IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (Women in Nuclear)

The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme is run by the International Atomic Energy Agency and exists for one specific purpose: to increase the number of women working in the nuclear field. It was launched in 2020 by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and has since received more than three thousand applications, awarding scholarships to hundreds of women from over ninety countries. Applications are open only to female students who are nationals of an IAEA Member State, which covers the large majority of countries worldwide.

The funding is substantial for a master’s-level award. Selected fellows receive up to 20,000 euros toward tuition and a further 20,000 euros toward living costs, for up to two years of study. Because the award follows you rather than placing you, you choose your own accredited university and programme. That flexibility is a real advantage, though it comes with a corresponding limit: the award is capped in euros, so an expensive programme in a high-cost country may still leave a gap you need to cover from elsewhere.

One common reason people rule themselves out unnecessarily is a narrow reading of what counts as nuclear. The IAEA interprets the field broadly. Alongside nuclear engineering, nuclear physics, nuclear safety and security, radiation protection and nuclear medicine, the programme explicitly supports isotopic techniques applied to human health, food and agriculture, biotechnology, water resources, environmental engineering and bioengineering. Applicants working on water security or food science frequently qualify without realising it.

What separates this from a straightforward scholarship is the second stage. Fellows can compete for an internship facilitated by the IAEA, which is a meaningful entry point into a professional field where the employer pool is relatively small and closely networked. There is also an active students and alumni community used for professional development and mentoring. Selection is handled by an IAEA technical selection committee weighing academic credentials, prior achievements, motivation and the likely career impact of the fellowship, and the committee deliberately balances geographic, field of study and linguistic diversity. Preference goes to applicants with above average academic records, indicatively seventy-five percent or a GPA above 3.0 out of 4.0, but strong candidates from under-represented countries are actively sought rather than merely tolerated.

• Open only to female students, since the programme exists specifically to increase the number of women working in the nuclear field.
• You must be a national of an IAEA Member State, which covers the large majority of countries worldwide.
• You must already be accepted by, or enrolled in, an accredited university on a master's programme in a nuclear-related field.
• Preference goes to applicants with above average academic credentials, indicatively 75 percent or above, or a GPA above 3.0 out of 4.0.
• Nuclear-related is interpreted broadly and includes nuclear engineering, nuclear physics, nuclear safety and security, radiation protection, and nuclear medicine.
• It also covers isotopic techniques applied to human health, food and agriculture, biotechnology, water resources, environmental engineering and bioengineering, so the field is wider than it first appears.
• Selection weighs entry requirements, educational background, prior achievements, motivation, and the likely impact of the fellowship on your career and public service commitment.
• The committee deliberately balances geographic, field of study and linguistic diversity, so strong candidates from under-represented countries are actively sought.

• Up to EUR 20,000 toward tuition and a further EUR 20,000 toward living costs, which together fully fund many master's programmes and substantially fund the rest.
• A competitive opportunity to apply for an internship facilitated by the IAEA, which is where the programme differs from a plain scholarship.
• Entry into a global cohort and alumni network of women in nuclear science, including a dedicated students and alumni group used for professional development.
• You choose your own accredited university and programme rather than being placed, so the award follows you to the institution that fits your goals.
• Standing with the IAEA and its member state networks, which matters in a field where the employer pool is relatively small and well connected.
• The programme has grown steadily since its 2020 launch and has awarded scholarships to hundreds of women from more than 90 countries.
• Note the practical limit: the award is capped in euros, so an expensive programme in a high-cost country may still leave a gap you need to cover.

• Online application submitted through the IAEA MSCFP application portal during the annual call window.
• Letter of acceptance or proof of enrolment in a master's programme in a nuclear-related field at an accredited university.
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates from your previous studies.
• Curriculum vitae setting out academic background, research and any relevant professional experience.
• Motivation statement explaining your interest in the nuclear field and your career goals after graduation.
• Proof of nationality of an IAEA Member State, normally a passport copy.
• Details of the tuition and living costs of your chosen programme, since the award is assessed against actual costs.

• Secure a place on a nuclear-related master's programme first, because the fellowship supports admitted or enrolled students rather than funding an open search.
• Check the field of study carefully against the IAEA's broad definition, since applied areas such as water resources and food science qualify even though they do not sound nuclear.
• Watch the IAEA page from around mid-year, as the call has typically opened in the middle of the year and closed at the end of September or October.
• Apply online through the IAEA portal within the call window, giving the motivation statement real attention since it carries weight in the assessment.
• Make the career impact explicit: the committee is assessing what the fellowship will change about your trajectory, not only your grades.
• All applicants are notified of the technical selection committee's decision by email.
• Successful fellows can then apply competitively for an IAEA-facilitated internship, which is a separate step after the scholarship is awarded.