About the Scholarships
The Dressler Scholarship
The Dressler Scholarship provides financial assistance for M.S.W. and clinical psychology students interested in clinical work within a Jewish nonprofit organization. This is a partial scholarship ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 per year for a maximum of two years.
Ernest W. Michel FEREP Fellowship
This fellowship was established in honor of Ernest W. Michel, UJA-Federation of New York executive vice president emeritus, to fund professional training for exceptionally promising graduate students preparing for a career in Jewish federation work. The Michel Fellowship is a designated Federation Executive Recruitment and Education Program (FEREP) scholarship granted in conjunction with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) FEREP Scholarship Program, and provides tuition for study at participating nonprofit management and social work schools that offer degrees leading to work in Jewish communal service. Applicants must be referred by the JFNA FEREP committee and must make a commitment to be employed for two years at UJA-Federation following graduation. Learn more or apply.
Employee Scholarship
UJA-Federation employees who are college graduates and have been employed in a professional position for more than a year at UJA-Federation may qualify for partial scholarships to attend either the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, the master's program in nonprofit management at the New School's Nonprofit Management Program, New York University's Wagner School of Public Service, or Baruch College's Master of Public Administration program. Other degrees may be considered, depending on the relevance to the employee’s work.
Professional Education Network Scholarship (PENS)
The Professional Education Network Scholarship (PENS) provides needs-based financial assistance for Jewish graduate students interested in Jewish communal service, nonprofit management, social work, Jewish education, public administration, or rabbinic ordination. This is a partial scholarship of approximately $4,000 per year for a maximum of two years. Students must demonstrate financial need to be eligible for PENS. Applicants are required to submit copies of their most recent tax returns or a FAFSA application.
Rabbi Seymour Siegel Scholarship
The Rabbi Seymour Siegel Scholarship is awarded to select graduate students interested specifically in the field of Jewish education or synagogue life within UJA-Federation’s network of agencies, area synagogues, or day schools. This is a partial scholarship of approximately $4,000 per year for a maximum of two years. Additional scholarships are also available for students who meet these qualifications.
UJA-Federation Wiener Scholarship
The Wiener Scholarship is available to graduate students preparing for a career at UJA-Federation of New York. This is a partial scholarship of up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of two years. It is open to students at Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work and Columbia University-Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) social work students majoring in community organization, social administration, and advanced generalist practice, as well as students studying toward an M.P.A. in the dual-degree program between Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies. If you are studying toward an M.P.A. or M.S.W. at another program, please contact us to determine whether your program is eligible for consideration.
Wurzweiler and Wagner-Skirball students must complete two years of field placement at UJA-Federation of New York — one year in a fundraising department, and one year in a planning and program development department. Columbia-JTS students must complete one year of field placement in a network agency and the second year of field placement at UJA-Federation, divided between fundraising and program planning. The scholarship requires a two-year work commitment at UJA-Federation following graduation. Applicants must be committed to macro-level practice.