Post Doctoral Fellowships for Academic Jewish Studies

Grants of up to £35,000 per annum are available for European institutions to employ a post-doctoral fellow for a two-year period. We are aware this is not enough to cover a full-time post-doctoral fellowship in some countries, and we expect universities to contribute to the cost of the fellowship. Institutions must ensure that all of the costs of the position (including social security, benefits, taxes, etc.) are considered before applying for the fellowship, and there must be a plan in place to cover all of these costs. Award amounts will vary according to the local salary scales, costs of living and individual needs.

The Foundation does not provide additional funding, on top of the original amount awarded, for research, travel, etc. To be covered, these expenses must be included in the original application budget.

Candidates researching and/or teaching any topic within the field of Jewish Studies will be considered eligible for funding. Successful applications will demonstrate the synergy between the hosting department and the proposed candidate. Post-doctoral fellows are encouraged to present their research to the local Jewish community as well as to the wider public. A department, centre, etc., may only put forward one post-doctoral application per round. Likewise, only one post-doctoral grant will be awarded per round to any given university. Therefore, if different university departments, centres, etc., submit post-doctoral applications at the same time, we will decide which one, if any, to select for a grant.

To be eligible to receive a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from the Foundation, the post-doctoral applicant must be based in Europe (either a European citizen or holder of a valid European residency permit) and the host institution must be based in Europe (both EU and non-EU states). We are not currently accepting applications from institutions in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine.

Institutions must be able to demonstrate how the presence of a post-doctoral fellow will strengthen Jewish Studies at their institution. Post-doctoral candidates must either have received their doctoral degree no more than 7 years before the application deadline or intend to submit their doctoral dissertation by June 2025.

Individuals who have already received a post-doctoral fellowship from the Foundation may not apply for another one, even at a different host institution.

These fellowships are awarded based on the candidate’s academic merit, though some consideration will also be given to the degree of geographic mobility demonstrated by the candidate, both in his/her current choice of institution and in his/her previous academic career.

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 FAQs.

In general, the full salary cost for employing a post-doctoral fellow as well as additional travel and research costs may be applied for within this grant category; however, institutional overheads will not be funded. Institutional overheads include the costs of grant administration, maintaining, heating, and insuring the building in which your department is housed, as well as the taxes your university pays for that building.

If you are uncertain about the eligibility of your proposed project or project costs, please contact Dr Ruchama Johnston-Bloom (R.Johnston-Bloom@rothschildfoundation.eu)

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

Grantees may apply to the Foundation for additional funding to cover costs associated with open access publication, such as article processing charges.

Some applicants are having issues downloading the budget form – please download a copy and save to your desktop from here.

Please make sure you have submitted the following with your application. If it is not included, your application cannot be considered.

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

• Proof of Charitable Status(Required:) This will vary from country to country and according to the type of organisation making the application. In all cases, the activities of the organisation must qualify as charitable within the United Kingdom. If your organisation is a publicly funded body, such as a university, research centre or museum, then we will accept a copy of your organisation’s statutes as proof of its charitable status.
• Certification from the tax authorities: If you require a certificate from the tax authorities in order to demonstrate charitable status in your country, please forward a copy of this certificate.
• Budget table and budget explanation for the proposed project (Required): Please use the proforma budget form provided with the application. An example of a completed budget can also be downloaded via the application form.
• CV of post-doctoral candidate (maximum 5 pages): Please include all relevant academic experience, publications, and prizes. Please note that only the first 5 pages of CVs which exceed the 5-page limit will be forwarded to the Academic Advisory Committee for assessment.
• Final transcripts for post-doctoral candidate 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 combine all transcripts into one document.
• A letter confirming submission of your doctoral dissertation and indicating the date of your defence, or a letter confirming when the dissertation will be submitted and when your defence will be held: This is only required if you have not yet received your PhD.
• CVs of key staff people working on the project (maximum 5 pages for each staff member): In most cases, this will be the CV of the proposed post-doctoral supervisor only. Only the first 5 pages of any CVs totalling more than the 5-page limit will be forwarded to the Academic Advisory Committee for assessment. Please combine all the CVs into one document before uploading it.
• Full research proposal in English, German or French: A full description of no more than 3,000 words outlining the main objective of your project, any necessary background or context, your precise research question, methodology and a timetable for how you intend to implement your proposal. This may repeat elements of the project summary or description included in your application form.
• Project Update/Final Report: If you currently receive funding from the Foundation please submit a one-page Project Update of your existing grant. If you have recently finished a grant funded by the Foundation please ensure the Final Report has been submitted before the closing date for the current grant round as this will be assessed alongside your new application.

Translations: For documents not originally written in English (aside from the full project proposal) please include an English translation. This does not need to be an official 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.

Applicants must supply details for two, external referees able to evaluate their proposal. Referees must not be affiliated with the institution applying for the fellowship.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to send their referees the correct reference form and to ensure that references are submitted by the referee deadline. Forms are available to download under the referees section of the online application form or here.

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.

Applications for Post-Doctoral Fellowships must be submitted by the institution that will employ the post-doctoral fellow. The prospective fellow should complete and submit the first section of the application form, and then the host institution should complete and submit the second section of the form (see Technical Guidance on how to do this).

Applications can only be submitted via our online application process. We do not accept applications by mail or email.

Please use the Apply Now button at the bottom of the grant category page to begin your application.

The first time you log in, you will need to create an account with an email and a password. Please keep a note of your login information as you will need it to access your application form on future visits.

Once you have set up your online account you will be taken directly to the application form.

When completing the application form, make sure to switch your web browser language settings to English if necessary.

We strongly recommend you read all of the questions before you fill in the application form.

Once you have started your application, continue editing by logging into your online account below. Do not click on the Apply Now button again as this creates duplicate application forms.

Please note: If your application form is left inactive for more than 50 minutes your changes won’t be saved. In order to keep the form ‘active’ when completing your application, you must either click ‘Next’ or ‘Save and Finish Later’, which will take you to your account dashboard.

Your application form and supporting documents must be submitted by Monday 13 January 2025. References will be due by Monday, 20 January 2025 – please ensure you provide a copy of your application form and the reference to your referee to complete.

You should expect notification via email by mid-May 2025 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: mailuk@grantapplication.com; mail@grantapplication.com; adobesign@adobesign.com; message@adobe.com.

For our requirements for ensuring safeguarding, please read the relevant section on our website.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information or advice as you prepare your application.

For queries relating to this grant category please contact: Dr Ruchama Johnston-Bloom (R.Johnston-Bloom@rothschildfoundation.eu)

For any other information including technical support please contact info@rothschildfoundation.eu