About
The United States-Israel Educational Foundation (USIEF) plans to award 8 grants to American post-doctoral scholars who are about to begin a program of research at Israeli institutions of higher education which will commence during the 2017/2018 academic year. The total length of the proposed program of work in Israel must be at least two academic years (20 months net in Israel).
The Fulbright award totals $40,000, $20,000 per academic year. Fulbright funding supplements basic post-doctoral stipends provided by Israeli host institutions.
The Candidates
This program is open to post-doctoral researchers in all academic disciplines.
USIEF awards are granted on the basis of academic excellence, the leadership promise of the applicant, and the potential of the proposed visit to both advance knowledge and enhance mutual understanding between the peoples of the U.S. and Israel.
The Foundation gives preference to applicants who have not had significant prior professional experience in Israel.
Knowledge of Hebrew is helpful but not required, except as necessary for the conduct of proposed research projects.
Post-doctoral fellows must be hosted by an accredited Israeli institution of higher education. For the complete list of accredited institutions, use the search engine here.
Each candidate should try to arrange his/her institutional affiliations in Israel independently, including development of the program of work for the proposed visit, through contacts with possible host institutions. If assistance is required, USIEF will attempt to help candidates to identify suitable host institutions.
Candidates should take into account that, according to USIEF policy, host institutions will be required to provide to the program fellows a grant no smaller than their own usual basic post-doctoral award, in addition to USIEF’s grant. Thus, candidates should submit applications for post-doctoral stipends to potential host institutions, in parallel to presentation of their candidacy for Fulbright fellowships. Host institution awards vary from university to university and from department to department within the same institution. The Fulbright award in every case will be $40,000 – $20,000 per academic year, for two academic years (20 months net in Israel).
A letter from an Israeli researcher, expressing at least preliminary interest in hosting the candidate, should be included among the materials submitted to the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) by the September 12th application deadline. A formal hosting commitment, including the commitment to provide financial support, must be received by USIEF from the host institution by November 2016 in order for a candidate to be evaluated in the final stage of the grant allocation process.
The Foundation reserves the exclusive right to determine, within the framework of applicable law and regulations, the qualitative standards for the evaluation of applications forwarded to it by the responsible agency in the United States. The Foundation is not under any obligation to provide the reasons for its decisions regarding the allocation of Fellowships.
USIEF is deeply grateful to the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education for the special budgetary allocation which has made it possible to expand this program from 2 to 8 fellowships, while increasing each award from $35,000 to $40,000.
Eligibility criteria
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens; permanent resident status is not sufficient.
- Candidates must be planning to begin a period of post-doctoral research at an accredited institution of higher education in Israel during the course of the 2017/2018 academic year. Individuals who have already begun research activities in Israel prior to the application date are not eligible.
- Candidates must be planning to conduct post-doctoral research in Israel for a period of at least two academic years (20 months net).
- According to Israeli regulations, a researcher may be defined as a post-doctoral fellow for a period of five years, beginning from the date of the award of his/her doctorate. Thus, to be eligible for a Fulbright Fellowship, candidates must have received their PhD degrees no earlier than April 2014.
- Holders of a tenure-track position are ineligible.
- Candidates must be in good health. All applicants selected for a Fulbright grant are required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report before their grants can be activated.
- A formal hosting commitment, including a commitment to provide financial support, must be received by USIEF from an eligible institution by November 2016 in order for a candidate to be evaluated in the final stage of the grant allocation process.
- Prior to activation of grants awarded, candidates selected must give proof of completion of all requirements for receipt of the doctoral degree.
- Prior conviction or current indictment for a felony may result in disqualification.
- Please note: only spouses and dependent children are eligible to receive visas, paralleling those awarded to Program Fellows.
Evaluation criteria
- Academic excellence is the primary criterion for the evaluation of candidates.
- Possession of skills required to promote mutual understanding between the United States and Israel is an important evaluation criterion. Thus, in addition to describing the research planned, a post-doctoral project proposal should also provide a concise description of the broader cultural goals of a post-doctoral experience in Israel: what would the candidate like to learn about Israel; in what activities in addition to research does he/she expect to become involved; how does the candidate expect to share his/her Israeli experiences upon return to the US.
- Leadership qualities are an important evaluation criterion.
- Preference will be given to candidates who have received their doctorates within the three-year period prior to the presentation of their applications.
- Preference will be given to candidates who have not had substantial, recent professional experience in Israel.
- Preference will be given to candidates who have not had previous Fulbright grants.
- Hebrew language proficiency is not an evaluation criterion, unless such proficiency is required in order to carry out the proposed plan of work.
Benefits
- USIEF stipend of $40,000 ($20,000 per academic year for two years), payable in dollars. In addition, each grantee will receive from his/her host institution a grant no smaller than its own basic post-doctoral award.
- Limited health insurance for the grantee only
- Orientation meetings in the US (attendance compulsory) and in Israel and other grantee events during the course of the academic year
For more information click "Further official information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://fulbright.org.il/content/fulbright-post-doctoral-fellowships