Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said he had put a proposal forward to New Zealand Rugby to get an academy for promising players in Otago.
He is expecting to hear back within the next week or two.
The women's representative side, the Otago Spirit, used the union's gym at Forsyth Barr Stadium last year and other union resources.
The academy at the union had been going for many years and took in eight promising male players a year. The women's academy would use the union's facilities, and have advice on skill development and nutrition.
He envisaged about 10 players being invited into the academy.
Other unions had dabbled in having women in their academies but Otago wanted to have it properly established and programmes set up.
Kinley said the announcement this week that up to 30 players would be paid by NZR this season was a great step forward for the women's game.
The Dunedin women's club competition is scheduled to start next month with the possibility of another two teams joining the competition.