Graduate Scholarships

Thank you for your interest in UJA-Federation’s graduate student scholarships. Our application process for the 2012–2013 academic year is closed. Please check back in the fall for our 2013-2014 application.

The Wiener Educational Center is committed to promoting excellence within UJA-Federation of New York's network of agencies, as well as synagogues and day schools in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, by offering a full range of educational, scholarship, and professional development opportunities for current and prospective Jewish communal professionals. Through our scholarship programs, we help prepare graduate students for careers in the Jewish communal sector by providing funding and educational opportunities that in turn enrich our entire community.

We will consider applicants who are pursuing graduate degrees in:

• Clinical psychology
• Jewish education
• Nonprofit business administration
• Nonprofit management
• Public administration
• Rabbinic ordination
• Social work 

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must:

• Have an interest in working in New York’s Jewish communal sector
• Study in the New York area
• Attend or plan to attend school full-time 
• Be United States citizens or permanent residents

Scholarships are awarded for a maximum of two years and must be used toward tuition or related educational expenses. We offer scholarships both for students committed to a career at UJA-Federation of New York and for students interested in a career in the broader Jewish communal sector.

By completing our application, you will be considered for all scholarships for which you are qualified, with the exception of the Ernest W. Michel fellowship.

Scholarships Leading to a Career at UJA-Federation of New York

We offer three scholarships for students interested in a career at UJA-Federation of New York:

• UJA-Federation Wiener Scholarship
• Ernest W. Michel FEREP Fellowship
• Employee Scholarship

Scholarships Leading to a Career in the Jewish Communal Sector

We offer three scholarships for students interested in careers within the broader Jewish communal sector:

• Professional Education Network Scholarship (PENS)
• The Dressler Scholarship
• Rabbi Seymour Siegel Scholarship

Scholarship requirements include:

• Interning at least 10 hours a week within UJA-Federation's network of agencies or within any synagogue or day school in the five boroughs of New York City, in Long Island, or in Westchester.
• Participating in a number of educational seminars throughout the year to grapple with some of the key challenges facing the organized Jewish community. 
• Committing to at least two years of employment within UJA-Federation’s network of agencies, or within area synagogues and day schools, after graduation. (This requirement is waived for rabbinical students.)
• For rabbinical students: A commitment to teaching a course of approximately eight sessions to donors, staff, or lay leaders at UJA-Federation or an affiliated agency during the second year of receiving scholarship funds.

Internships are also available for undergraduate and graduate students.