HORIZON-JU-EDCTP3-2026-Outstanding Female Scientist Prize

HORIZON-JU-EDCTP3-2026 Outstanding Female Scientist Prize is a recognition award under Horizon Europe administered by the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking to reward past scientific contributions and measurable capacity-building through training and mentorship in sub-Saharan Africa. Eligible applicants are natural persons who identify as female and are established (residing) in a sub-Saharan African EDCTP Association member country, an EU Member State, or a country associated to Horizon Europe, with exclusions for current EDCTP3 or EU institution staff and previous recipients for the same activities. The single prize awards €20,000 and will be presented at the EDCTP Forum 2027 with payment 30 days after the ceremony. Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal by 2 September 2026 (17:00 CET) using Part A (online) and Part B (technical, max 45 pages) plus required annexes including applicant CV and letters of support.

What it funds

Summary

Recognition prize under the Global Health EDCTP3 programme (Horizon Europe) rewarding past scientific contribution and capacity building by women researchers active in sub-Saharan Africa. Prize is a fixed monetary award, not linked to costs incurred.

Award value:Outstanding Female Scientist Prize: €20,000 ¹.

Who can apply

Natural persons who identify as female and reside in a sub-Saharan African country that is a member of the EDCTP Association, or in the EU or a country associated to Horizon Europe. Applicants must have been involved in EDCTP3-scope research and provide proof of eligibility, a written presentation of achievements and a letter of support from peers.

Key eligibility and conditions

1. 1Must be a natural person, resident in eligible country (SSA EDCTP Association member, EU or Horizon-associated country).
2. 2Identify as female and demonstrate scientific contribution in sub-Saharan Africa within EDCTP3 remit (50 points) and measurable capacity building/mentorship impact (50 points).
3. 3One application per candidate; candidate must submit their own application. Current employees of EDCTP3, JU bodies or those involved in call preparation cannot apply or provide letters of support.
4. 4Applications submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal; Part B limited to 45 pages; specific forms and annexes required (CV, letter(s) of support).
5. 5Winners must comply with communication, visibility, ethics and audit rules; prize may be withdrawn for ineligibility or fraud.

How to apply & deadline

Submit electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (topic page). Register in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC before submission. Deadline: 2 September 2026 (17:00 CET as shown on Portal).

Evaluation is by an independent expert jury using a 100-point scale (50 points scientific contribution, 50 points impact through training/mentorship). Award ceremony will take place at EDCTP Forum 2027; payment 30 days after ceremony subject to documentation.

Footnotes

1. 1Full Rules of Contest and application templates are available on the Portal and the Global Health EDCTP3 site; see Rules of Contest document for details Rules of Contest.

Call identity and deadlines

Call title:HORIZON-JU-EDCTP3-2026-Outstanding Female Scientist Prize. Opportunity type: Call for Proposals (HORIZON Recognition Prize). Topic reference: HORIZON-JU. Submission deadline: 2 September 2026, 17:00 CET. Publication and opening: 27 May 2026. Submission channel: Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (online only).

Purpose and overview

This is a recognition prize funded under Horizon Europe and implemented by the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking (Global Health EDCTP3). It recognises past achievements of women scientists who have been involved in research and innovation activities within the remit of the Global Health EDCTP3 programme, with an emphasis on research in sub-Saharan Africa and measurable impact in capacity building through training and mentorship.

Award objective:The Outstanding Female Scientist Prize aims to support new and/or established women scientists who have made significant scientific contributions within the scope of the Global Health EDCTP3 programme and who have built measurable, impactful research capacity through training and mentorship for future generations of researchers in Africa.

Prize amount and budget:Total budget for this prize: €20,000 (single prize of €20,000). Payment to winner(s) will be made 30 days after the award ceremony, subject to submission of requested documents.

Eligibility and applicant requirements

Eligibility is defined in the Rules of Contest for the EDCTP3 Prizes 2026-2027 (see footnote). The prize is for natural persons who identify as female and meet residency requirements. Applicants and applications must comply with the general rules, exclusions, ethics and security provisions described in the Rules of Contest and the Funding & Tenders Portal documentation.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: natural persons (individuals) who identify as female.
2. 2Geographic/establishment requirement: must be established (residing) in a sub-Saharan African (SSA) country that is a member of the EDCTP Association OR in the EU OR in a country associated to Horizon Europe. Applicants from countries negotiating association may be eligible if their country associates before award.
3. 3Registration requirement: applicants must register in the Participant Register before the call deadline and be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation).
4. 4Exclusions: current employees of Global Health EDCTP3, EU institutions/agencies/bodies, the EDCTP Association, and persons serving on Global Health EDCTP3/EDCTP Association advisory or governing bodies may not apply or provide letters of support. Entities or persons subject to EU exclusion decisions or restrictive measures are ineligible.

Award criteria and evaluation

Applications are evaluated by an independent expert jury and scored on a 100-point scale. The Outstanding Female Scientist Prize has two cumulative award criteria, each weighted equally (50 points each). Applicants must submit required supporting documents including letters of support and CVs.

1. 1Scientific contribution and excellence (50 points): evidence of significant scientific contribution through research and innovation activities in sub-Saharan Africa within the Global Health EDCTP3 programme scope.
2. 2Impact (50 points): evidence of measurable and impactful research capacity building through training and mentorship for future generations of researchers and scientists in Africa.

Application and submission details

Submission is electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Paper submissions are not accepted. Candidates must submit their own application (not by a third party). The system offers specific application templates (Part A online; Part B downloadable template to complete and re-upload). Part B is limited to 45 pages; evaluators will disregard additional pages. Annexes and supporting documents must be uploaded in the correct slots.

1. 1Application structure and mandatory documents: Application Form Part A (administrative; filled online), Application Form Part B (technical description; use mandatory Word template, convert to PDF), mandatory annexes: letter(s) of support from reputable scientist(s) with short CV of signatory, applicant CV(s).
2. 2Language: any official EU language may be used; English is strongly recommended.
3. 3Submission steps: create EU Login account, register in Participant Register to obtain PIC, access Electronic Submission System via Topic page, complete Part A online, upload Part B PDF and annexes, submit before deadline. After submission a confirmation e-mail is sent; if not received, submission failed and must be rectified before deadline.
4. 4Resubmission: applications may be changed and re-submitted until the deadline; only the last submission by a candidate will be considered.

Application templates and forms:Applicants must use the forms provided inside the Portal Submission System. Part A is entered directly in the system; Part B must be downloaded from the Submission System, completed using the mandatory Word template, converted to PDF and re-uploaded. A dedicated annex template is provided in the system for clinical studies if relevant. Annex slots accept PDF files (and some Excel where allowed). Part B maximum length: 45 pages. Follow the Submission System categories and upload to the correct slots to avoid inadmissibility.

Selection process, timeline and award

Evaluation:single-stage, formal evaluation by independent expert panel followed by mandatory checks (ethics, security scrutiny, legal entity validation, non-exclusion, double funding and plagiarism). Results are communicated by evaluation result letter. Award: the awarding authority decides based on the evaluation and checks. Award ceremony: prizes 2026-2027 will be presented at EDCTP Forum 2027 in Spain (5–9 April 2027). Payment: 30 days after the award ceremony upon submission of requested documents. Awarding authority may withdraw prize and recover payments if eligibility, fraud, or breach is discovered.

1. 1Key dates: Call opening 27 May 2026; deadline 2 September 2026 (17:00 CET); evaluation Sept–Oct 2026; information on results Dec 2026; award ceremony Apr 2027.
2. 2Evaluation stages: single-stage submission, expert panel scoring, mandatory administrative and ethics/security checks, awarding decision.
3. 3Notification and complaint: applicants receive an evaluation result letter; complaints may be submitted per procedures in that letter if evaluation procedure is believed flawed.

Exclusions, ethics and security

Applications must comply with highest ethical standards, EU values and applicable law. Activities with prohibited ethical content (e.g., human reproductive cloning, germline modification making changes heritable, creating human embryos solely for research or stem cell procurement) are ineligible. Applications involving ethics issues will undergo ethics review. Security-sensitive proposals involving EU classified information must comply with Decision 2015/444 and may be ineligible if too sensitive. Applicants subject to EU exclusion decisions or in specified exclusion situations (bankruptcy, fraud, corruption, serious professional misconduct, terrorism offences, etc.) cannot participate.

Consortium requirements and applicant types

This prize is targeted at individuals (natural persons). Joint or group applications are not applicable for this prize (each candidate must submit only one application). Note: Joint applications are allowed for other EDCTP prizes (e.g. Outstanding Research Team Prize) but not for the Outstanding Female Scientist Prize.

Funding type, nature of support and co-funding

Funding type:recognition prize (financial award). Nature of support: monetary prize payment of €20,000 to the successful individual. The prize is not linked to costs incurred and is not reimbursing project costs. No co-funding from the applicant is required or requested; prize amounts are fixed and paid as lump sum. The Rules of Contest note the prohibition of double funding for the same activities (applicants who previously received EDCTP prizes for the same activities are ineligible to receive a second prize for the same activities or the same prize category twice).

Geographic and beneficiary scope

Beneficiary scope:eligibility requires residency in a qualifying jurisdiction: sub-Saharan African country that is a member of the EDCTP Association, OR EU Member State, OR a country associated to Horizon Europe. Applicants from countries negotiating association agreements may be eligible if association occurs before the award. International applicants outside these sets are not eligible under this prize unless they meet residency criteria.

Mentioned countries and regions:Explicitly referenced regions/countries: sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) — required for EDCTP Association members; European Union (EU) Member States; countries associated to Horizon Europe; countries negotiating association (conditional eligibility). The opportunity is implemented under Horizon Europe and the EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking.

Target sectors and project stage

Target sector:global health and poverty-related diseases research within the remit of the Global Health EDCTP3 programme. This covers biomedical, clinical and implementation research in global health, with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. Project stage: recognition prize for past achievements — applicable to mature research contributions, capacity building and mentorship outcomes (research, capacity development, and impact already achieved).

Application process summary and practical steps

1. 1Register: create EU Login account and register in the Participant Register to obtain a 9-digit PIC. Validation by REA Central Validation Service is required before the call deadline.
2. 2Prepare: download Part B template from the Submission System, prepare Part A online and consolidate annexes (applicant CV, letters of support and CV of letter signatories). Ensure Part B <= 45 pages; include clear evidence of involvement in EDCTP3-relevant research and measurable capacity-building impact.
3. 3Submit: upload Part B as PDF and annexes in correct categories via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Confirm submission and retain confirmation e-mail.
4. 4After submission: be prepared to supply additional documents if requested (legal entity validation for certain cases, bank account validation, declaration on honour, ethics documentation, etc.).

Evaluation stages, application stages and success rates

Application stages:single-stage submission evaluated by independent expert panel, followed by mandatory checks (ethics, security, legal validation, non-exclusion, double funding, plagiarism). Number of stages applicants must pass: 1 (single-stage submission) plus passing mandatory checks — effectively 2 sequential gates: peer evaluation and compliance checks. Success rates: not published for this specific prize; expected to be low because this is a single-winner recognition prize with one prize available and an open call. The budget indicates an expectedGrants value of 1 for this prize. Applicants should therefore consider the prize highly competitive.

Co-funding, payment and financial arrangements

Co-funding:not required. Prize is a fixed monetary award (€20,000). Payment arrangements: prize money paid to award winner 30 days after award ceremony subject to submission of requested documents; if winners are a group (not applicable to this single-person prize), payment goes to lead applicant and must be shared equally among group members.

Intellectual property, communication and visibility requirements

IPR:awarding authority does not obtain ownership of results. The awarding authority has rights to use non-sensitive information and materials provided by winners for communication, dissemination, and publicity. Photos and videos produced by awarding authority around the award ceremony are its property. Communication obligations: winners must acknowledge EU and JU support, display European emblem and Global Health EDCTP3 logo and include the standard funding disclaimer in communications. The emblem and logo must remain unmodified and at least as prominent as other logos when shown together.

Checks, audits, withdrawal and other legal conditions

The awarding authority, European Commission, OLAF, EPPO and ECA may carry out checks, audits and investigations. The authority may withdraw the prize and recover amounts if fraud, false information, ineligibility or serious breach of obligations are discovered.

Support, guidance and contacts

1. 1Documentation: Rules of Contest (EDCTP3 Prizes 2026-2027), Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Programme Guide, topic-specific templates in Submission System.
2. 2Helpdesk: Funding & Tenders Portal IT Helpdesk for submission system questions; non-IT related queries to applicants@global-health-edctp3.europa.eu — quote the call and topic reference.
3. 3National Contact Points and Enterprise Europe Network for participation guidance and partner search features are available.

Eligible Applicant Types

Primary eligible applicant type:individual natural persons (female-identifying). The prize targets women researchers (new and/or established). Entities without legal personality may exceptionally participate in other EDCTP prize categories if their representatives can legally assume obligations, but for this specific prize the applicant must be a natural person.

Funding Type

Primary financial mechanism:grant in the form of a recognition prize (fixed monetary award, lump sum). The funding is not linked to incurred costs.

Consortium Requirement

For the Outstanding Female Scientist Prize a single applicant is required (individual). Joint/group applications are not applicable for this prize. Other EDCTP prizes may accept team/consortia applications but not this category.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Geographic eligibility:applicants must be established (residing) in either a sub-Saharan African country that is a member of the EDCTP Association, or in an EU Member State, or in a country associated to Horizon Europe. Applicants from countries negotiating association may participate if association is completed before award.

Target Sector

Sector:global health, poverty-related diseases and research capacity strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa as covered by the Global Health EDCTP3 programme. Emphasis on research, clinical and implementation science and capacity-building activities.

Mentioned Countries

Explicitly mentioned regions and country groups:sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) — EDCTP Association members; European Union (EU) Member States; countries associated to Horizon Europe; countries negotiating association agreements.

Project Stage

Expected project maturity:recognition of past achievements implies mature, demonstrated research and capacity-building activities (research, capacity development, mentorship) — not an early idea or pre-research stage.

Funding Amount

Prize amount:€20,000 (single award). The call’s budget mapping shows expectedGrants: 1 and min/max contribution: €20,000.

Application Type

Application method:open call published on Funding & Tenders Portal; single-stage electronic submission via the Electronic Submission System. Not rolling; one fixed deadline.

Nature of Support

Beneficiaries receive monetary support (€20,000 prize). Non-monetary expectations include publicity, participation in award ceremony, dissemination obligations and provision of materials for communication.

Application Stages

Applicants pass a single-stage evaluation by an expert panel and subsequent mandatory compliance checks (ethics, security, validation). Effectively two administrative/evaluation stages: peer evaluation and compliance checks.

Success Rates

Success rate:not published. The prize has a single award (one winner) and the available budget supports one prize — competition will therefore be highly selective with a low probability of success for applicants.

Co-funding Requirement

Co-funding from applicants:none required. The prize is a fixed lump sum paid to the winner and is not a reimbursement of costs.

Templates and Application Form Structure

Application forms are provided inside the Submission System. Structure and required content summary:

Detailed eligibility and disqualifying conditions (summary)

1. 1Applicant must be a natural person and identify as female.
2. 2Applicant must reside in SSA (EDCTP Association member), or EU Member State, or Horizon Europe associated country.
3. 3Applicant must have been involved in research and innovation activities within the remit of Global Health EDCTP3 and demonstrate significant scientific contribution and capacity-building impact in sub-Saharan Africa.
4. 4Applicants previously awarded an EDCTP prize for the same activities are ineligible to receive a second prize for the same activities or to receive the same prize category twice.
5. 5Current employees of Global Health EDCTP3, EU institutions/agencies/bodies and members of EDCTP governing/advisory bodies may not apply or provide letters of support.
6. 6Applicants subject to EU exclusion measures, restrictive measures, or involved in disqualifying legal or ethical situations are ineligible.

Ethics, data protection and research integrity

Activities must comply with the highest ethical standards and relevant EU, international and national laws. Projects or applications contravening ethical prohibitions (e.g., human reproductive cloning, certain germline modifications, creating human embryos solely for research) will be excluded. Research integrity must be respected (e.g. European Code of Conduct). Personal data processed for evaluation will follow Regulation 2018/1725 and Funding & Tenders Portal privacy rules. Winners accept publication of their name, address and amount awarded in accordance with EU Financial Regulation, unless publication risks rights and freedoms.

How to get help

1. 1Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual for step-by-step submission guidance.
2. 2Topic page Q&A on the Funding & Tenders Portal for call-specific questions (where relevant).
3. 3IT Helpdesk for submission system technical support.
4. 4Non-IT questions: applicants@global-health-edctp3.europa.eu — include call and topic reference in enquiries.
5. 5National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network and other support services for participation advice and partner search.

Final summary: what is this opportunity about and who should apply?

This call is a single monetary recognition prize (€20,000) to reward an outstanding female scientist who has demonstrably contributed to Global Health EDCTP3-relevant research in sub-Saharan Africa and who has built measurable research capacity through mentorship and training of emerging researchers. It targets individual women researchers resident in eligible jurisdictions (SSA EDCTP Association members, EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries). Applicants should prepare a concise Part B (max 45 pages) demonstrating their scientific contribution and measurable impact in capacity strengthening, and provide supporting letters from reputable scientists and CVs. Submission is electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal, and applicants must be registered and validated before the deadline. The prize is competitive; only one award is expected. Winners will be announced after expert evaluation and mandatory checks, and presented at the EDCTP Forum 2027. Applicants must comply with ethics, exclusion and communication conditions, and winners must acknowledge EU and EDCTP3 support in communications.

Primary reference documents:EDCTP3 Rules of Contest (EDCTP3 Prizes 2026-2027), Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, application templates available in the Portal Submission System. For the Rules of Contest see the official document: Rules of Contest - EDCTP3 prizes 2027 Topic page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full Rules of Contest and all procedural, eligibility and submission details are published in the Rules of Contest document for the Global Health EDCTP3 Prizes 2026-2027 available at the EDCTP3 website: Rules of Contest - EDCTP3 prizes 2027.

Prize Objective and Scope

This recognition prize, funded under Horizon Europe, aims to support new and/or established women scientists who have made significant contributions to global health research in sub-Saharan Africa within the scope of the Global Health EDCTP3 programme ¹. It is a reward for past achievements and outstanding work already performed, rather than an inducement for future investment ¹.

Who Should Apply

Eligible applicants must be natural persons (individuals) who identify as female and are established (residing) in a sub-Saharan African country that is a member of the EDCTP Association, an EU Member State, or a country associated with Horizon Europe ¹. Current employees of Global Health EDCTP3, EU institutions, or EDCTP Association governing bodies are strictly excluded from applying or providing support letters ¹.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

Applications are graded on a total of 100 points based on two cumulative criteria. The first criterion, "Scientific contribution and excellence," accounts for 50 points and requires proof of involvement in research and innovation activities in sub-Saharan Africa with a significant scientific contribution ¹. The second criterion, "Impact," also accounts for 50 points and requires evidence of building measurable research capacity through training and mentorship for future researchers in Africa ¹.

Required Documentation:Applicants must submit a complete application including Part A (administrative) and Part B (technical, max 45 pages), a CV of the applicant, and mandatory letters of support from reputable scientists accompanied by their short CVs ¹.

Budget and Financial Details

Key Deadlines and Submission Process

The submission deadline is 2 September 2026 at 17:00 CET. Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System; paper submissions are not accepted ¹. Applicants must register in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC before the deadline to be validated by the Central Validation Service ¹.

1. 1Create an EULogin user account and register in the Participant Register to obtain a 9-digit PIC.
2. 2Access the Electronic Submission System via the Topic page.
3. 3Complete Part A online and download, fill, and upload Part B as a PDF.
4. 4Upload mandatory annexes (support letters with CVs, applicant CV) as PDFs.
5. 5Submit before the deadline and await the confirmation email.

Important Conditions and Restrictions

Applicants who have already received an EDCTP prize (under EDCTP1, 2, or 3) cannot receive a second prize for the same activities or in the same prize category ¹. The prize money is paid to the winner 30 days after the ceremony, provided all documents are submitted. Winners must promote the prize and acknowledge EU/EDCTP support using the European flag and EDCTP logo in all communications ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Rules of Contest for Global Health EDCTP3 Prizes 2026-2027, available at EDCTP Prizes Page.