Doctoral Fellowships for Academic Jewish Studies

Applications for doctoral fellowships must be submitted by PhD students (or prospective students) themselves. Those not yet accepted to their PhD programme of choice will need to indicate where they intend to study and when they expect to hear if they have been accepted. Their prospective supervisor must also submit a letter of reference.

To be eligible to apply for a fellowship, individual applicants must be European citizens (citizens of both EU and non-EU European countries are eligible). Likewise, the institution where applicants propose to undertake their doctoral degree must be based in Europe. We are not currently accepting applications to study in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine.

In addition to being European citizens, applicants must be able to demonstrate having been resident in Europe for at least 2 years prior to their award coming into effect. If your application is approved, you will be required to provide evidence of residency in Europe since August 2024. The Foundation will provide a list of the types of credible documentation accepted.

All topics within the broad field of Jewish Studies are considered eligible for the Foundation’s Jewish Studies grants. The Foundation particularly welcomes applications from those engaged in the study of contemporary Jewish life in Europe from a social science perspective and those whose proposals involve digital humanities research techniques.

In principle, projects only tangentially related to Jewish Studies are unlikely to be successful, nor will projects devoted to an individual or individuals who happen to be Jewish, but whose historical importance is not significantly contingent on that biographical fact. Secondary school education, informal education and documentary films will not be funded within the context of the Academic Jewish Studies grant programme.

For more information on Jewish Studies please read our AJS FAQs.

In general, the costs of tuition, research, travel, and living are eligible within the context of the Doctoral Fellowship grant. If including a living stipend in your budget, please provide evidence of the standard stipend PhD students receive in the country in which you are doing your PhD. 

If you are uncertain about the eligibility of your proposed project or project costs, please contact Dr Ruchama Johnston-Bloom.

A fundamental component of the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe’s mission is to increase access to European Jewish heritage and culture.

We encourage grantees to publish their Foundation-funded research in peer-reviewed journals with an open access option, and to make their articles freely accessible whenever possible. Should an article based on Foundation-funded research be accepted for publication, grantees may apply to the Foundation for funding to cover costs associated with open access publication, such as article processing charges.

Your Application Form and supporting documents must be submitted by Tuesday 13 January 2026. References will be due by Tuesday 20 January 2026 – please ensure you provide a copy of your application form and the reference form to your referees to complete.

You should expect notification via email in mid-May 2026 letting you know whether your application has been successful or unsuccessful. If your application is approved, you will receive an official award letter and agreement which you will need to e-sign and return with the necessary supporting documentation.

Please add the following emails to your contacts/safe senders list to ensure you receive all our communications regarding your application and grant notification:  noreply@yourcause.com; adobesign@adobesign.com; message@adobe.com.

Translations: For documents not originally written in English (aside from your proposal) please include an English translation. This does not need to be an official or notarised translation, but it must be clear and accurate. Documents in a language other than English that are not accompanied by an English translation will not be processed. 

If your application is approved, you will need to submit further supporting documentation once you receive your Grant Letter and Agreement.

1. Proof of European citizenship: Please submit a copy of your passport.
2. Budget table and budget explanation for the proposed project: Please download and complete the budget form at the bottom of this page. An example of a completed budget form is also available. Do not use your own format.
3. Evidence of the standard PhD stipend in the country in which you are doing your PhD: This could be taken from the website of the national funding body in the relevant country, or the university to which you are applying may be able to provide you with this information.
4. Applicant CV in English (maximum 5 pages): Please provide an academic CV, listing all relevant academic experience, publications, and prizes. Please note only the first 5 pages of CVs which exceed the 5-page limit will be forwarded to the Academic Advisory Committee for assessment.
5. Final transcripts of grades / credits received for all previous degrees: This will be an official document from your university that lists all the classes you took as a part of your degree(s), the credits you received for them, and the marks you were awarded. Please provide the final transcripts of grades/credits received for all previous degrees. Please combine all transcripts into one document and upload in the attachments section.
6. Full doctoral proposal in English, German, or French (maximum 12 pages, 12pt font, 1.5 spacing): Please note only the first 12 pages of any proposal which exceeds the 12-page limit will be sent to the Academic Advisory Committee for assessment. This proposal may repeat portions of the project summary and/or description included in your application form. A short bibliography of key sources should be included in the proposal. If this proposal has been approved, please submit proof of approval.
7. Translated documents: Please upload translated versions of any of the above documents. Make sure titles are in English and accurately describe the contents. Original documents must be uploaded under the relevant attachment listed above. 

Applicants must supply details for two referees, able to evaluate the strengths of their proposal. At least one of these referees must be the applicant’s proposed supervisor.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to send their referees the correct reference form and to ensure references are submitted by the referee deadline. Forms are available to download at the bottom of this page.

The Foundation will confirm receipt of your references to you via email no later than 5 working days after the referee deadline. If the Foundation has not received your reference(s) you will be contacted no later than 3 working days after the referee deadline. Please do not contact the Foundation during this period regarding your references as there will be a delay in responding to your query.