Jewish Studies Administered Research Awards

Open to US citizens and non US citizens
Deadline: 03/25/2025 (Tentative)

General Information

Each fall and spring the Jewish Studies Program offers Goldfein Research Awards, Brenner Special Opportunity Awards, and Schwartz Awards to both undergraduate and graduate Penn students to cover research projects and study programs in or related to Jewish studies. Students can apply for funding to support travel, research material and other assistance related to the research. 

These research grants have been made possible by the generosity of the Philip E. Goldfein Scholarship Awards in Jewish Studies, the Raymond and Ruth Brenner Grants in Jewish Studies, and the Louis Schwarz and Elaine Friedman Schwartz Memorial Fund. The Louis Schwartz and Elaine Friedman Schwartz Memorial Fund was established in December 2015 by James E. Schwartz in honor of his parents.

Eligibility Guidelines

  1. The project must represent original research or scholarship. 
  2. Grants will be made only for research that is conducted after the proposal has been approved. 
  3. Students awarded these grants are expected to document their research in the form of a progress report of not more than 500 words, which must be approved and signed by the project recommender.
  4. Types of expenses to which the funds may be applied include travel to libraries, museums, archives, and research sites; research equipment and supplies, including books, films, and photocopying. All original receipts must be submitted within thirty days of return from travel. 
  5. All independent research projects must have a faculty advisor, and should be part of an academic course of study at Penn.

Application Details

  1. Prepare your proposal in consultation with a prospective faculty advisor. Your proposal should take the following form:
    1. Completed Research Award Application Form
    2. Short Abstract (Detail the nature and aims of the project, and its significance for the applicant's program of study; no more than two pages) 
    3. Academic Transcript (unofficial transcript is suitable) 
    4. CV (no more than two pages) 
    5. Itemized budget for all costs and expenses, indicating any other sources of support
  2. Request a letter of recommendation from your faculty advisor. These letters should be sent directly to the Jewish Studies Program: jsp-info@sas.upenn.edu UPDATE: At this time only contact information for reference is needed.
  3. Proposals, letters of recommendation, and applications must be submitted electronically to: 
jsp-info@sas.upenn.edu. The deadline is firm; no applications will be received after this date. 

Proposals will be reviewed by a faculty committee designated by the Director of the Jewish Studies Program. Students whose projects are approved may want to register for the Senior Research Seminar (JWST 390) in the following semester.

Funding Type
Grants

Details:

Research Offering Type

Grant, Independent Research

Location

USA, United Kingdom, International (Not UK), Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East

Undergraduate School

College, Engineering, LPS, Nursing, Wharton

Source

Penn

Contact Information

Jewish Studies Program: jsp-info@sas.upenn.edu