What is the Polonsky Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Polonsky Academy is based at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Israel’s leading independent research institute, and neighbors Israel’s Council of Higher Education and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

Polonsky Fellows form a vibrant research community in the humanities and social sciences, with the freedom to conduct their own research independently or in collaboration with ongoing projects at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. Fellows also have the opportunity to teach at leading Israeli universities.

What are the conditions?

The Fellowship offers an annual stipend of $40,000 and $2,000 for research and related expenses for a period of up to four years, enabling Fellows to develop their individual research and to advance their academic status.

 Fellows spend at least three days a week at the Polonsky Academy during the academic year, and meet weekly for a joint seminar, where work in progress is presented and discussed, followed by a joint meal. Fellows are also encouraged to attend and organize international conferences and workshops, for which an additional grant may be provided. Funding is also available for Fellows to have the possibility of inviting established international academics. Fellowships are subject to yearly renewal which is conditional on the submission of a progress report that demonstrates continued progress in research.

What facilities does the Polonsky Academy offer?

The Polonsky Academy offers each Fellow a spacious personal office with a computer; printing/scanning facilities; a kitchenette for coffee and refreshments; and a very effective support system for organizing conferences, reading groups and meetings. The Academy building also contains seminar rooms for meetings, conferences, workshops, etc., an auditorium for public talks, and a lunch cafeteria, and is surrounded by a beautiful garden.

How do I apply?

The Polonsky Fellowship is highly competitive, with about 400 applicants per year.

The call for applications is advertised each year in November. The deadline for submitting applications is early January (the precise date is specified in the call for applications) for a start date of October 1.

Applicants must have completed their PhD no more than five  years before the start date of the Fellowship; they may apply before completing their PhD, so long as they will have obtained their PhD by the start date of the Fellowship. Applicants need not have any special connection to Israel, and no knowledge of the Hebrew language is required.

Applications should include the following documents in English, in separate files: statement of research plans (3-5 pages, with title); summary of your previous research (3 pages); one single-authored published article or equivalent unpublished work; curriculum vitae, including list of publications; complete contact information, including phone numbers, for three possible referees.

To apply: http://www.vanleer.org.il/en/polform.