The Foundation is dedicated to fostering the growth of women in STEM fields, collaborating with Women Win and the University of Oxford to create meaningful impact. We are pleased to announce a call for applications through these partnerships aimed at empowering the next generation of women in STEM.

Women Win’s Free (Financial Resilience and Economic Empowerment) STEM Fund is accepting grant applications from organisations, collectives or groups in the Global South consisting of a minimum of 3 people. The Fund invests in projects that prioritise narrowing the gender gap in STEM fields. Applications are due by 15 December and are open in English, Spanish, French and Arabic. Learn about the work and backgrounds of the first round of Free STEM Fund recipients here.

In a push for equal learning opportunities, the Optiver Foundation partnered with the University of Oxford to launch an international scholarship programme, which will enable women from low- and middle-income countries to pursue postgraduate STEM degrees. The first cohort consists of six students from Bangladesh, Colombia, Lebanon, Morocco and Nigeria.

Applications for 2024/25 are now open for the second round of Optiver scholars applying to one-year masters’ courses within the Departments of Statistics, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry and Engineering Science or the Mathematical Institute. The scholarship covers course fees and a stipend for living costs, and includes mentoring opportunities and on-course support — further details on how to apply and relevant deadlines can be found at the link below.