The women's 1500 metres event at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships was held at Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium on 22 and 24 July.
| Gold | Adanech Anbesa | |
| Silver | Fantu Worku | |
| Bronze | Anthony Kiptoo |
| Standing records prior to the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Athletics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Junior Record | 3:51.34 | Shanghai, China | 18 October 1997 | ||
| Championship Record | 4:04.96 | Barcelona, Spain | 15 July 2012 | ||
| World Junior Leading | 4:00.18 | Eugene, United States | 28 May 2016 | ||
Qualification: First 4 of each heat (Q) and the 4 fastest times (q) qualified for the final.[1]
| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4:12.39 | Q | |||
| 2 | 2 | 4:13.12 | Q | |||
| 3 | 2 | 4:13.84 | Q | |||
| 4 | 1 | 4:15.53 | Q | |||
| 5 | 2 | 4:15.79 | Q | |||
| 6 | 1 | 4:16.41 | Q, SB | |||
| 7 | 1 | 4:17.85 | Q | |||
| 8 | 1 | 4:18.93 | Q | |||
| 9 | 2 | 4:19.48 | q, PB | |||
| 10 | 2 | 4:21.49 | q | |||
| 11 | 1 | 4:21.81 | q, PB | |||
| 12 | 1 | 4:21.91 | q | |||
| 13 | 1 | 4:22.38 | ||||
| 14 | 1 | 4:22.68 | PB | |||
| 15 | 2 | 4:22.88 | PB | |||
| 16 | 2 | 4:23.07 | PB | |||
| 17 | 2 | 4:24.04 | ||||
| 18 | 1 | 4:24.36 | ||||
| 19 | 2 | 4:25.12 | ||||
| 20 | 2 | 4:25.38 | ||||
| 21 | 2 | 4:26.02 | ||||
| 22 | 1 | 4:26.60 | ||||
| 23 | 1 | 4:28.04 | SB | |||
| 24 | 1 | 4:28.19 | ||||
| 25 | 1 | 4:28.52 | ||||
| 26 | 2 | 4:28.64 | ||||
| 27 | 1 | 4:31.42 | ||||
| 28 | 2 | 4:43.38 | SB | |||
| 1 |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4:08.07 | |||||
| 4:08.43 | |||||
| 4:08.71 | PB | ||||
| 4:09.25 | PB | ||||
| 4:10.23 | |||||
| 4:12.33 | |||||
| 4:13.09 | |||||
| 4:15.49 | PB | ||||
| 4:15.72 | SB | ||||
| 10 | 4:17.29 | PB | |||
| 11 | 4:20.90 | PB | |||
| 12 | 4:25.94 |