Fulbright-ISEF Post-Doctoral Fellowship

Program overview

The United States - Israel Educational Foundation (USIEF) and ISEF - the International Educational Foundation offer a joint grant to a post-doctoral scholar who is about to begin a program of research in 2011/2012 at an accredited university, or a public or private, non-profit research institute in the United States, which is authorized to issue SEVIS DS2019 forms to enable candidates to obtain J-1 exchange visitor visas.

The three main criteria for evaluation of candidates for the Fulbright-ISEF grant are: 

• academic excellence; 
• involvement in community service activities and proven leadership capabilities in such activities;
• underprivileged economic background.

The program grant provides $20,000 in partial support of the recipient's first year of activity in the US.

This program is open to researchers in all fields of study, except those in which hands-on contact with patients is required.  Researchers in medicine, dental medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing and other fields whose research proposals include clinical contact with patients are not eligible for Fulbright grants.

Candidates with medical degrees are not allowed to pursue medical residencies or internships in the United States with the support of Fulbright Fellowships.  Medical doctors wishing to combine clinical and research activities must seek the sponsorship of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), which has been designated by the US Department of State as the sole agency authorized to sponsor alien physicians for internship, residency and specialized clinical training in the United States. 

The grants are for scholars who will begin their work in the U.S. during the academic year 2011/2012. Grant recipients must depart for the United States no later than June 1, 2012.

Applicants must arrange their own institutional affiliation. An application may be submitted even if the candidate has not completed arrangements with the proposed host institution by the deadline date for submission of applications. The applicant selected as the program fellow will be required to provide proof of acceptance as a post-doctoral research fellow at a recognized institution in the United States before payment of the grant.

Holders of a doctoral degree or its equivalent and doctoral candidates may apply for the Fulbright-ISEF post-doctoral fellowship. A doctoral candidate selected as program fellow will be required to provide proof that he/she has completed all requirements for the doctoral degree prior to payment of the grant.

The most highly-ranked candidates will be invited for an interview in March in Israel. All interviews are held on the same day. In order to be considered for an award, applicants must be available for interview in person on the date fixed by USIEF.

The Foundation reserves the exclusive right to determine, within the framework of applicable law and regulations, the qualitative standards for the evaluation of applications.  The Foundation is not under any obligation to provide the reasons for its decisions regarding the allocation of Fellowships.

Grant benefits

• $20,000 award
• limited health insurance for grantee only
• pre-departure orientation meeting 

Eligibility criteria

• Candidates must be Israeli citizens. Dual American-Israeli citizens or permanent residents of the United States are not eligible to apply.
• Candidates must be resident in Israel at the time of application and must continue to be resident in Israel until the beginning of their post-doctoral research in the United States as Fulbright Fellows.  Researchers who have already begun their projects in the United States or who are planning to depart Israel for the United States before July 2011 are not eligible to apply.
• Candidates who have received a USIEF Fulbright Student Fellowship are not eligible to begin a visit to the United States as Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellows until five years have passed from the conclusion of their stay in the United States as Student Fellows.  See the regulations regarding repeat fellowships in the Fellowships section above.
• Holders of tenured or tenure-track positions are not eligible to apply.
• Researchers in medicine, dental medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing and other fields whose research proposals include clinical contact with patients are not eligible for Fulbright grants.  Candidates with medical degrees are not allowed to pursue medical residencies or internships in the United States as Fulbright Fellows. 
• Prior to activation of the grant, the candidate selected must give proof of completion of all requirements for receipt of the doctoral degree. 
• Prior to activation of the grant, the candidate selected must give proof of acceptance as a post-doctoral research fellow at a recognized institution in the United States.
• Candidates must be in good health. The applicant selected to receive the grant will be required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report before the grant can be activated. 
• Prior to activation of the grant, the candidate selected must give proof of having obtained adequate financial support for his/her stay in the United States.
• Prior conviction or current indictment for a felony may result in disqualification.

Evaluation criteria

• Academic excellence is the primary criterion for the evaluation of candidates.
• Involvement in community service activities and proven leadership capabilities in such activities are an important evaluation criterion. 
• Underprivileged economic background is an important evaluation criterion.
• English language proficiency is an important evaluation criterion.
• Preference will be given to applicants who have not had a substantial, recent, academic experience in the United States, or other English speaking country.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have received their doctorates within two years prior to the presentation of their applications.
• Preference will be given to candidates under 35 years of age.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have not had previous Fulbright grants.
• Possession of skills required to promote mutual understanding between the United States and Israel is an important evaluation criterion.

Conditions of award

• Funding is for one year only. The grantee must arrange funding for the remainder of his/her stay in the United States.
• The grantee is responsible for making his/her own travel arrangements.
• The grantee must travel on a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa sponsored by the Fulbright program.
• Upon the conclusion of the one-year Fulbright funding period, the grantee must arrange transfer of visa sponsorship from the Fulbright program to his/her American host institution. 
• Current visa regulations limit the stay of J-1 scholars to 5 years. Limited extensions of the visa may be granted by the visa sponsor or by the State Department. 
• It is a condition of the visa that after completion of their Fulbright program, including any transfer of visa sponsorship, grantees must return to Israel and reside in the country for two years before being eligible to immigrate to the US, to take up permanent residence there, or to enter the US with a work permit. The purpose of the two-year home residency requirement is to ensure that exchange visitors return home and fulfill the exchange objectives of the Fulbright program. 
• Two years must pass from the completion of the grantee’s Fulbright program before it will be permitted to return to the US as the holder of a J1 professor/research scholar visa.
• The above restrictions do not apply to re-entry to the United States as the holder of a J visa in another category (short-term scholar, specialist, international visitor), or as the holder of a student or tourist visa.
• Dependents of grantees will enter the US as holders of J-2 visas. Many conditions applying to the grantees as holders of J-1 visas, such as the two-year home residency requirement and other restrictions, also apply to the holders of J-2 visas.
• Unless they have received a waiver of the two-year home residence requirement, Fulbright Scholars, holding J-1 visas, are ineligible to change their status from J-1 to J-2 while in the US. Similarly, accompanying dependents, who possess J-2 visas, are ineligible to change their status from J-2 to J-1 while in the US, unless they have received a waiver of the home residence requirement.
• The grantee must begin his/her research program in the United States no later than June 1, 2012.  The award cannot be deferred to the following academic year.

Instructions on the preparation and submission of applications

• All required documents must be submitted in English.
• Each application must include the following material: typed visiting scholar application form; passport picture; project statement; and curriculum vitae. 
• Candidates must mail three complete hard copies of their application to the Foundation's office.  The applications should be stapled on the left side.  Please do not bind applications in a folders.
• The earliest date for submission of applications is December 1, 2010. The final date for submission of applications is January 14, 2011.  The address for submission of applications is: United States-Israel Educational Foundation, POB 26160, Tel Aviv, 61261 or 10th Floor, Migdalor Building, One Ben Yehuda Street, Tel Aviv.  Faxed or e-mail copies of applications are not acceptable.
• Three letters of reference written in English on institutional letterhead paper, together with reference forms, should be sent directly to USIEF by those providing references before the final date for submission of the application. Do not submit more than three references. All of these references should be from persons qualified to evaluate the applicant's work and with whom s/he has studied in her/his academic field.
  • One reference should be submitted by the applicant's doctoral degree advisor and one of the references from a colleague in the applicant's field outside his/her institution.
  • Faxed or email references will be accepted. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all references are submitted by the deadline so that his/her application may be properly processed.
• In the application form, applicants are asked to provide information on their involvement in community service organizations/programs. A responsible official of each organization/program reported should be requested to send to USIEF a note, on official letterhead paper, describing and evaluating the applicant's contribution to the organization/program. If possible, the letters should be prepared in English. Where letters are submitted in another language, they must be accompanied by a translation to English.  Faxed notes will be accepted. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all letters from community service organizations/programs are submitted by the deadline so that his/her application may be properly processed. 
• Applicants should submit, if available, documentary evidence of affiliation to an accredited university or affiliation to a public or private, non-profit research institute in the United States. It is not necessary to have a firm affiliation arranged and evidence of financial support at the time of submitting the application.
• The applicant's name should be given exactly as it appears on the applicant's passport with family (last) name underlined.
• Where dates are requested, the name of the month should be given, rather than the numerical figure.
• Those separated, divorced, or widowed should indicate their family status as "single". 
• In references to publications, a distinction should be made between books and articles. For books, the title should be underscored and the publisher and date should be noted. For articles, the title should be given in quotation marks, followed by the name of the journal or collection (underscored) and the publication date. English translations of titles should be provided for material published in Hebrew.
• A detailed curriculum vitae should be submitted. The c.v., describing academic and other achievements, should include details regarding:
  • education (universities attended and degrees held)
  • positions held
  • courses taught
  • publications
  • other professional activities, such as workshops, seminars, consultations
  • membership, leadership and other activities in professional associations
  • professional honors, awards and fellowships
  • community service and leadership

Advice on the preparation of a successful application

• The project statement is the most important component of the Fulbright application.  Scholars with the most compelling, theoretically sound, well-written feasible proposals are generally recommended for awards. To ensure a competitive application, your proposed project as well as the strategy for completing it, should be thoroughly explained in three to five single-sided pages.
• Submit a typed, detailed project statement of no more that five single-spaced pages  (3,500 words) and attach a bibliography of no more than three pages (2,500 words).  Do not exceed the page limit of the proposal.
• Organize your proposal in order of the following points and use them as headings for sections of text in your statement:
• Background: Introduce the research topic.  Place the project in academic or professional context by referring to major works by others on the subject.
• Objectives: Clearly define the aims of the project.
• Methodology: Describe the project.  Explain the approach, methods and plan you will use (for example, interviews, library or archival research, or laboratory experiments). Indicate whether the proposed research is quantitative or qualitative.
• Significance: Explain the importance of the project for the field, Israel, and your own professional development.  Indicate what effect you expect the opportunity to have on your professional work in Israel.  (For example: new approaches to curriculum planning, student advising or pedagogy; expanding knowledge in the field through collaboration with US colleagues).  Describe briefly the expected impact of your participation on your home institution, community or professional field.
• Evaluation and dissemination: Describe plans for assessment and distribution of research results in Israel and elsewhere.
• Justification for residence in the United States for the proposed project:  Indicate why it is necessary for the accomplishment of the project to conduct research in the United States.
• Duration: Explain how the project can be completed within the time period proposed.
• Other: If applicable, indicate the quantity, format and transportation requirement for any botanical, zoological or mineral samples that you will need to bring to the United States for analysis.
• Additional points to assist you when preparing your project statement:
• Type a clear and complete project statement that introduces you professionally to your colleagues in the United States.  The best applications are those that reflect the applicant’s purpose and intent.
• Make sure your qualifications and expertise match the objectives in your project statement.  You should be able to show that you are qualified to accomplish what you are proposing to do.
• Emphasize how your project will benefit the host institution or other scholars in your field both in Israel and in the United States.  Address in your project statement the ways in which you will use the experience upon your return.  What is the likely impact of your experience abroad? How will you use what you learned upon your return, professionally and personally?
• Connect your past experience to what you are preparing to do if you should receive an award.  Explain the project’s significance and its importance to the field.  Focus on what can be reasonably accomplished during the period of the grant.
• Do not assume that your suitability for the endeavor is self-evident.  Your standing in your field may not be well known to reviewers.  You need to make a case for yourself based on your past experience and current scholarly endeavors.  Explain the significance of your project in language that will be understood by reviewers from outside your field.
• Do not stress how a Fulbright grant will benefit only you or your career.  Remember that the program is intended to foster mutual understanding between cultures and nations.
• Be specific in describing your previous work and in laying out the nature of your proposed Fulbright activity.  A frequent failing is that the proposal is underdeveloped or too imprecise to give reviewers a clear sense of the endeavor.

Fulbright-ISEF Post-Doctoral Fellowship
 Timetable for 2011/2012

Application form

To download the application form, click here.

If you experience difficulties downloading the document, please write to USIEF, specify which document you need, and we will email it to you.

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