Women & Science scholarships
Achieving gender parity in scientific fields
The École Normale Supérieure has long been working to reduce gender inequalities.
In 2022, however, the school found that only 10-20% of its mathematics, computer science and physics departments were staffed by women. The cause: the weight of gender stereotypes and the under-representation of girls in scientific fields.
As an inclusive school, the ENS is aiming for parity in admissions to its science departments by 2030. To achieve this goal, the school is encouraging female students to take part in the Concours Normalien Étudiant, open to male and female students in preparatory classes or university bachelor’s degrees.
Objectives
In February 2023 the ENS launched the “Femmes et Sciences” program: a scholarship program providing all female students recruited in mathematics, physics and computer science (via the CNE) with funding of 1,000 euros per month, for the three years of their training. Objectives:
- Encourage more women to apply to the sciences;
- Convince women that they are welcome in science departments;
- Encourage them to choose the ENS and its demanding offer of training through research.
Impact
Thanks to generous donations from patrons, this scholarship program had an impact right from its first year: the number of female applicants to the Concours Normalien Étudiant en Physique increased by 50% (60 candidates compared with 40 the previous year).
This significant increase in the number of female candidates was reflected in the number of admissions, enabling the department to achieve its first ever gender parity DENS graduating class.
This leap demonstrates the power of the program and the tangible impact of donations on equal opportunities at the École.
Your donations
- To ensure the sustainability of this program and its long-term effect on the feminization of scientific promotions, we need your donations.
- To fund the education of a female student: €15,000/year for a full scholarship year, or €45,000 for 3 years of study at ENS.
- To fund a “Women in Science” project manager: €50,000/year
