The Female Science Talents Intensive Track is a one-year career programme run by the Berlin-based Falling Walls Foundation for 20 early-career women* in science from any discipline.
Participants join regular online workshops, career talks and peer sessions, and travel to Berlin twice: a spring gathering in May and a fall gathering during the Falling Walls Science Summit in November. The programme language is English. (*Includes cis and trans women, genderqueer and non-binary people.)
Benefits & funding
- No participation fee; train, flight and local transport costs for both Berlin gatherings are reimbursed, accommodation and catering provided (overseas flights booked by the foundation).
- Taxis, travel insurance and visa costs are not covered.
- Online workshops (leadership, entrepreneurship, science communication, pitching), peer mentoring and partner networking; a certificate on completion.
- Duties: attend about 80% of the programme and mentor the 2028 cohort (up to 6 times a year).
Eligibility
- Women*, including trans, genderqueer and non-binary applicants.
- PhD students in the final stage of their research, or postdocs who completed their PhD in 2021 or later (call text; the FAQ says 2020 or later). Equivalent qualifications such as medical degrees are also accepted.
- Any discipline, at a university or research institution anywhere; no nationality is barred. Women from the Global South are especially encouraged.
- Selectors especially seek fluent English; the programme runs in English.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“We invite applications from PhD students in the final stages of their research, as well as from postdoctoral researchers who completed their PhD in 2021 or later.” Eligibility
Education required
PhD Enrolled · PhD
Gender requirement
Female
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Application process
- 1Apply on the Falling Walls Global Call platform by 15 November 2026, 23:59 CET.
- 2Give five short answers (300 characters each) and upload a tabular CV and a video introduction of up to 2 minutes.
- 3An expert panel selects from the submitted materials; decisions by end of December, participants contacted in January.
Program timeline
Applications open
1 Oct 2026
Deadline (23:59 CET)
15 Nov 2026
End Dec 2026
Selection decided; participants told in January
Programme runs
Feb 2027 – Jan 2028
May and Nov 2027
Berlin gatherings (4 days; 6 days in Nov per the call, 5 per the FAQ)