This Timeline of women's education is an overview of the history of

education for women Female education is a catch-all term for a complex set of issues and debates surrounding education (primary education, secondary education, tertiary education, and health education in particular) for girls and women. It is frequently called girls ...

worldwide. It includes key individuals, institutions, law reforms, and events that have contributed to the development and expansion of educational opportunities for women. The timeline highlights early instances of women's education, such as the establishment of girls' schools and women's colleges, as well as legal reforms like compulsory education laws that have had a significant impact on women's access to education. The 18th and 19th centuries saw significant growth in the establishment of girls' schools and women's colleges, particularly in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. Legal reforms began to play a crucial role in shaping women's education, with laws being passed in many countries to make education accessible and compulsory for girls. The 20th century marked a period of rapid advancement in women's education.

Coeducation Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

became more widespread, and women began to enter fields of study that were previously reserved for men. Legislative measures, such as

Title IX Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receiv ...

in the United States, were enacted to ensure equality in educational opportunities. The timeline also reflects

social movement A social movement is either a loosely or carefully organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a Social issue, social or Political movement, political one. This may be to carry out a social change, or to re ...

s and cultural shifts that have affected women's education, such as the

women's suffrage movement Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Several instances occurred in recent centuries where women were selectively given, then stripped of, the right to vote. In Sweden, conditional women's suffra ...

, which contributed to the broader fight for

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...

, including education. Various international organizations and initiatives have been instrumental in promoting women's education in

developing countries A developing country is a sovereign state with a less-developed Secondary sector of the economy, industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to developed countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. ...

, recognizing the role of education in empowering women and promoting social and economic development. This timeline illustrates how women's education has evolved and reflects broader societal changes in gender roles and equality.

BCE

1–1200 CE

13th to 16th centuries

Ancrene-Wisse-cotton ms cleopatra c vi f004r

Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles - Toledo 01

17th century

18th century

19th century

1800–1849

1850–1874

1875–1899

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Location !Milestone !Ref. , - , rowspan="3" , 1875 , Switzerland , Stefania Wolicka, a Polish woman, becomes the first woman to earn a PhD from the University of Zurich. , , - , Denmark , Women are permitted to take the school leaving examination (

studentereksamen The Danish gymnasium offers a 3-year general academically-oriented upper secondary programme which builds on the 9th-10th form of the '' Folkeskole'' and leads to the upper secondary school exit examination (the ''studentereksamen''). This qual ...

) and study at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (, KU) is a public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia, after Uppsala University. ...

with certain restrictions. , , - , India , The first women are admitted to college courses, although with special permission (at

Madras Medical College Madras Medical College (MMC) is a public medical college located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1835, it is one of the oldest medical colleges in India, as well as in Asia. History The Government General Hospital was established ...

). , , - , rowspan="8" , 1876 , Argentina , Girls are included in the national school system by the transference of control of private girls schools from the charitable Beneficent Society to the provincial government. , , - , Great Britain , Medical examining bodies are given the right to certify women. , , - , India , Women are allowed to attend university exams at the

Calcutta University The University of Calcutta, informally known as Calcutta University (), is a Public university, public State university (India), state university located in Kolkata, Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal, India. It has 151 affiliated undergraduate c ...

. , , - , Italy , Universities open to women. , , - , Netherlands , Universities open to women. , , - , United Kingdom ,

University College, Bristol University College, Bristol was an educational institution which existed from 1876 to 1909. It was the predecessor institution to the University of Bristol, which gained a royal charter in 1909. During its time the college mainly served the mid ...

(now the

University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...

) opens as the first co-educational university college in England. , , - , rowspan="2" , United States , Elizabeth Bragg becomes the first female to graduate with an engineering degree in the U.S. (in civil engineering from the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

). , , - ,

Anna Oliver Vivianna Olivia Snowden, (April 12, 1840 – November 21, 1892) better known by her professional name Anna Oliver, was an American preacher and activist who was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was one of the first women to attempt f ...

becomes the first woman to graduate from a Methodist seminary, receiving a

Bachelor of Divinity In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD, DB, or BDiv; ) is an academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies. ...

from

Boston University School of Theology The Boston University School of Theology (STH) is the oldest theological seminary of American Methodism and the founding school of Boston University, the largest private research university in New England. It is one of thirteen theological sc ...

, , - , rowspan="3" , 1877 , United States ,

Helen Magill White Helen Magill White (November 28, 1853 – October 28, 1944) was an American classicist and academic. She was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in the United States. Early life and education Helen Magill was born in Providence, Rhode Island, to Edwa ...

becomes the first American woman to earn a Ph.D. (earned in Greek at

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...

). , , - , Chile , Universities open to women. , , - , New Zealand ,

Kate Edger Kate Milligan Evans (née Edger, 6 January 1857 – 6 May 1935) was the first woman in New Zealand to gain a university degree, and possibly the second in the British Empire to do so. Early life Edger was born in 1857 at Abingdon, Berkshire, E ...

becomes the first woman to graduate from a university in New Zealand. , , - , rowspan="6" , 1878 , Austria-Hungary , Women are allowed to attend university lectures as guest auditors. , , - , Bulgaria , Elementary education is introduced for both genders. , , - , Russia , The

Bestuzhev Courses The Bestuzhev Courses () in Saint Petersburg were the largest and most prominent women's higher education institution in Imperial Russia. The institute opened its doors in 1878. It was named after Konstantin Bestuzhev-Ryumin, the first director ...

open in Saint Petersburg. , , - , United States ,

Mary L. Page Mary Louisa Page (1849–1921) was the first American woman to graduate with an accredited architecture degree in the United States. In 1878, she graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign with a Bachelor of Science in Archite ...

becomes the first American woman to earn a degree in architecture (at the

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

). , , - , rowspan="2" , United Kingdom ,

Lady Margaret Hall Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England, located on a bank of the River Cherwell at Norham Gardens in north Oxford and adjacent to the University Parks. The college is more formally known under ...

, the first college at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

to admit women, is founded. , , - , The

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

receives a supplemental charter allowing it to award degrees to women, the first university in the United Kingdom to open its degrees. , , - , rowspan="5" , 1879 , United Kingdom ,

Royal Holloway College Royal Holloway, University of London (RH), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a member institution of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departmen ...

, a women-only college, is founded by the Victorian entrepreneur

Thomas Holloway : Thomas Holloway (22 September 180026 December 1883) was an English businessman and philanthropist. Early life Holloway was born in Devonport, Plymouth, Devon, the eldest son of Thomas and Mary Holloway (née Chellew), who at the time of the ...

on the Mount Lee Estate in

Egham Egham ( ) is a town in the Borough of Runnymede in Surrey, England, approximately west of central London. First settled in the Bronze Age, the town was under the control of Chertsey Abbey for much of the Middle Ages. In 1215, Magna Carta was ...

. It later merged with Bedford College to become

Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway, University of London (RH), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public university, public research university and a constituent college, member institution of the federal University of London. It ...

. , , - , United States , Mary Eliza Mahoney becomes the first African-American in the U.S. to earn a diploma in nursing (from the School of Nursing at the

New England Hospital for Women and Children The New England Hospital for Women and Children was founded by Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska, Marie Zakrzewska on July 1, 1862. The hospital's goal was to provide patients with competent female physicians, educate women in the study of medicine, an ...

in Boston). , , - , Brazil , Universities open to women. , , - , France , Colleges and secondary education open to women. , , - , India , The first college open to women:

Bethune College Bethune College is a women's college located on Bidhan Sarani in Kolkata, India, and affiliated to the University of Calcutta. It is the oldest women's college in India. It was established as a girls' school in 1849, and as a college in 1879. ...

(the first female graduate in 1883). , , - , rowspan="6" , 1880 , United Kingdom , First four women gain BA degrees at the

, the first women in the UK to be awarded degrees. , , - , Australia , Universities open to women. , , - , Belgium , The University of Brussels is opened to women. , , - , rowspan="3" , France , Universities open to women. , , - , Free public secondary education to women. , , - , Public teachers training schools open to women. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1881 , United Kingdom , Women are allowed to take the Cambridge

Mathematical Tripos The Mathematical Tripos is the mathematics course that is taught in the Faculty of Mathematics, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. Origin In its classical nineteenth-century form, the tripos was a di ...

exams, following

Charlotte Scott Charlotte Angas Scott (8 June 1858 – 10 November 1931) was a British mathematician who made her career in the United States; she was influential in the development of American mathematics, including the mathematical education of women. Scott ...

's unofficial ranking as eighth wrangler. , , - , United States ,

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances Justice, equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide Social net ...

is founded. , , - , rowspan="9" , 1882 , United Kingdom , College Hall opens as a hall of residence for women students in London, primarily for students at

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

and the

London School of Medicine for Women The London School of Medicine for Women (LSMW) established in 1874 was the first medical school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain to train women as doctors. The patrons, vice-presidents, and members of the committee that supp ...

, becoming an official

student hall in 2010. , , - , France , Compulsory elementary education for both genders. , , - , Norway , Women allowed to study at the university. , , - , Nicaragua , The first public secular education institution for women, Colegio de Señoritas, opens. , , - , Poland , The

Flying University The Flying University (, less often translated as "Floating University") was an underground educational Betty Jean Lifton, ''The King of Children: The Life and Death of Janusz Korczak''p. 35 St. Martin's Press, 1997, enterprise Peter Brock, Joh ...

provides academic education for women. , , - , Serbia , Compulsory education for both genders. , , - , Belgium , Universities open to women. , , - , India , Bombay University open to women. , , - , Romania , Universities open to women. , , - , rowspan="4" , 1883 , Australia ,

Bella Guerin Julia Margaret Guerin Halloran Lavender (23 April 1858 in Williamstown, Colony of Victoria – 26 July 1923 in Adelaide, South Australia), known popularly as Bella Guerin, was an Australian feminist, women's rights activist, women's suffr ...

becomes the first woman to graduate from a university in Australia (from the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

). , , - , Sweden ,

Ellen Fries Ellen Fries (23 September 1855 – 31 March 1900) was a Swedish feminist and writer. She became the first female Ph.D. in Sweden in 1883. She also founded several women's organizations. Biography She born in 1855 at Rödslegård in Törnsfal ...

, a historian, becomes the first Swedish woman to obtain her Ph.D. (from

Uppsala University Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. Initially fou ...

) , , - , United States , Susan Hayhurst becomes the first woman to receive a pharmacy degree in the United States (from the

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (University of the Sciences or USciences), previously Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS), was a private university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On June 1, 2022, it officially merge ...

). , , - , United Kingdom ,

Sophie Bryant Sophie Willock Bryant (15 February 1850, Sandymount, Dublin, – 14 August 1922, Chamonix, France) was an Anglo-Irish mathematician, educator, feminist and activist. She was the first woman to receive a DSc in England; one of the first to serve ...

becomes the first woman in Britain to earn a

D.Sc. A Doctor of Science (; most commonly abbreviated DSc or ScD) is a science doctorate awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. Africa Algeria and Morocco In Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia, all universities accredited by the s ...

(Doctor of Science). , , - , 1885 , Sierra Leone ,

Adelaide Casely-Hayford Adelaide Casely-Hayford (née Smith; 2 June 1868 – 24 January 1960), was a Sierra Leone Creole advocate, activist of cultural nationalism, teacher, fiction writer, and feminist. Her commitment to public service led her to improving the condit ...

becomes the first African woman to study music at the

Stuttgart Conservatory The State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart is a professional school for musicians and performing artists in Stuttgart, Germany. Founded in 1857, it is one of the oldest schools of its kind in Germany. It is one of the oldest and ...

. , , - , rowspan="8" , 1886 , rowspan="2" , United States ,

Winifred Edgerton Merrill Winifred Edgerton (September 24, 1862 – September 6, 1951) was born in Ripon, Wisconsin. She was the first woman to receive a degree from Columbia University and the first American woman to receive a PhD in mathematics.Kelly, S. E. and R ...

becomes the first American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics (from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

). , , - ,

Anandibai Joshi Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi, (Marathi: ; 31 March 1865 – 26 February 1887) was the first Indian female doctor of western medicine along with Kadambini Ganguly. She was the first woman from the erstwhile Bombay presidency of British India to stu ...

from India,

Kei Okami was a Japanese physician. She was the first Japanese woman to obtain a degree in Western medicine from a Western university (Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, USA). Early life Kei Okami was born as Nishida Keiko in Aomori Prefecture in ...

from Japan, and Sabat Islambouli from Syria become the first women from their respective countries (and in Joshi's case the first Hindu woman) to get a degree in western medicine (from the

Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania Founded in 1850, The Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP), formally known as The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, was the first American medical college dedicated to teaching women medicine and allowing them to earn the Doctor ...

). , , - , rowspan="2" , France , Women become eligible to join public education boards. , Margaret L. Arnot and Cornelie Usborne, eds., ''Gender and Crime in Modern Europe'' (UCL Press, 1999), 220 , - ,

Iulia Hasdeu Iulia Hasdeu (; 14 November 1869 – 29 September 1888) was a Romanian poet, the daughter of writer and philologist Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu and his wife Iulia Faliciu. From a very young age, Hasdeu wrote poems and prose in both Romanian languag ...

becomes the first Romanian woman to study at the Sorbonne. She enrolled at age 16 and died two years later while preparing her doctoral thesis. , , - , Costa Rica , A public academic educational institution open to women. , , - , Denmark , N. Zahle's School in Copenhagen is founded as a private school to prepare girls to take the school leaving certificate (studentereksamen). , , - , Korea , The first educational institution for women,

Ewha Womans University Ewha Womans University () is a private women's research university in Seoul, South Korea. It was originally founded as Ewha Haktang on May 31, 1886, by missionary Mary F. Scranton. Currently, Ewha Womans University is one of the world's largest f ...

, is founded. , , - , Mexico , Universities open to women. , , - , 1887 , Albania , The first Albanian language elementary school is opened for girls. , , - , rowspan="9" , 1889 , rowspan="2" , United States , Maria Louise Baldwin becomes the first African-American female principal in Massachusetts and the Northeast, supervising white faculty and a predominantly white student body at the Agassiz Grammar School in Cambridge. , , - ,

Susan La Flesche Picotte Susan La Flesche Picotte (June 17, 1865 – September 18, 1915) was a Native American medical doctor and reformer and member of the Omaha tribe. She is widely acknowledged as one of the first Indigenous people, and the first Indigenous woman, t ...

becomes the first Native American woman to earn a medical degree (from

). , , - , rowspan="2" , Sweden , Women become eligible to join boards of public authority, such as public school boards. , , - , First female professor:

Sofya Kovalevskaya Sofya Vasilyevna Kovalevskaya (; born Korvin-Krukovskaya; – 10 February 1891) was a Russian mathematician who made noteworthy contributions to analysis, partial differential equations and mechanics. She was a pioneer for women in mathematics a ...

. , , - , Egypt , The first teacher training college for women. , , - , Argentina ,

Cecilia Grierson Cecilia Grierson (22 November 1859 – 10 April 1934) was an Argentine physician, reformer, nurse educator, feminist and prominent Freethinker. She had the distinction of being the first woman to receive a Medical Degree in Argentina. Early l ...

becomes the first woman in Argentina to earn a medical university degree. , , - , Palestine , The first school open to girls is founded by missionaries. , , - , United Kingdom , Scottish universities are opened to women under the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889. , , - , El Salvador , Antonia Navarro Huezo becomes the first Salvadoran woman to earn a topographic engineering doctorate. , , - , rowspan="4" , 1890 , United States , Ida Gray becomes the first African-American woman to earn a

Doctor of Dental Surgery A number of professional degrees in dentistry are offered by dental schools in various countries around the world. Degrees Dental degrees may include: Bachelor's degree * Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) * Bachelor's degree of Dentistry (BDS ...

degree {from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

]. , , - , Finland ,

Signe Hornborg Signe Ida Katarina Hornborg (8 November 1862, Turku – 6 December 1916, Helsinki) was a Finnish architect. Upon her reception of her architectural diploma in 1890, she became the first official female architect in the world. Biography A bishop ...

graduates as an architect from the

Helsinki University of Technology Helsinki University of Technology (TKK; ; , HUT in international usage) was a technical university in Finland. It was located in Otaniemi, Espoo in the Helsinki metropolitan area, and it was one of the three universities from which the modern d ...

in Finland, becoming the first ever formally qualified female architect in the world. , , - , Bohemia , The first secondary education school opens for girls in Prague. , , - , Greece , Universities open to women. , , - , rowspan="6" , 1891 , Albania , The first school of higher education for women is opened. It was founded by siblings Sevasti and

Gjerasim Qiriazi Gjerasim Qiriazi (in English Gerasim Kyrias) (18 October 1858 – 2 January 1894) was an Albanian Protestant preacher, Bible translator and distributor, educator, and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. In the early 1890s he founded t ...

. , , - , Germany , Women are allowed to attend university lectures, making it possible for individual professors to accept female students if they wish. , , - , Greece , Sevasti Kallisperi graduates from

The Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. ** Sorbonne Chapel *The University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) **Its components/successor ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

with a doctorate degree, making her the first Greek woman to earn a university degree. , - , Portugal , The first medical university degree is granted to a woman. , , - , Switzerland , Secondary schools open to women. , , - , Ecuador , Juana Miranda, an obstetrician, becomes the Republic's first female university professor; she teaches at the

Central University of Ecuador The Central University of Ecuador () is a national university located in Quito, Ecuador. It is the oldest and largest university in the country, and one of the oldest universities in the Americas. The enrollment at the university is over 10,000 ...

's medical school. , , - , 1892 , United States , Laura Eisenhuth becomes the first woman elected to state office as

Superintendent of Public Instruction A state education agency or state department of education is the state-level government organization within each U.S. state or U.S. territory, territory responsible for education, including providing information, resources, and technical assistan ...

. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1893 , Ottoman Empire , Women are permitted to attend medical lectures at

Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...

. , , - , France ,

Dorothea Klumpke Dorothea Klumpke Roberts (August 9, 1861 in San Francisco – October 5, 1942 in San Francisco) was an American astronomer. She was the Director of the Bureau of Measurements at the Paris Observatory and was made a Chevalier de la Légion d' ...

becomes the first woman to be awarded a doctorate in sciences. , , - , United States , In 1893, the

South Carolina General Assembly The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and ...

mandates "that women should be allowed to attend

South Carolina College The University of South Carolina (USC, SC, or Carolina) is a public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, It is the flagship of the University of South Carolina System and th ...

] as special students". Two years later, the college's Board of Trustees makes the decision to allow female students into the school. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1894 , Poland ,

Kraków University The Jagiellonian University (, UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the wor ...

opens to women. , Zapolska's women: three plays: Malka Szwarcenkopf, The man and Miss Maliczewska, by Gabriela Zapolska, Teresa Murjas , - , United States , Margaret Floy Washburn becomes the first American woman to be officially awarded the Ph.D. degree in psychology, at Cornell University. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1895 , Austria-Hungary , Universities open to women. , , - , Egypt , A public school system for girls is organized. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1896 , Norway , Women are admitted to all secondary educational schools of the state. , , - , Spain , María Goyri de Menéndez Pidal becomes the first Spanish woman to earn a degree in philosophy and letters with a licentiate from the University of Madrid. ,
La primera mujer universitaria Española: María Goyri
'' , - , rowspan="2" , 1897 , Switzerland , Anita Augspurg becomes the first German woman to receive a

Doctor of Law A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...

(from the

University of Zurich The University of Zurich (UZH, ) is a public university, public research university in Zurich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of the ...

), despite not being able to practice law in Germany until 1922. , , - , Austria-Hungary , Gabriele Possanner becomes the first woman to receive a medical degree and, subsequently, the country's first practicing female doctor. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1898 , Haiti , The Medical University accepts female students in obstetrics. , , - , Serbia , Co-education, banned since the 1850s, is re-introduced, equalizing the schooling of men and women. , , - , United Kingdom ,

Margaret Murray Margaret Alice Murray (13 July 1863 – 13 November 1963) was an Anglo-Indian Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, historian, and folklorist. The first woman to be appointed as a lecturer in archaeology in the United Kingdom, sh ...

becomes the first woman lecturer of archaeology in the United Kingdom. , , - , 1899 , Germany , Women are admitted to study medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. ,

20th century

1900–1924

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Location !Milestone !Ref. , - , rowspan="6" , 1900 , Egypt , A school for female teachers is founded in Cairo. , , - , United States , Otelia Cromwell becomes the first Black woman to graduate from

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smit ...

in Northampton, Massachusetts. , , - , Tunisia , The first public elementary school for girls. , , - , Japan , The first women's university. , , - , Baden, Germany , Universities open to women. , , - , Sri Lanka , Secondary education open to women. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1901 , Bulgaria , Universities open to women. , , - , Cuba , Universities open to women. , , - , 1902 , Australia ,

Ada Evans Ada Emily Evans (17 May 1872 – 27 December 1947), was an Australian lawyer and the first female law graduate in Australia. Early life Evans was born in Wanstead, England (then a town in Essex county, now a north-eastern suburb of London), ...

becomes the first woman to graduate in law at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

. , , - , rowspan="4" , 1903 , United States , Mignon Nicholson becomes the first woman in North America to earn a veterinary degree (from McKillip Veterinary College in Chicago, Illinois). , , - , Canada ,

Clara Benson Clara Cynthia Benson (1875–1964) was a Canadian chemist, the sole female founder of the American Society for Biological Chemistry (now the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)) and one of the first two women to earn a ...

and Emma Sophia Baker become the first women to earn a PhD from the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

. , , - , Denmark , Girls permitted to attend gymnasium high school. , , - , Norway , Clara Holst becomes the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Norway (from

Royal Frederick University The University of Oslo (; ) is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick University, the university was established in 1811 as the de facto Norwegian conti ...

) with a dissertation was titled ''Studier over middelnedertyske laaneord i dansk i det 14. og 15. aarhundrede'' (English: Study of Middle Low German loanwords in Danish in the 14th and 15th centuries). , , - , rowspan="3" , 1904 , United States ,

Helen Keller Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness when ...

graduates from Radcliffe, becoming the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. , , - , United Kingdom ,

Millicent Mackenzie Millicent Hughes Mackenzie (1863 in Bristol – 10 December 1942 in Brockweir) was a British professor of education at University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, the first female professor in Wales and the first appointed to a fully c ...

is appointed as assistant professor of education at the

University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire Cardiff University () is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It was established in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and became a founding college of the University of Wales in 1893. It was renamed Unive ...

(part of the

University of Wales The University of Wales () is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff – the university was the first universit ...

), the first female professor in the UK. , , - , Württemberg, Germany , Universities open to women. , , - , rowspan="6" , 1905 , United States ,

Nora Stanton Blatch Barney Nora Stanton Barney ( Blatch; 30 September 1883 – 18 January 1971) was an English-born American civil engineer, and women's suffrage, suffragist. Barney was among the first women to graduate with an engineering degree in the United State ...

, born in England, becomes one of the first women to earn a degree in any type of engineering in the United States (in civil engineering Cornell University). , , - , Argentina , University preparatory secondary education open to women. , , - , Iceland , Educational institutions open to women. , , - , Russia , Universities open to women. , , - , Serbia , Female university students are fully integrated in to the university system. , , - , Australia ,

Flos Greig Grata Flos Matilda Greig (7 November 1880 – 31 December 1958), Scottish-born Australian lawyer, was the first woman to be admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor in Australia. Early life and education Grata Flos Matilda Greig ( ...

became the first woman to be admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Australia, having graduated in 1903. , , - , 1906 , Saxony, Germany , Universities open to women. , , - , rowspan="6" , 1907 , China , Girls are included in the education system. , , - , Sudan , The first school open to Muslim girls. , , - , Japan ,

Tohoku University is a public research university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. It is colloquially referred to as or . Established in 1907 as the third of the Imperial Universities, after the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, it initially focused on sc ...

, the first (private) coeducational university. , , - , Italy ,

Rina Monti Cesarina Monti, better known as Rina Monti and, sometimes, as Rina Monti Stella (Arcisate, 16 August 1871 – Pavia, 25 January 1937), was an Italian scientist. A biologist, physiologist, limnologist and zoologist, in 1907 she became the first wom ...

is named the first female university chair in the Kingdom of Italy. , , - , rowspan="2" , Iran , Compulsory primary education for girls. , , - , The first Iranian school for girls is established by Tuba Azmudeh, followed by others the following years. , , - , rowspan="6" , 1908 , United States ,

Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is an List of African American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. Alpha Kappa Alpha ...

sorority, the first Black Greek letter organization for women, is founded at Howard University. , , - , United Kingdom , Edith Morley is appointed Professor of English Language at University College Reading, becoming the first full professor at a British university institute. , , - , Korea , Secondary education for girls through the foundation of the Capital School for Girl's Higher Education. , , - , Peru , Universities open to women. , , - , Prussia, Alsace-Lorraine and Hesse, Germany , Universities open to women. , , - , Switzerland , The Russian-born

Anna Tumarkin Anna Tumarkin (, , 16 February 1875 – 7 August 1951) was a Russian-born, naturalized Swiss academic, who was the first woman to become a professor of philosophy at the University of Bern. She was the first woman in Europe to be allowed to exami ...

becomes the first female professor in Europe with the right to examine doctoral and post-doctoral students. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1909 , United States ,

Ella Flagg Young Ella Flagg Young (January 15, 1845 – October 26, 1918) was an American educator who served as superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. She was the first female head of a large United States city school system. She also served as the first fem ...

becomes the first female superintendent of a large city school system in the United States. , , - , Spain , María Goyri de Menéndez Pidal becomes the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Spain, (in philosophy and letters from the University of Madrid). , , - , 1910 , United Kingdom , Millicent Mackenzie is promoted to full professor, the first woman to reach this level at a fully chartered university in the UK. , , - , 1911 , Luxembourg , A new educational law gives women access to higher education, and two secondary education schools open for girls. , Jules Mersch: Biographie nationale du pays de Luxembourg depuis ses origines jusgu'a nos jours: collection présentée par Jules Mersch, Volym 6. Imprimerie de la Cour Victor Buck, 1962 , - , rowspan="4" , 1912 , China , The Chinese government establishes secondary schools for young women. , , - , Costa Rica , Felícitas Chaverri Matamoros becomes the first female university student at the

Pharmacy School The basic requirement for pharmacists to be considered for registration is often an undergraduate or postgraduate pharmacy degree from a recognized university. In many countries, this involves a four- or five-year course to attain a bachelor of ...

; in 1917 she becomes the first Costa Rican female university graduate. , Jiménez Córdoba, Jenniffer. Este 23 de noviembre se cumplen 100 años de la graduación de la primer mujer profesional de Costa Rica. Available at: , - , Japan ,

Tsuruko Haraguchi was a Japanese psychologist and the first Japanese woman to receive a Doctor of Philosophy. Life and career Haraguchi was born in Tomioka, Japan in 1886. Her father was a wealthy farmer and she had two sisters. She attended Takasaki Women's H ...

becomes the first Japanese woman to earn a Ph.D. , , - , Canada , The first female professor is hired at a Canadian university. , , - , 1913 , United Kingdom , Caroline Spurgeon successfully competes for the newly created chair of

English Literature English literature is literature written in the English language from the English-speaking world. The English language has developed over more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian languages, Anglo-Frisian d ...

at Bedford College, London, becoming the second female professor in England. , , - , 1914 , Sierra Leone ,

Kathleen Mary Easmon Simango Kathleen Mary Easmon Simango (9 August 1891 – 20 July 1924) was a Sierra Leonean missionary and artist who was the first West African to earn a diploma from the Royal College of Art. She was the niece of Adelaide Casely-Hayford and was a perso ...

is the first West African woman to become an Associate of the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...

. , , - , 1915 , United States ,

Lillian Gilbreth Lillian Evelyn Gilbreth (; May 24, 1878 – January 2, 1972) was an American psychologist, industrial engineer, consultant, and educator who was an early pioneer in applying psychology to time-and-motion studies. She was described in the 1940s ...

becomes the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in

industrial psychology Industrial and organizational psychology (I-O psychology) "focuses the lens of psychological science on a key aspect of human life, namely, their work lives. In general, the goals of I-O psychology are to better understand and optimize the effec ...

(from Brown University with a dissertation titled "Some Aspects of Eliminating Waste in Teaching"). , , - , rowspan="4" , 1917 , Greece , The first public secondary educational school for girls is opened. , , - , Iran , Public schools for girls are opened in order to enforce the law of compulsory education for girls in practice. , , - , Uruguay , Universities open to women. , , - , Nicaragua , The first woman obtains a university degree. , , - , 1918 , Thailand , Universities open to women. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1920 , Portugal , Secondary schools open to women. , , - , China , The first female students are accepted at

Peking University Peking University (PKU) is a Public university, public Types of universities and colleges in China#By designated academic emphasis, university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of the Peop ...

, soon followed by universities all over China. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1921 , United States , Sadie Tanner Mossell becomes the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in the U.S. (in economics from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

). , , - , Thailand , Compulsory elementary education for both girls and boys. , , - , 1922 , United States ,

Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. The sorority was founded on November 12, 1922. The organization was formed as a sorority in 1922, by seven African American women in Indianapolis, Indiana. At its i ...

sorority is founded as the fourth Black Greek letter organization for women and the first Black sorority established on a predominantly White campus,

Butler University Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study within six colleges in the arts, business, communic ...

in Indianapolis, Indiana. , , - , rowspan="5" , 1923 , United States , Virginia Proctor Powell Florence becomes the first Black woman in the United States to earn a degree in library science (with a Bachelor of Library Science from what is now part of the University of Pittsburgh). , 175 Years of Black Pitt People and Notable Milestones. (2004). Blue Black and Gold 2004: Chancellor Mark A. Norenberg Reports on the Pitt African American Experience, 44. Retrieved on 2009-05-22. , - , Canada ,

Elsie MacGill Elizabeth Muriel Gregory MacGill (March 27, 1905November 4, 1980), known as the "Queen of the Hawker Hurricane, Hurricanes", was a Canadian engineer. She was chief aeronautical engineer at Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F) in Fort William, Ontari ...

graduates from the

in 1927, becoming the first Canadian woman to earn a degree in

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

. , "Elizabeth 'Elsie' Gregory MacGill."
''Library and Archives Canada.'' Retrieved: January 9, 2016. , - , Egypt , Compulsory education for both boys and girls. , , - , rowspan="2" , Australia ,

Winifred Kiek Winifred Kiek (; 27 July 1884 – 23 May 1975) was the first woman to be ordained in the Christian Ministry in Australia. She was ordained on 13 June 1927 in South Australia to the Congregational Union of Australia (now part of the Uniting Churc ...

becomes the first woman to graduate with a bachelor of divinity from the

Melbourne College of Divinity The University of Divinity is an Australian collegiate university with a specialised focus in divinity and associated disciplines. It is constituted by twelve theological colleges from seven denominations and three schools. The University of Di ...

. , , - , Violet McKenzie becomes the first woman to gain a diploma in electrical engineering (from

Sydney Technical College The Sydney Technical College, now part of TAFE NSW, is a technical school established in 1878, that superseded the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. The college is one of Australia's oldest technical education institutions. History The Sydney M ...

now known as TAFE New South Wales Sydney Institute). , , - , 1924 , Russia ,

Olga Freidenberg Olga Freidenberg (March 15, 1890 in Odessa – July 6, 1955 in Leningrad) was a Russian and Soviet classical philologist, one of the pioneers of cultural studies in Russia. She is also known as the cousin of the famous writer Boris Pasternak ...

becomes the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in

classical philology Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek and Roman literature and their original languages, ...

(from

Petrograd University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBGU; ) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the Great, the university from the be ...

). ,

1925-1949

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Location !Milestone !Ref. , - , 1925 , Korea , Professional school for women (at

). , , - , 1926 , United States , May Edward Chinn becomes the first African-American woman to graduate from the University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College. , , - , 1927 , Afghanistan , The monarch introduces compulsory education for the daughters of officials. , , - , rowspan="4" , 1928 , Afghanistan , The first women are sent abroad to study (but are banned from studying abroad in 1929). , , - , Bahrain , The first public primary school for girls. , , - , Egypt , The first women students are admitted to Cairo University. , , - , Ghana , Jane E. Clerk is one of two students in the first batch at Presbyterian Women's Training College. , , - , rowspan="4" , 1929 , Greece , Secondary education for girls is made equal to that for boys. , , - , Nigeria ,

Agnes Yewande Savage Agnes Yewande Savage (21 February 1906 – 7 September 1964) was a Nigerian-Scottish medical doctor and the first West African woman to train and qualify in orthodox medicine. Savage was the first West African woman to receive a university degre ...

becomes the first West African woman to graduate from medical school, obtaining her degree at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

. , , - , rowspan="2" , United States , Jenny Rosenthal Bramley, born in Moscow, becomes the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in physics in the United States (from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

). , , - ,

, from Canada, becomes the first woman in North America, and probably worldwide, to be awarded a master's degree in

aeronautical engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...

. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1930 , Turkey , Equal right to university education for both men and women. , , - , Australia , Physician and zoologist Claire Weekes becomes the first woman to gain a doctorate of science at the University of Sydney. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1931 , rowspan="2" , United States , Jane Matilda Bolin becomes the first Black woman to graduate from

Yale Law School Yale Law School (YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824. The 2020–21 acceptance rate was 4%, the lowest of any law school in the United ...

. , , - , Bradford Academy, in Bradford, Massachusetts, changes its name to Bradford Junior College and offers a two-year degree for women. , , - , 1932 , United States , Dorothy B. Porter becomes the first African-American woman to earn an advanced degree in library science (MLS) from Columbia University. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1933 , Sierra Leone ,

Edna Elliott-Horton Edna Elliott-Horton (13 September 1904 – 26 March 1994) was the second West African woman from a British colony to receive a university degree after the Nigerian physician Agnes Yewande Savage, who received a medical degree from the University ...

becomes the first West African woman to receive a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts on graduating from

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

. , , - , United States , Inez Beverly Prosser becomes the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology (from the

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...

). , , - , 1934 , United States ,

Ruth Winifred Howard Ruth Winifred Howard (March 25, 1900 – February 12, 1997) was an American psychologist. She is best known for her psychological work concerning students with special needs at Children's Provident Hospital School. She is one of the first Afr ...

becomes the second African-American woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in psychology (from the University of Minnesota). , , - , rowspan="2" , 1935 , Iran , Women are admitted to

Tehran University The University of Tehran (UT) or Tehran University (, ) is a public collegiate university in Iran, and the oldest and most prominent Iranian university located in Tehran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as ...

. , , - , United States ,

Jesse Jarue Mark Jesse Jarue Mark (24 September 1906 – 20 February 1971) was an American botanist who was one of the first African-Americans to gain a PhD in botany, and likely the first at Iowa State University, where he joined the faculty. He was also a Rocke ...

becomes the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in botany (from

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...

). , , - , 1936 , United States , Flemmie Kittrell becomes the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in nutrition (from

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

). , , - , rowspan="2" , 1937 , Kuwait , The first public schools open to girls. , , - , United States , Anna Johnson Julian becomes the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in sociology (from the University of Pennsylvania). , , - , 1938 , Nigeria ,

Elizabeth Abimbola Awoliyi Chief Elizabeth Abimbola Awoliyi, (née Akerele, 1910–14 September 1971) was the first female physician practitioner in Nigeria. She was also the first West African woman to earn a license of Royal Surgeon in Dublin. In 1938, Elizabeth Awoli ...

becomes the first woman to be licensed to practice medicine in

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

after graduating from

Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...

and the first West African female medical officer with a license of the Royal Surgeon (Dublin). , , - , 1939 , United Kingdom ,

Dorothy Garrod Dorothy Annie Elizabeth Garrod, CBE, FBA (5 May 1892 – 18 December 1968) was an English archaeologist who specialised in the Palaeolithic period. She held the position of Disney Professor of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge from 1 ...

becomes the

Disney Professor of Archaeology The Disney Professorship of Archaeology is an endowed chair in archaeology at the University of Cambridge. It was endowed by English barrister and antiquarian John Disney (antiquarian), John Disney in 1851 with a donation of £1,000. He arranged f ...

at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

, making her the first female professor at either Oxford or Cambridge. , , - , 1940 , United States ,

Roger Arliner Young Roger Arliner Young (August 20, 1899 – November 9, 1964) was an American scientist of zoology, biology, and marine biology. She was the first African American woman to receive a doctorate degree in zoology. Early years Born in Clifton For ...

becomes the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in zoology (from the University of Pennsylvania). , , - , rowspan="2" , 1941 , rowspan="2" , United States , Ruth Lloyd becomes the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in anatomy (from

Western Reserve University Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia * Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that ...

). , , - ,

Merze Tate Vernie Merze Tate (February 6, 1905 – June 27, 1996) was a professor, scholar and expert on United States diplomacy. She was the first African-American graduate of Western Michigan Teachers College, first African-American woman to attend the U ...

becomes the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in government and international relations (from Harvard University). , , - , 1942 , United States , Margurite Thomas becomes the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in geology (from Catholic University). , , - , rowspan="2" , 1943 , Iran , Compulsory primary education for both males and females. , , - , United States , Euphemia Haynes becomes the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics (from Catholic University). , , - , rowspan="2" , 1945 , rowspan="2" , United States ,

Zora Neale Hurston Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891 – January 28, 1960) was an American writer, anthropologist, folklorist, and documentary filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-20th-century American South and published research on Hoodoo ...

becomes the first African-American woman to be admitted to Barnard College. , , - ,

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

admits women for the first time. , , - , 1946 , Ghana , Jane E. Clerk is among a batch of pioneer women educators in West Africa selected to study at the

Institute of Education The UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is the faculty of education and society of University College London (UCL). It specialises in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and is one of UCL's 11 constituent faculties. Prior t ...

of the

. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1947 , Ghana , Susan Ofori-Atta becomes the first Ghanaian woman to earn a medical degree on graduating from the

. , , - , United States ,

Marie Maynard Daly Marie Maynard Daly (April 16, 1921October 28, 2003) was an American biochemist. She was the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. from Columbia University and the first African-American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry ...

becomes the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry (from Columbia University). , , - , United Kingdom , Cambridge University becomes the last university in the UK to allow women to take full degrees. , , - , 1948 , United Kingdom , Elizabeth Hill becomes the first Professor of

Slavonic studies Slavic (American English) or Slavonic (British English) studies, also known as Slavistics, is the academic field of area studies concerned with Slavic peoples, languages, literature, history, and culture. Originally, a Slavist or Slavicist was ...

at the

. , , - , 1949 , United States ,

Joanne Simpson Joanne Simpson (formerly Joanne Malkus, born Joanne Gerould; March 23, 1923 – March 4, 2010) was the first woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in meteorology, which she received in 1949 from the University of Chicago.Atlas D and Lemone ...

(formerly Joanne Malkus, born Joanne Gerould) becomes the first woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in

meteorology Meteorology is the scientific study of the Earth's atmosphere and short-term atmospheric phenomena (i.e. weather), with a focus on weather forecasting. It has applications in the military, aviation, energy production, transport, agricultur ...

(from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

). , Atlas D and Lemone MA (2011) ''Joanne Simpson'', Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineering, 15, 368-375.

1950-1974

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Location !Milestone !Ref. , - , rowspan="2" , 1950 , rowspan="2" , Ghana , Matilda J. Clerk becomes the first woman in Ghana and West Africa to attend graduate school, earning a postgraduate diploma at the

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a public research university in Bloomsbury, central London, and a member institution of the University of London that specialises in public health and tropical medicine. The institu ...

. , , - , Annie Jiagge, the first woman in the Commonwealth of Nations to become a judge, is called to the Bar at

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1951 , Bahrain , First secondary education school open to girls. , , - , Ghana ,

Esther Afua Ocloo Esther Afua Ocloo (born Esther Afua Nkulenu; 18 April 1919 – 8 February 2002) was a Ghanaian businesswoman and pioneer of microlending, a programme of making small loans in order to stimulate businesses. She was a co-founder of Women's Worl ...

becomes the first person of African ancestry to obtain a cooking diploma from the

Good Housekeeping Institute ''Good Housekeeping'' is an American lifestyle media brand that covers a wide range of topics from home decor and renovation, health, beauty and food, to entertainment, pets and gifts. The Good Housekeeping Institute which opened its "Experiment ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and to take the post-graduate Food Preservation Course at

Long Ashton Research Station Long Ashton Research Station (LARS) was an agricultural and horticultural government-funded research centre located in the village of Long Ashton near Bristol, UK. It was created in 1903 to study and improve the West Country cider industry an ...

, Department of Horticulture,

Bristol University The University of Bristol is a public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Bristol, which had ...

. , , - , United States ,

Maryly Van Leer Peck Maryly Van Leer Peck (June 29, 1930 – November 3, 2011) was an American academic and college administrator. She founded numerous programs in Guam, one of them being the Community Career College at the University of Guam (which merged into ...

, becomes the first female chemical engineering graduate, receiving an M.S. and later a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

. , , - , 1952 , United States ,

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Established in 1885, it has the lar ...

's president Blake R. Van Leer admits the first women to the school and his wife Ella Wall Van Leer sets up support groups for future female engineers. , , - , 1955 , Qatar , First public school for girls. , , - , 1957 ,

Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British Crown colony in Southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally known as South ...

(today

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

) , Sarah Chavunduka becomes the first black woman to attend the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (today the

University of Zimbabwe The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) is a public university in Harare, Zimbabwe. It was opened in 1952 as the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and was initially affiliated with the University of London. It was later renamed the Univers ...

). , , - , 1959 , United States , Lois Graham becomes the first American woman to earn a PhD in

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines and mechanism (engineering), mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and engineering mathematics, mathematics principl ...

. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1962 , United States , Martha E. Bernal, born in Texas, becomes the first Latina to earn a Ph.D. in psychology (clinical psychology from

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...

). , , - , Kuwait , The right to education is secured for all citizens regardless of gender. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1963 , Nigeria ,

Grace Alele-Williams Grace Alele-Williams (16 December 1932 – 25 March 2022) was a Nigerian professor of mathematics education, who made history as the first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate, and the first Nigerian female vice-chancellor at the University ...

becomes the first Nigerian woman to earn a doctorate when she earned her Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the

. , , - , Gambia , Florence Mahoney becomes the first Gambian woman to obtain a Ph.D., graduating from the

School of Oriental and African Studies The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS University of London; ) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury area ...

with a doctorate in history. , , - , Australia , Mary Lockett becomes the first woman appointed as a professor at the

University of Western Australia University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Crawley, Western Australia, Crawley, a suburb in the City of Perth local government area. UW ...

when she was appointed Wellcome Foundation research professor of pharmacology. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1964 , Afghanistan , The 1964 constitution states the equal right of women to education. , , - , Democratic Republic of the Congo ,

Sophie Kanza Sophie Lihau-Kanza or Zala Lusibu N'Kanza (8 February 1940 – 2 April 1999) was a Congolese politician and sociologist. She was the first woman of her country to receive a secondary education, the first to graduate from a university, and the fi ...

became the first Congolese woman to graduate from a university when she received her diploma from the

University of Geneva The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public university, public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by French theologian John Calvin as a Theology, theological seminary. It rema ...

with a degree in sociology. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1965 , United States ,

Sister Mary Kenneth Keller Mary Kenneth Keller, B.V.M. (December 17, 1913 – January 10, 1985) was an American Catholic religious sister, educator and pioneer in computer science. She was one of the first people, and the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science in ...

becomes the first American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science (from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a thesis titled "Inductive Inference on Computer-Generated Patterns". , , - , Kuwait , Compulsory education for both boys and girls. , , - , 1966 , Kuwait , University education open to women. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1969 , rowspan="2" , United States , Lillian Lincoln Lambert becomes the first African-American woman to graduate from

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

with an MBA. , , - ,

Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...

Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...

, and Kenyon open applications to women. , , - , 1970 , United States , Williams,

Colgate University Colgate University is a Private university, private college in Hamilton, New York, United States. The Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York ...

Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...

, and the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

allow women to apply for admittance. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1971 , rowspan="2" , United States , Bradford Junior College in Bradford, Massachusetts changes its name to Bradford College and offers four-year degrees for women starting in 1972. , , - , Bowdoin,

Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing and painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors Orange (colour), orange and black. In the ...

, and Lehigh allows women to apply for admittance. , , - , Egypt , The new constitution confirms women's right to education. , , - , rowspan="4" , 1972 , rowspan="4" , United States ,

is passed, making discrimination against any person based on their sex in any federally funded educational program(s) in America illegal. , , - ,

Willie Hobbs Moore Willie Hobbs Moore (May 23, 1934 – March 14, 1994) was an African American physicist and engineer. She is the first African American woman to earn a PhD in physics. Early life Willie Hobbs was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 23, ...

becomes the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in physics (from the University of Michigan). , , - , Bradford College in Bradford, Massachusetts becomes a co-educational institution (again) after being founded in 1803 as co-educational and then serving exclusively as a female institution of higher learning from 1837 to 1972. Bradford College closed permanently in May, 2000. The Bradford Alumni Association continues today and is the third oldest continuing alumni association in the United States. , , - , Dartmouth, Davidson,

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

, and

College of the Holy Cross The College of the Holy Cross is a private Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by educators Benedict Joseph Fenwick and Thomas F. Mulledy in 1843 under the auspices of the Society of Jesus. ...

allows women to apply for admittance. ,

1975-1999

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Year !width=110, Location !Milestone !class=unsortable, Ref. , - , 1974 , Pakistan , One of the earliest and largest open universities,

Allama Iqbal Open University Allama Iqbal Open University is a public university in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is named after Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the country's national poet. It is the world's fifth largest institution of higher learning in terms of enrolment, with an a ...

started providing distance education, making it accessible for women who couldn't attend traditional schooling due to societal or logistical barriers. , , - , rowspan="4" , 1975 , rowspan="3" , United States , Lorene L. Rogers becomes the first woman named president of a major research university in the United States, the University of Texas. , , - , On July 1, 1975,

Jeanne Sinkford Jeanne Craig Sinkford (born 1933) is an American dentist and academic administrator. She was the first female dean of an American dental school. She is a senior scholar in residence at the American Dental Education Association and a professor and d ...

becomes the first female dean of a dental school as dean of

, School of Dentistry. , , - , Amherst, Claremont, US Naval Academy, West Point, US Airforce Academy and US Coast Guard Academy allows women to apply for admittance. , , - , United Kingdom , The ''

Sex Discrimination Act 1975 The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (c. 65) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which protected men and women from discrimination on the grounds of sex or marital status. The Act concerned employment, training, education, harassment, ...

'' (c. 65) is an Act of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...

that protects

women A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl. Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional u ...

from

discrimination Discrimination is the process of making unfair or prejudicial distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong, such as race, gender, age, class, religion, or sex ...

on the grounds of sex or marital status. The Act covers education among other things. , , - , 1976-1985 , International , In 1975, the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

declared 1976-1985 the Decade for Women, which profoundly impacted raising awareness about

gender inequalities Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which people are not treated equally on the basis of gender. This inequality can be caused by gender discrimination or sexism. The treatment may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology ...

, including those in education. The period witnessed international conferences focusing on women, the first of which was in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

in 1975, the second in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

in 1980, and the third in

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

in 1985. , , - , 1976 , United States , U.S. service academies (

US Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as commissioned officers in the United States Army. The academy was founded i ...

US Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is the sec ...

US Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in Air Force Academy Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Un ...

and the

US Coast Guard Academy The United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), located in New London, Connecticut, is the U.S. service academy specifically for the United States Coast Guard. Founded in 1876, the academy provides education to future Coast Guard officers i ...

) admit women. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1977 , rowspan="2" , United States , Harvard's ratio of four men to one woman ends with "sex-blind admissions". , , - , The American Association of Dental Schools (founded in 1923 and renamed the

American Dental Education Association The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is a non-profit organization that works to further the education of Dentist, dental professionals and the advancement of academic dental programs in Canada and the United States. Founded in 1923 as ...

in 2000) appoints Nancy Goorey as its first female president. , , - , United Kingdom , Women are first allowed to apply for

Rhodes Scholarship The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom. The scholarship is open to people from all backgrounds around the world. Established in 1902, it is ...

s. , , - , 1978 , Afghanistan , Mandatory literacy and education of all women. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1979 , rowspan="2" , United States , Christine Economides becomes the first American woman to receive a Ph.D. in petroleum engineering (from Stanford University). , , - , Jenny Patrick becomes the first Black woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in chemical engineering (from

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

). , , - , 1980 , United States , Women and men are enrolled in American colleges in equal numbers for the first time. , , - , rowspan="3" , 1982 , rowspan="3" , United States , The number of bachelor's degrees conferred on women surpasses those conferred on men. , National Center for Education Statistics
Digest of Education Statistics
. Retrieved 2017-10-22 , - , ''

Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan ''Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan'', 458 U.S. 718 (1982), was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, decided 5–4, which ruled that the single-sex admissions policy of the Mississippi University for Women vio ...

'', 458 U.S. 718 (1982) is a case decided 5–4 by the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

which holds that the single-sex admissions policy of the

Mississippi University for Women Mississippi University for Women (MUW or "The W") is a coeducational public university in Columbus, Mississippi. It was formerly named the "Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls" and later the "Mississippi State Coll ...

violates the

Equal Protection Clause The Equal Protection Clause is part of the first section of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The clause, which took effect in 1868, provides "nor shall any State... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal pr ...

of the

Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. Considered one of the most consequential amendments, it addresses Citizenship of the United States ...

. , , - , Judith Hauptman becomes the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Talmud (from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York). , , - , rowspan="2" , 1983 , rowspan="2" , United States ,

Christine Darden Christine Darden (born September 10, 1942, as Christine Mann) is an American mathematician, data analyst and aeronautical engineer who devoted much of her 40-year career in aerodynamics at NASA to research supersonic flight and sonic booms. She ...

becomes the first black woman in the U.S. to receive a Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering (from

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...

). , , - , Columbia College of Columbia University allows women to apply for admittance. , , - , 1984 , United States , The U.S. Supreme Court's 1984 ruling

Grove City College v. Bell ''Grove City College v. Bell'', 465 U.S. 555 (1984), was a case in which the United States Supreme Court held that Title IX, which applies only to colleges and universities that receive federal funds, could be applied to a private school that ref ...

holds that Title IX applies only to those programs receiving direct federal aid. The case reaches the Supreme Court when

Grove City College Grove City College (GCC) is a private, conservative Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1876 as a normal school, the college emphasizes a humanities core curriculum and offers 60 majors and si ...

disagreed with the Department of Education's assertion that it was required to comply with Title IX. Grove City College was not a federally funded institution; however, they did accept students who were receiving Basic Educational Opportunity Grants through a Department of Education program. The Department of Education's stance was that, because some of its students were receiving federal grants, the school was receiving federal assistance and Title IX applied to it. The Court decided that since Grove City College was only receiving federal funding through the grant program, only that program had to be in compliance. The ruling was a major victory for those opposed to Title IX, as it made many institutions' sports programs outside of the rule of Title IX and, thus, reduced the scope of Title IX. , "The Oyez Project, Grove City College v. Bell"
, 465 U.S. 555 (1984)"Title IX."
''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 19 Nov. 2009Suggs, Welsh. ''A Place on the Team.'' Princeton, NJ.: Princeton University Press, 2005. , - , 1986 , Zimbabwe , To combat gender disparities in higher education, the

introduced a quota system to ensure a higher enrollment of women in its programs. , , - , 1987 , United States ,

Johnnetta Cole Johnnetta Betsch Cole (born October 19, 1936) is an American anthropologist, educator, museum director, and college president. Cole was the first female African-American president of Spelman College, a historically black college, serving from 198 ...

becomes the first Black president of

Spelman College Spelman College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia ...

. , , - , rowspan="2" , 1988 , United States , The Civil Rights Restoration Act is passed, extending Title IX coverage to all programs of any educational institution that receives any federal assistance, both direct and indirect. , "Legislative History of Title IX"
National Organization for Women. June 27, 2007. , - , Pakistan ,

Benazir Bhutto Benazir Bhutto (21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. She was also the first woman elected to head a democratic governmen ...

became the first woman to lead a Muslim-majority country as Prime Minister. She had been educated at both Oxford and Harvard, and her leadership set a significant precedent in the Muslim world. , , - , 1992 , Guatemala , Indigenous K'iche' woman

Rigoberta Menchú Rigoberta Menchú Tum (; born 9 January 1959) is a K'iche' Guatemalan human rights activist, feminist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Menchú has dedicated her life to publicizing the rights of Guatemala's Indigenous peoples during and afte ...

received the

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

for her work in social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples. Her prominence also highlighted the importance of education and advocacy. , , - , 1994 , United States , The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, sponsored by Congresswoman

Cardiss Collins Cardiss Hortense Collins (; September 24, 1931 – February 3, 2013) was an American politician from Illinois who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the fourth Afric ...

, requires federally assisted higher education institutions to disclose information on roster sizes for men's and women's teams, as well as budgets for recruiting, scholarships, coaches' salaries, and other expenses, annually. , "Landmark Title IX Cases in History"
Gender Equity in Sport. February 23, 2006. , - , 1995 , China , At the Fourth World Conference on Women of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, governments globally committed to a detailed action plan. It highlighted the importance of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for women and girls. , , - , 1996 , United States , ''

United States v. Virginia ''United States v. Virginia'', 518 U.S. 515 (1996), was a landmark case in which the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the long-standing male-only admission policy of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in a 7–1 decision. Just ...

'', , is a

landmark case Landmark court decisions, in present-day common law legal systems, establish precedents that determine a significant new legal principle or concept, or otherwise substantially affect the interpretation of existing law. "Leading case" is commonly u ...

in which the

strikes down the

Virginia Military Institute The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a public senior military college in Lexington, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 as America's first state military college and is the oldest public senior military college in the U.S. In k ...

(VMI)'s long-standing male-only admission policy in a 7–1 decision. (Justice

Clarence Thomas Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American lawyer and jurist who has served since 1991 as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. President George H. W. Bush nominated him to succeed Thurgood Marshall. Afte ...

, whose son was enrolled at VMI at the time,

recused Recusal is the legal process by which a judge, juror, or other adjudicator steps aside from participating in a case due to potential bias, conflict of interest, or appearance of impropriety. This practice is fundamental to ensuring fairness and ...

himself.) ,

21st century

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Year !width=100, Location !class=unsortable, Milestone !class=unsortable, Ref. , - , 2001 , United States ,

Ruth Simmons Ruth Simmons (born Ruth Jean Stubblefield, July 3, 1945) is an American professor and academic administrator. Simmons served as the eighth president of Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black university (HBCU), from 2017 until 2023. Fr ...

becomes the eighteenth president of Brown University, making her the first Black woman to lead an Ivy League institution. , , - , rowspan="2" , 2002 , Afghanistan , Following the ousting of the

Taliban , leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders , leader1_name = {{indented plainlist, * Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013) * Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016) * Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...

regime in 2001 by U.S.-led forces, girls' school attendance in Afghanistan increased significantly. By 2018, over 3.6 million girls were enrolled in schools, marking a substantial rise from previous years, especially in secondary education. , , - , India , India launched the

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (), or SSA, is an Indian Government programme aimed at the universalisation of Elementary education "in a time bound manner", the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children ...

(SSA) in 2001 as a government program to achieve Universalisation of Elementary Education. This program was particularly notable for its focus on the education of girls and children with special needs. The SSA aimed to provide quality elementary education, including life skills and computer education, to about 193 million children across 1.1 million habitations. , , - , 2004 , Rwanda , Rwanda made significant strides in achieving gender parity in education after the 1994 genocide. The government established the Girls' Education Task Force in 2004 to promote education for young girls. Several policies were introduced to continue gender equality in education, such as the Girls Education Policy (2008), the National Education Policy (2010), and the University of Rwanda Gender Policy (2016). These policies dedicated 50% of student university positions to women and addressed the socio-economic barriers hindering girls' education. Rwanda's success in promoting girls' education is evident in the fact that it currently boasts the highest participation rates in East Africa and has achieved gender parity in net and gross enrollment at pre-primary, primary, and secondary levels. , , - , 2005 , Saudi Arabia , Saudi Arabia witnessed a significant transformation in higher education for women after 2005, particularly under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship program introduced by King Abdullah. This program was designed to strengthen Saudi academic institutions and broaden their research and course offerings. It marked a notable shift in the country's approach to female education, with an increase in female graduates leading to incremental improvements in the number of women entering top jobs and earning salaries on par with their male colleagues. This change was part of a broader effort to diversify the Saudi economy and embrace high-tech, creative, and specialized industries under the Kingdom's Vision 2030 reform agenda. The reforms not only enhanced educational opportunities for women but also aimed to align students' qualifications with the job market in Saudi Arabia, thereby raising overall efficiency and developing managerial techniques. , , - , rowspan="2" , 2006 , rowspan="2" , United States , For the first time, more doctoral degrees are conferred on women than men in the United States. This educational gap has continued to increase in the U.S., especially for master's degrees where over 50% more degrees are conferred on women than men. , , - , On November 24, 2006, the Title IX regulations are amended to provide greater flexibility in the operation of single-sex classes or extracurricular activities at the primary or secondary school level. , , - , 2007 , South Africa , The

Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls – South Africa (OWLAG) is a boarding school for girls, grades 8–12, in Henley on Klip, Gauteng Province, South Africa. The school is a project begun by the American entrepreneur and philanth ...

is established in South Africa, aimed at providing educational and leadership opportunities for disadvantaged girls. , , - , 2010 , Kenya , Kenya's introduction of free primary education in 2003 led to a significant increase in school enrollment rates, achieving over 90% primary enrollment by 2010 and attaining gender parity in primary schools. However, despite this progress, disparities remained at the regional level, with enrollment being much lower in areas with high poverty levels. In some regions, only 19% of girls were enrolled in school. The policy was particularly effective in reducing the educational gender gap and increasing the overall number of students in primary education, including girls , , - , 2011 , India , In April 2011, the Institute for Buddhist Dialectical Studies (IBD) in Dharamsala, India, confers the degree of

geshe Geshe (, short for ''dge-ba'i bshes-gnyen'', "virtuous friend"; translation of Skt. ''kalyāņamitra'') or geshema is a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks and nuns. The degree is emphasized primarily by the Gelug lineage, but is also awar ...

(a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks and nuns) to

Venerable Kelsang Wangmo Geshe Kelsang Wangmo is a German-born Buddhist nun, scholar, and teacher. She is the first woman to be awarded a Geshe title, considered equivalent to a Ph.D. in Buddhist philosophy. Early life She was raised in a Roman Catholic family in Lohmar, ...

, a German nun, thus making her the world's first female geshe. , , - , rowspan="4" , 2013 , rowspan="2" , Saudi Arabia , The Saudi government sanctions sports for girls in private schools for the first time. , , - , Mai Majed Al-Qurashi becomes the first woman to receive a PhD in Saudi Arabia (from the

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST; ') is a Private university, private research university located in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. Founded in 2009, the university provides research and graduate training programs in English ...

). , , - , United Kingdom , It is announced that

Ephraim Mirvis Sir Ephraim Yitzchak Mirvis (born 7 September 1956) is a British Orthodox rabbi who serves as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. He served as the Chief Rabbi of Ireland between 1985 and 1992. Early life ...

has created the job of ma'ayan by which women would be advisers on Jewish law in the area of family purity and as adult educators in Orthodox synagogues. This requires a part-time training course for 18 months, the first such course in the United Kingdom. , , - , Tibet , Tibetan women are able to take the

exams for the first time. , , - , 2014 , Nigeria , On the night of April 14–15, 2014, 276 female students aged 16 to 18 were kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist group

Boko Haram Boko Haram, officially known as Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'wa wa al-Jihad (), is a self-proclaimed jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. In 2016, the group spli ...

from the Government Girls Secondary School in

Chibok Chibok is a Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria, located in the southern part of the state. It has its headquarters in the town of Chibok. Landscape It has an area of 1,350 km² Population It has a population of 66,105 at the 2 ...

, Borno State, Nigeria. This incident drew global attention and led to the launch of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. The kidnapping highlighted the risks faced by girls pursuing education in conflict areas and the extreme measures taken by Boko Haram against western-style modern education. Despite efforts, many of the kidnapped girls remained missing years after the incident, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region. The campaign for their release and the international attention it garnered underscored the widespread condemnation of Boko Haram's actions and the global concern for the safety and education of girls in conflict zones. , , - , 2015 , Global , The United Nations'

Sustainable Development Goals The ''2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development'', adopted by all United Nations (UN) members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of these global goals is "peace and prosperity for people and the planet" – wh ...

, launched in 2015, included

SDG 4 Sustainable Development Goal 4, or SDG 4, is a commitment to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This goal aims to provide children and young people with quality and easy access t ...

which specifically focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. One of the main targets of SDG 4 is to eliminate gender disparities in education and to ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations. The goal emphasizes the importance of achieving literacy and numeracy for all youth and a significant proportion of adults, both men and women, by 2030. SDG 4 also highlights the need to increase the supply of qualified teachers and to improve infrastructure and facilities for effective learning environments, particularly in

Least Developed Countries The least developed countries (LDCs) are developing countries listed by the United Nations that exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development. The concept of LDCs originated in the late 1960s and the first group of LDCs was listed b ...

(LDCs). Despite progress, challenges such as a high number of out-of-school children and adolescents, as well as disparities in educational access and quality, particularly in

sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...

and Southern Asia, continue to persist. , , - , 2016 , Tibet , Twenty Tibetan Buddhist nuns become the first Tibetan women to receive

ma degrees. , , - , 2018 , California , In 1998

Deep Springs College Deep Springs College (known simply as Deep Springs or DS) is a private junior college in Deep Springs, California. With the number of undergraduates restricted to 26, the college is one of the smallest institutions of higher education in the U ...

accepted a $1.8 million low-interest loan under the condition that it would begin admitting women by 2019. In 2011, the college's trustees voted to begin accepting female students in the summer of 2013 but became embroiled in legal challenges which were lodged against the trustees' action. The challengers disputed the authority of the college's board to change the admissions policy and included an injunction preventing the college from accepting female students until at least the 2018–2019 academic year. On April 13, 2017, the

California Court of Appeal The California Courts of Appeal are the state intermediate appellate courts in the U.S. state of California. The state is geographically divided along county lines into six appellate districts.

ruled that the college could admit women in ''Hitz v. Hoekstra''. With the

Supreme Court of California The Supreme Court of California is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the judiciary of California, courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly ...

declining to hear an appeal, the board of trustees voted once again to admit women, with the first female students arriving in July 2018. , - , 2020 , Global , The impact of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

on girls' education worldwide in 2020 was profound and multi-faceted. UNESCO estimated that 11 million girls might not return to school following the pandemic, with girls aged 12–17 being particularly at risk of dropping out in low and lower-income countries. The challenges were especially acute for girls from low-income households and those in rural areas. The pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities and introduced new threats to girls' education, including increased risks of child marriage, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence. Many girls were married off as a result of the economic pressures of the pandemic on families, leading to increased teenage pregnancies and a rise in rape cases, often resulting in unwanted pregnancies and school dropouts. The pandemic also highlighted the need for greater investment in education and security for girls as resources for the future of the world. , , - , 2022 , Afghanistan , In March 2022, the Taliban abruptly reversed their plans to allow girls to resume their secondary school education (defined as grade seven and upwards in Afghanistan). With the exception of the current cohort of university students, this decision leaves graduating from sixth grade as the highest level of educational attainment possible for Afghan women. Secondary schools for boys reopened on schedule. ,

References

{{Female education Society-related timelines History of education Women and education

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

BCE

1–1200 CE

13th to 16th centuries

17th century

18th century

19th century

1800–1849

1850–1874

1875–1899

20th century

1900–1924

1925-1949

1950-1974

1975-1999

21st century

See also

References