Presidential Doctoral Fellowships of Excellence

Bar-Ilan University cultivates talented researchers and invites them to apply for the prestigious Presidential Fellowship, which enables doctoral students to devote all their time and energy to research.

The fellowship, in the amount of up to NIS 72,000 per annum, is given for a period of four years and is paid as a monthly salary. It is given along with a full exemption from tuition. Fellows also receive assistance in underwriting an annual trip abroad to present research work at international conferences. During this period, the fellows need to show progress in their research and to complete writing their dissertations.

Doctoral student Odelia Orbaum and PhD graduate, Dr. Hannah-Noa Barad, talk about the significance of the fellowship and their Bar-Ilan studies.

Odelia is a researcher in the field of virology, under the supervision of Prof. Ronit Sarid. Her research deals with the characterization of the ORF20 protein encoded by the Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus genome. Odelia's doctorate is a continuation of the research she started while pursuing her master’s degree. The promising project led her to the direct track for outstanding doctoral students and she was awarded a Presidential Fellowship. "Receiving the scholarship was significant and allowed me to focus on research and engage exclusively in experiments and reach set goals," she says. “Thanks to the fellowship, I am able to meet the faculty requirements and develop and expand my project. I feel that the faculty provided me with the supportive environment that I sought for my research studies, and the laboratory where I work has challenged me both professionally and personally.  Bar-Ilan has a wide range of students who come from different backgrounds. There is something special about the university atmosphere that creates a sense of cooperation and comradery among all, a kind of harmony that contributes greatly to motivation and research.”

Dr. Barad is currently pursuing post-doctoral research at the Max Plank Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany.  She received all her degrees from Bar-Ilan University and her doctoral supervisor was Prof. Arie Zaban, the BIU President. Her doctoral research explored a wide range of metal oxides in solar cells, which convert solar energy into electrical energy, in order to make it more efficient and reduce costs. “The Presidential Fellowship was a lifeline for me,” she says.  “The fellowship allows for progress in research without having to worry about a livelihood and daily living expenses. This really enabled me to focus 100% on research without interruption and concerns and, in fact, to achieve maximum success in research.  I had an excellent academic experience at Bar-Ilan, from the high level of studies to the personal and caring attitude of the staff and fellow students. To this day, I feel that Bar-Ilan is really a home and a family for me.”

For further details and to apply for a fellowship.