Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027–2028: ILS 168,000 Stipend and Research Support in Israel

Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027–2028: ILS 168,000 Stipend and Research Support in Israel

The Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellowship is now open for the 2027–28 cohort. The programme supports international researchers who want to conduct postdoctoral work at one of eight eligible Israeli universities. The award provides a basic stipend of ILS 168,000 per academic year, paid as ILS 14,000 monthly, plus ILS 20,000 each year for research expenses and research-related travel. The standard fellowship lasts two years, with renewal for a third year considered through a competitive process.

The application window opened on August 9, 2026, and the published deadline is November 11, 2026. This is a research fellowship rather than a general scholarship: an applicant needs a suitable research plan, an academic sponsor at an eligible Israeli institution, and the academic record to make a credible case for an independent postdoctoral project. The opportunity is unusually broad by discipline. The Foundation expects to award up to 24 fellowships, including places in STEM, humanities, and social sciences.

Key details

What the fellowship provides

The core award is a monthly ILS 14,000 stipend. That equals ILS 168,000 for a full academic year. The Foundation also grants ILS 20,000 annually for research expenses and research-related travel. Research-expense spending remains subject to the rules and approval processes of the host institution, so applicants should not treat that part as an unrestricted personal payment. The stipend is paid by the host academic institution in Israeli shekels into the fellow’s Israeli bank account.

The guidelines describe a two-year fellowship, with renewal for a third year considered favourably but not guaranteed. A candidate may begin as early as June 1, 2027, or as late as February 1, 2028. The main Azrieli Fellows programming begins in October 2027, so the start date should be discussed carefully with the proposed sponsor and host department.

The programme also includes professional and community benefits. Fellows join a network of early-career scientists and scholars and can take part in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exchange, leadership training, professional mentorship, community engagement, and alumni activities. These are part of the fellowship experience, not a substitute for a strong research proposal.

There is a possible companion allowance of up to ILS 20,000 per year for a fellow accompanied to Israel by a companion. The guidelines say the actual amount is discretionary. Applicants should therefore budget conservatively and confirm the current arrangements with the programme team rather than assuming the maximum.

The programme expects fellows to be based in Israel for at least 75% of the fellowship period, maintain high academic standards, participate in programme-sponsored enrichment activities, acknowledge the Foundation in resulting publications, and engage in voluntary, non-political community activities. In STEM fields, the academic sponsor commits to financing 25% of the stipend, stated in the guidelines as ILS 84,000 over two years. That sponsor-side requirement is an important issue to discuss before submission.

Who is eligible

The fellowship is aimed at international postdoctoral candidates. A person is eligible if their PhD was officially awarded, as shown by the date on the diploma, no earlier than November 1, 2023. The rule applies to degrees awarded in all countries except Israel. The programme allows adjustments for parental leave, medical leave, or other career interruptions, but applicants should document any interruption clearly.

Current PhD candidates may also apply if they will successfully defend their dissertation no later than June 1, 2027. The Foundation requires official university documentation showing the planned defence date. A statement that a defence is likely to happen is not the same thing as the requested institutional evidence, so final-year doctoral applicants should secure the documentation early.

There are several Israel-related restrictions. Applicants must not have received an academic degree, including an undergraduate or graduate degree, from an Israeli institution. Former visiting and exchange students are still eligible. Applicants must also not have begun a postdoctoral position in Israel before September 1, 2026.

Every applicant must have secured an academic sponsor who is a faculty member at one of the eligible institutions. The listed hosts are Bar-Ilan University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Reichman University, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Tel Aviv University, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of Haifa, and the Weizmann Institute of Science. An applicant who has a strong proposal but no sponsor at one of these institutions is not ready to submit.

The Foundation expects up to 24 awards each year: up to 18 in STEM, up to three in humanities, and up to three in social sciences. The fellowship is open without regard to religion, gender, ethnicity, or age, but that general statement does not remove the specific doctoral, host, sponsor, and prior-study requirements above.

Finding and confirming an academic sponsor

The sponsor is more than a name placed on an application. The guidelines say the sponsor must confirm the candidate’s suitability, support and collaborate with the candidate, share relevant expertise, and ensure that facilities, office space, and funding are available for the proposed research. The sponsor must also submit progress reports twice a year and enable the fellow’s participation in programme-sponsored activities.

Start by identifying faculty members whose current work genuinely overlaps with the proposed project. A broad institutional reputation is not enough. Read the potential sponsor’s recent work, identify the specific method or facility that makes the host environment useful, and explain what the applicant contributes in return. The proposal should show a two-way fit: why this researcher needs this group, and why the group benefits from the researcher’s knowledge, method, dataset, or perspective.

There is also a capacity constraint. An academic sponsor may sponsor only one candidate in the year’s Azrieli application process. The sponsor cannot host someone they previously supervised in an official capacity during a PhD, although former visiting PhD researchers may be sponsored. Ask directly whether the faculty member has already committed to another candidate and whether the proposed project can be supported within the department’s facilities and funding arrangements.

The sponsor’s recommendation must be on official university letterhead and include a signature. It should address the candidate’s qualifications, the candidate’s contribution, available facilities and expertise, the fit between candidate and sponsor, and the mentorship plan. Treat that letter as a substantive part of the application rather than a formality.

What the application requires

The Foundation’s application instructions describe a substantial online application. Prepare the following material before opening the form:

• Personal information, citizenship, contact details, and language proficiency.
• The PhD abstract, detailed transcript, diploma or completion documentation, and information about other degrees, distinctions, appointments, and previous postdoctoral positions.
• A list of publications, conference proceedings, and other research output, including impact-factor or ranking-quartile information where requested.
• One scholarly writing sample that best demonstrates the applicant’s research accomplishments.
• Conference participation, including the applicant’s role at each event.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• One 650-word personal essay covering research and career goals, the fellowship’s role in those goals, the innovation in the research, a ten-year vision, personal and leadership qualities, interests beyond research, community engagement, and an important formative person or event.
• Two 150-word essays: one about an initiative or change the applicant led, and one about how the applicant will contribute to fellow researchers or the wider society.
• A postdoctoral research proposal with a broad-audience summary of up to 250 words and a research proposal of up to 1,500 words, excluding references.
• The academic sponsor’s recommendation and the names of two referees familiar with the applicant’s academic and research history.

The application instructions say the proposal should explain the project’s significance, potential to advance knowledge, fit with the host research group or supervisor, and contribution to the applicant’s future career. It should also explain why the sponsor and research environment are necessary, place the proposal in relation to the PhD thesis, and provide a project timeline. The broad summary should be understandable to a non-specialist reader.

Timeline and selection process

The official programme page gives the following dates for this cohort:

Selection has three stages. First, academic teams from diverse disciplines conduct preselection screening. Shortlisted applications then go to one of four multidisciplinary committees covering life sciences, exact sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Finalists meet an interview panel that includes programme representatives, academic committee representatives, the Senior Academic Advisor, and experts in leadership and personal merit.

The published selection criteria are academic excellence, the quality and feasibility of the proposed research, the candidate’s unique contribution and research innovation, the suitability of the research environment, leadership, intellectual curiosity, engagement with society, and communication skills. A polished publication list matters, but it is only one part of the case. The application must also make the project understandable and show the candidate as a constructive member of a wider research community.

How to prepare a competitive application

Begin with the host conversation, not the essays. Confirm that the sponsor is eligible, available, and willing to support the proposed start date. Ask the department what facilities, data, equipment, collaborators, and funding will actually be available. Use the answers to make the research-environment section concrete.

Next, reduce the project to one clear research question and a small number of defensible objectives. The 1,500-word limit rewards selection. A proposal that tries to describe an entire career programme will be less persuasive than one with a feasible two-year plan, a clear method, credible milestones, and a meaningful reason for choosing the host group.

Write for the multidisciplinary committee. Explain specialist terms, define acronyms, and state why the result matters outside the applicant’s narrow subfield. The Foundation explicitly asks for a broad-audience summary and evaluates communication skills, so clarity is part of the assessment rather than an optional editing preference.

Build evidence around the published criteria. Identify the strongest examples of research independence, original contribution, leadership, collaboration, and engagement with society. Use specific outcomes where possible: a method adopted by another group, a dataset released, a policy or practice informed, a student or team developed, or a collaboration that produced a durable result. Do not imply impact that cannot be documented.

Finally, work backward from the earlier recommendation deadline. The sponsor and two referees must have time to read the materials and submit their letters. Send them a concise project summary, CV, draft proposal, and a short list of points their letters should address. Check the portal after they upload, because a complete personal application does not compensate for a missing recommendation.

Common mistakes to avoid

Applying without a qualifying sponsor. The host and sponsor requirements are central. Do not assume that a general invitation from a university or a conversation with a researcher satisfies the programme’s conditions.

Misreading the PhD date rule. The relevant date is the official award date on the diploma, not necessarily the date of the final examination, thesis submission, or first postdoctoral appointment.

Ignoring the Israeli-degree restriction. An applicant with a degree from an Israeli institution may not qualify even if they are otherwise an international candidate. Visiting and exchange study is treated differently, but it should still be disclosed accurately.

Writing a technically impressive but impractical proposal. Reviewers will consider feasibility and the suitability of the research environment. Match the plan to the time, facilities, data, and supervision actually available.

Treating the essays as repetitions of the CV. The personal and leadership essays give the panel evidence about initiative, reflection, communication, and contribution beyond publication counts. Use them to show how the applicant works with people and responds to challenges.

Leaving recommendations until the main deadline. The portal lists November 10 for sponsor and referee recommendations, one day before the main application deadline. Confirm submission status before that date.

Budgeting the research allowance as personal income. The ILS 20,000 annual research amount is for research expenses and research-related travel and is subject to host-institution rules. Keep it separate from the basic stipend when planning finances.

Frequently asked questions

Is this fellowship open to every academic discipline?

The Foundation says it supports research in any academic discipline and plans awards across STEM, humanities, and social sciences. The applicant still needs a suitable sponsor and research environment at one of the eight listed Israeli institutions.

Can someone still completing a PhD apply?

Yes, provided the applicant will complete the dissertation defence successfully by June 1, 2027 and supplies official university documentation showing the defence date.

How long is the award?

The fellowship is offered for two years. Renewal for a third year may be considered through a competitive evaluation and is not automatic.

When can the fellowship begin?

The guidelines list June 1, 2027 as the earliest start and February 1, 2028 as the latest. The actual date should be agreed with the sponsor and host institution.

Does the programme require applicants to have studied in Israel before?

No. Applicants must not have received an academic degree from an Israeli institution. Former visiting and exchange students may apply, subject to the other requirements.

What happens if a referee misses the deadline?

The application portal identifies November 10, 2026 as the deadline for recommendations from referees and the intended sponsor. Contact the programme team promptly through the official page if a recommender has a technical problem; do not assume a late letter will be accepted.

Official links and next steps

Read the official fellowship overview and eligibility page first. It contains the current dates, funding summary, host list, and links to the application portal. Then download the Foundation’s 2027–28 programme guidelines and application instructions. The online application portal is the place to submit the application and monitor recommendation status.

The most useful immediate actions are to verify the PhD or defence-date requirement, contact a potential sponsor at an eligible institution, and reserve time to write the research proposal and essays. Because sponsor and referee materials are due before the main deadline, a complete application should be assembled well ahead of November 11, 2026. For questions about admissions, the programme guidelines list [email protected].