The MAB Young Scientists Awards are run by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme to support early-career researchers whose work advances the understanding and management of ecosystems, natural resources and biodiversity. Since 2024 the scheme has been titled the “MAB Young Scientist Awards – Prince Albert I of Monaco,” reflecting additional funding from the Principality of Monaco. Each year up to eleven awards of as much as US$5,000 help young scientists carry out field research in UNESCO biosphere reserves (or sites proposed as such), with priority for interdisciplinary and comparative projects aligned with the Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan 2026–2035 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Established in 1989, the programme is a long-standing entry point for the next generation of biosphere-reserve scientists.
Benefits & funding
- Grant of up to US$5,000 per recipient toward a research project.
- Up to 11 awards each year: 6 general awards plus 5 Prince Albert I of Monaco awards reserved for marine, coastal and island studies.
- Recognition within the global MAB / World Network of Biosphere Reserves community.
- Funds a defined project to be completed within two years.
Eligibility
- Aged no more than 35 at the application deadline.
- Open to researchers of any nationality, with priority given to applicants from developing countries; applicants from developed countries are considered only in exceptional cases or in joint partnerships with developing-country researchers.
- Research must be carried out in a biosphere reserve or a site proposed as one, focused on ecosystems, natural resources and biodiversity.
- Each application must be endorsed by the applicant’s MAB National Committee (or, where none exists, the National Commission for UNESCO).
Can you apply?
Worth a closer look
Sign in and add your profile to check this against your nationality, residency, and studies.
Age requirement
≤ 35 yrs
Not in your profile yet
We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Download and complete the official MAB Young Scientists Award application form (in English or French).
- 2Obtain endorsement from your MAB National Committee or National Commission for UNESCO.
- 3Submit the endorsed application to the MAB Secretariat (mab.awards@unesco.org) by the annual deadline.
Program timeline
Application deadline (2026 cycle)
May 7, 2026
Annual
A new call typically opens early in the year, with a deadline in early May