Three Filipina scholars have been awarded full scholarships under the prestigious 'Asean-UK SAGE [Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education] Programme' and the British Council’s 'Women in STEM' scholarships, aimed at addressing gender disparities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.
The scholarships provide these talented individuals with an opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom, recognized for its world-class institutions. These initiatives highlight the commitment of both the UK government and the British Council in supporting women’s empowerment through education, particularly in fields where women are underrepresented.
The Asean-UK SAGE program opened its scholarship opportunities to women from the 10 Asean member-states—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam as well as Timor-Leste. The Women in STEM program, on the other hand, offered scholarships to women from across South Asia, East Asia, wider Europe, and the Americas.
After a competitive selection process involving hundreds of applications, three Filipinas were among the 24 scholars from Asean and Timor-Leste who secured scholarships from the two programs.
One of the recipients of the Asean-UK SAGE Women in STEM scholarship is Maria Andrea Kristina Onglao, who will be studying for a Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Data Science and Machine Learning at Imperial College London, one of the world’s top universities for science and technology.
Meanwhile, two other Filipinas, Mikaela Gail Santos and Laravill Lanohan, earned scholarships under the British Council’s Women in STEM program. Both will pursue Master of Science degrees in Biotechnology at the University of Bath, specializing in Healthcare Biotechnologies and Sustainable Biotechnologies, respectively.
These scholarships reflect the students’ shared passion for making a difference in their chosen STEM fields. Despite women comprising nearly half of the global non-STEM workforce, they remain underrepresented in STEM careers, accounting for only 29.2% of the global STEM labor force, according to the World Economic Forum. These initiatives aim to address that gap by providing opportunities for women to excel in areas traditionally dominated by men.
The fully funded scholarships will cover tuition and living expenses for the scholars while they pursue their Master’s degrees in the UK. The students are set to begin their academic journeys this month.
The Asean-UK SAGE Program is the UK’s flagship educational initiative in Southeast Asia. It focuses on improving foundational learning outcomes, particularly in basic literacy and numeracy, and ensuring equitable access to education for girls and marginalized groups. The program also seeks to break down gender barriers in digital skills and employment, empowering young women to reach their full potential. This year marks the first time the Asean-UK SAGE scholarship has been made available to eligible women from Asean countries and Timor-Leste. A total of 12 students from these regions were awarded the scholarships this year.
UK envoy to Asean, Sarah Tiffin, expressed her pride in the new scholars, noting that as an Asean dialogue partner, the UK is committed to advancing girls’ education across the region through the SAGE program. Tiffin emphasized that equitable access to quality education for all girls is a priority, and the talents and dedication of these scholars are an inspiration.
The British Council also noted that the Asean-UK SAGE Women in STEM scholarships contribute to achieving the goals outlined in the 'Asean Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025', as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Asean-UK Plan of Action 2022-2026. The scholarships aim to strengthen collaboration between British and Asean educational institutions, supporting both staff and students.
