (CHF 800) for students and postdocs attending international conferences, closing October 31, 2026. Additionally, the journal honors high-quality peer review through the Outstanding Reviewer Award and celebrates research impact with the Best Paper and Young Investigator awards, providing winners with cash prizes, formal certificates, and publication vouchers to waive future article processing charges. Click here
The Explorers Club — Impact Grants
The Explorers Club Impact Grants support individual researchers and explorers worldwide who conduct field-based scientific expeditions in disciplines such as ecology, earth sciences, anthropology, archaeology, paleontology, and astronomy—especially exploring regions experiencing environmental or cultural change. Grants typically range from US$10 thousand to US$25 thousand, covering expenses for on-site fieldwork. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Explorers Club Impact Grants
Coimbra Group — Scholarship Program for Sub-Saharan Africa
The Coimbra Group offers short-term research grants to early-career scholars from higher education institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. The program enables researchers to visit a participating European university for one to three months to further their research and develop academic collaborations. Applicants must be staff members at a Sub-Saharan African university. Funding amounts vary by host university, with many providing monthly stipends ranging from €750 to €1,500, often supplemented by travel allowances or accommodation. The deadline for applications for the 2026/2027 academic year is 10 May 2026. Coimbra Group
Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area — Sustainable Water Management
The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) invites research consortia to submit projects focused on sustainable water management. The program targets the upscaling of nature-based solutions to address extreme weather events and seeks to enhance policy development through innovative water footprint concepts. Eligibility requires a consortium of at least three legal entities from three different participating countries, including at least one from an EU Member State or associated country and at least one from a Mediterranean Partner Country (such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, or Morocco). Funding amounts vary by section: Section 1 projects typically receive approximately €2.7 million each from EU funds, while Section 2 projects receive a minimum of €1.5 million supported by national funding bodies. The deadline for pre-proposals is 15 May 2026. Water Management
Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area — Farming Systems
The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) invites research and innovation consortia to apply for its “Farming Systems in the Nexus” calls. The program is divided into two sections: Section 1 focuses on enhancing sustainable farming within Mediterranean wetlands for conservation and coexistence, while Section 2 addresses the upscaling of agroecology practices at the farm level. Eligibility requires a consortium of at least four independent legal entities established in at least three different PRIMA participating countries, including at least one EU Member State or associated country and at least two Mediterranean Partner Countries (such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, or Türkiye). Section 1 projects typically receive approximately €2.7 million in EU funding for a 36-month duration, whereas Section 2 projects are supported by national funding bodies with varied amounts, often around €1.5 million per project. The deadline for pre-proposals is 15 May 2026. Farming Systems