Healthcare Scholarship: UJA Federation – The Weiner Educational Center
Overview of the UJA-Federation of New York Graduate Fellowship
Every year, The Weiner Educational Center awards the UJA-Federation of New York Graduate Fellowship to a deserving student pursuing graduate-level study. Applicants must be current full-time students of cantorial studies, clinical psychology, Jewish education, non-profit business administration, non-profit management, public administration, rabbinic ordination, social work or special education.
In addition, applicants must demonstrate their interest in working in New York’s Jewish communities. They must be either currently studying full-time at a New York-area institution, or planning to attend full-time. In addition, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Fellowships cover tuition costs for two years and full scholarship value may vary, typically ranging between $8,000 and $10,000 over two years. Fellows may receive financial aid from multiple sources, depending on their area of study or financial need situation.
In addition to the UJA-Federation of New York Graduate Fellowship, applicants may qualify for several other related scholarships. Three scholarships are intended for students specifically interested in a future career with the UJA: the UJA-Federation Wiener Scholarship, the Ernest W. Michel FEREP Fellowship and the Employee Scholarship. Three other scholarships are aimed at students more generally interested in working with the Jewish communal sector: the Professional Education Network Scholarship (PENS), the Dressler Scholarship and the Rabbi Seymour Siegel Scholarship.
All of the fellowships require winning applicants to work for 10 hours per week, either within the UJA-Federation’s network of agencies or at a synagogue or Jewish day school in New York City, Long Island or Westchester. Recipients must also participate in a series of educational seminars and, in the case of cantorial or rabbinical students, they must commit to teaching a six-session course to donors, staff or lay leaders of the UJA-Federation. These duties must be undertaken during the second year of receiving scholarship funds. All recipients must commit to two years of employment within the UJA-Federation’s network, or within local synagogues or Jewish day schools, upon completing the degree program. Rabbinical students are, however, excused from meeting this requirement.
The application process for the fellowship usually opens in early January, and all applications should be submitted by mid-February. As the timetable can vary slightly from year to year, it is highly advisable to consult with the UJA-Federation website for full, up-to-date information. Finalists are typically announced within a few weeks of the application deadline and, following a round of interviews, recipients are announced in late spring.
