Most big scholarships are open to almost anyone. Faculty for the Future is the opposite. It is built for a narrow group of people: women from developing and emerging economies who are doing a PhD or postdoc in a STEM subject abroad, and who want to come back and teach. If that describes you, it is one of the most generous funding options a Pakistani woman researcher can apply for. If it doesn't, no amount of polishing your application will change that, so read the eligibility section carefully before you invest time.
This guide walks through how the fellowship works, what the money covers, and where applicants tend to go wrong. You can also see the full scholarship details on our site.
A fellowship designed to change who teaches STEM at home
The Faculty for the Future program is run by the Schlumberger Foundation. Its stated purpose is to deal with the underrepresentation of women on STEM faculties in developing and emerging economies. The idea is simple: send outstanding women abroad for advanced research, then have them return to teach and lead at universities in their own countries and regions.
That return-home purpose shapes everything about the application. The Foundation is not just looking for a strong researcher. It is looking for a strong researcher who will go back and build STEM capacity at home. Keep that in mind when you write anything for this application.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Schlumberger Foundation |
| Funding | Fully funded: up to US$50,000 per year (PhD), up to US$40,000 per year (postdoc) |
| Level | PhD and postdoctoral research only |
| Fields | STEM: engineering, natural sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, technology |
| Deadline | November 7 (annual, for the following academic year) |
| Where you study | Any recognized university or research institute abroad |
| Official site | fftf.slb.com |
What US$50,000 a year is meant to pay for
The fellowship provides up to US$50,000 per year for PhD candidates and up to US$40,000 per year for postdoctoral researchers. It is renewable through completion of the program, so a PhD fellow is not applying for fresh money every single year from scratch in the way some smaller awards work.
The funding can go towards:
- tuition
- accommodation and living expenses
- health insurance
- travel to and from the host institution, and visas
- conference participation
Note the wording: "up to". These are ceilings, not fixed payments. The exact amount and what it is allowed to cover for your case should be confirmed with the Foundation, especially if your host university already waives tuition or pays you a partial stipend.
The money is not the only benefit. Fellows join a global community of several hundred women scientists and engineers, with professional development workshops, networking events and continued Foundation support after they return home to take up faculty or research posts. For someone planning an academic career in Pakistan, that network can matter years after the PhD ends.
The eligibility rules, and the ones that trip people up
Pakistan is listed as an eligible country, so Pakistani women can apply. Here is the full set of requirements:
- You must be a woman.
- You must be a citizen of a developing country or emerging economy where women are underrepresented in STEM. Pakistan qualifies.
- You must not hold dual citizenship with a developed country.
- You must be preparing to start, or already enrolled in, PhD or postdoctoral research in a STEM field.
- You must be applying to, admitted by, or enrolled at a host university or research institute abroad.
- You must intend to return to your home country or region to teach or contribute to STEM development.
Master's students cannot apply
This is the most common misunderstanding. The fellowship covers PhD and postdoctoral research only. If you are currently looking for master's funding, this is not your scholarship yet. Come back to it once you are heading into a doctorate. Our scholarships guide for Pakistani students covers options at other levels.
Dual nationality is a hard stop
Some Pakistani families hold a second passport from the UK, the US, Canada or another developed country. If you hold dual citizenship with a developed country, you are not eligible. Check this before you start, because it is not something a strong research record can make up for.
The study must be abroad
The fellowship funds study at a host institution outside your home country. It is not tied to one destination. Most fellows end up at research universities in North America, Europe or Asia, but you go wherever you are admitted.
Paperwork to have ready before the portal closes
The application needs:
- the completed online Faculty for the Future application
- proof of admission, or proof of application, to a host university or institute abroad
- academic transcripts and degree certificates
- a research proposal or statement of purpose
- letters of recommendation from academic supervisors
- a CV covering your academic and research background
- proof of citizenship or nationality
Transcripts and degree certificates from Pakistani universities often need to be requested weeks in advance, and some host institutions will separately ask for attested copies. If you have not been through that process before, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains it. Confirm on the official portal exactly what format the Foundation itself wants.
Sequencing your PhD application and your fellowship application
The order matters here. You cannot apply for this fellowship in isolation. You need to be admitted to, enrolled in, or actively applying to a PhD or postdoc program abroad at the time you apply.
- Start your PhD or postdoc applications first. Ideally you will have an offer, or at least a strong application in progress, by November.
- Create an account on the Faculty for the Future portal and complete the online application before November 7.
- Upload your transcripts, research proposal, recommendation letters and proof of admission or application status.
- If you are shortlisted, the Foundation may contact you for more information or an interview.
- Results come out in the following months, and fellowships start with the academic year.
How the year usually runs
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| August | Application portal opens |
| November 7 | Application deadline |
| December-March | Review process |
| Spring/Summer | Results announced |
Treat these months as a guide. Dates can shift from cycle to cycle, so confirm the current deadline on the official portal before planning around it. The practical point is that the window between the portal opening and the deadline is short, and PhD applications in many countries take longer than that. If you only start looking at universities in September, you will be under pressure.
Writing a proposal that fits what the Foundation funds
A lot of applicants submit a research proposal written for their PhD supervisor and leave it at that. That is a missed chance. The Foundation's mission is about women returning home to teach and lead STEM. Your proposal should make clear how your work connects to a need in Pakistan or the wider region. That could be a problem in water, energy, agriculture, health technology, materials, computing or any area where your research has real local use. Be specific. "This will help Pakistan" is not an argument.
Your intention to return should be stated plainly and backed by something concrete: a teaching post you held before, a department you want to join, a plan for what you would build there. Vague promises read as vague.
Mistakes that cost Pakistani applicants this fellowship
- Applying at master's level. It will not be considered.
- Leaving university applications too late, so there is no admission or application in progress to show by November 7.
- Choosing referees for seniority instead of knowledge of your work. Letters should come from supervisors who can speak to your research potential, not just your grades in coursework.
- Treating the return-home requirement as a box to tick. It is the core of the program.
- Ignoring a second passport. Dual citizenship with a developed country makes you ineligible.
Who should skip this? Men, master's applicants, anyone with dual developed-country citizenship, and anyone who is fairly sure they want to settle permanently abroad. That last group can technically apply, but the whole selection logic works against them, and their time is better spent elsewhere. For more options outside one country, see all global scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani women apply for Faculty for the Future?
Yes. Pakistan qualifies as a developing country or emerging economy under the program's eligibility rules. You must also meet the other conditions, including not holding dual citizenship with a developed country.
Does it fund master's degrees?
No. Only PhD and postdoctoral research are eligible. Master's programs are excluded.
How much funding is provided?
Up to US$50,000 per year for PhD candidates and up to US$40,000 per year for postdoctoral researchers, renewable through completion. These are upper limits, so confirm the exact amount for your situation with the Foundation.
Do I need admission before applying?
Not necessarily a final offer, but you should be enrolled, admitted, or actively applying to a host university or institute abroad when you submit. Having an admission in hand makes your application stronger.
Can I choose any country to study in?
Yes, as long as it is a recognized university or research institute outside your home country. The fellowship is not tied to a single destination.
Which subjects count as STEM for this fellowship?
The listed fields are engineering, natural sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and technology. If your research sits on the edge of these areas, check with the Foundation before applying.
Check the current cycle and open the application on the official Faculty for the Future website, and keep the full scholarship page handy for reference while you prepare.