PhD Scholarships in Jewish Studies

Dean’s Scholarhips of the Faculty of Jewish Studies for the 2026–2027 academic year

The Faculty of Jewish Studies at Bar-Ilan University invites outstanding doctoral candidates to apply for the Dean’s Scholarships for the Encouragement of Research for the 2026–2027 academic year. The scholarships are intended to support researchers at the beginning of their academic careers, to encourage research excellence, and to promote innovative and significant research in the fields of Jewish Studies.

The scholarship includes:

✓ A scholarship of up to 30,000NIS in the first or second year of study.

✓ Payment schedule: 5,000NIS upon registration for the doctoral degree (registration must be completed by November 30, 2026); 5,000NIS at the end of the first semester of the 2026–2027 academic year; 20,000NIS upon approval of the research proposal, provided that it is approved by the end of the first semester of the 2027–2028 academic year.

✓ Travel support for presenting research at an international conference.

✓ An additional grant for the Faculty’s research students who publish in leading journals ranked at the highest levels.

The scholarship is awarded as a tuition scholarship (unless the candidate holds a tuition exemption from another source, in which case it will be transferred to the candidate’s account) and is conditional upon a commitment to complete the doctorate.

Who may apply:

• Outstanding graduates who hold a master’s degree with a thesis, or who are due to complete their master’s studies during the 2025–2026 academic year with a grade of at least 90, and who intend to begin doctoral studies in the 2026–2027 academic year.

• The scholarship is not intended for research students who have received a living-stipend scholarship.

Application deadline:

Sunday | August 16, 2026; 3 Elul 5786

The number of scholarships is limited. Recipients will be selected following an academic and comparative evaluation of all applications.

How to apply:

Applications should be sent to the Vice Dean for Research, Prof. Binyamin Katzoff, by email: [email protected]

A letter of recommendation from the thesis advisor or from the intended doctoral advisor should be sent directly by the recommender to the above address.

The application should include the following components in a single file:

• Academic CV.

• Transcripts for the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

• Certificate of eligibility for the bachelor’s and master’s degrees (if available).

• A statement of academic intent (up to one page) describing the candidate’s research experience, scholarly achievements, and relevant research background. The candidate should describe the main areas of interest to be addressed in the doctoral work, and indicate the department in which the research will be conducted and the name of the prospective advisor. Within this page, the candidate may include a reference to prior experience or any other information that may be relevant.

• A signed statement confirming that the candidate is not receiving a living-stipend scholarship for doctoral studies.

• Previous academic publications (if any).

We invite you to join the next generation of research in Jewish Studies and to take part in groundbreaking academic work.

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