The Israeli Policy Fellowship
The purpose of the Israeli Policy Fellowship is to strengthen Israeli student leadership on campus at top American public policy schools. The Fellowship offers a tuition subsidy of $40,000 a year for two years as well as training and mentorship from Israeli public policy alumni.
During their time on campus, Fellows are responsible for leading Israel-related activities with the
goal of sharing with their classmates an authentic, balanced, nuanced, and informed view of Israel. Fellows are expected to demonstrate leadership in existing Israel-related activities on campus
and to generate new opportunities for Israel engagement. Every Fellow is paired with an alumni mentor to provide support and serve as a resource.
The Fellowship is funded through a funding partnership consisting of individual donors and
foundations, and administered by BrainGain Israel, a Boston-based nonprofit led by Shahar Brukner, HKS ’20.
Eligibility
After a successful pilot year, the fellowship has expanded and is currently open for Israeli students pursuing a 2-year Masters in Public Policy degrees at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. The Fellowship will be given to 2 students in each school every year. We anticipate expanding the program to other top public policy schools in the future.
The Fellowship is open to individuals who meet the following criteria:
- Hold a bachelor's degree
- Hold Israeli citizenship
- Are between 22-35 years of age at the time of application
- Have submitted a successful application to one of the above mentioned schools (only candidates who are admitted to the respective schools' programs be considered for the Fellowship)
- Demonstrate a proven record of public service commitment, leadership skills and strong prospects of career advancement in the public sphere
Application Process and Timeline
As part of the online application process, applicants will need to submit their:
- Full and updated CV
- Proof of acceptance to the HKS MPP program
- Two-three letters of recommendation
- Three essay responses
The 2023 application will open on March 2023. Candidates who proceed to the next round will have interviews, and the selection of Fellows will be finalized and announced by April 2023.
In order to access the application, please contact us at shahar@bgisrael.com.