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Visiting Faculty

The Visiting Faculty Program enables faculty with full-time positions at Israeli colleges and universities to participate in one-year teaching exchanges at top universities in the United States.
Period of Placement

Academic Year 2025-2026

Deadline

September 18, 2024

Apply Now

The Visiting Faculty Program provides financial support to Israeli academics who want to teach about modern Israel at top universities in the United States. This program is open to tenured, tenure-track, professors emeriti, and full-time contract Israeli scholars. Grant awards for people without other funding range from $70,000 to $80,000 per year, depending on the arrangement with the host university.

This program is designed to enable people without funding to come to the US. If you are receiving payment from your host university or other organization and the funding is insufficient to support your stay, supplemental funding from the Institute may be available.

Please click on all four tabs below for full information about this program.

  • Eligibility
  • Program Requirements
  • How to Apply
  • Invitations

Applicants must have a fully completed doctoral degree and a full-time position (or be emeritus) at an Israeli college or university.

All applicants must possess a strong command of English and be able to teach undergraduate courses about modern Israel to students in the United States.

We give preference to applicants who apply to stay for a full year.

This is a selective program; the Israel Institute does not guarantee placement to those who apply.

Faculty members must teach at least one undergraduate, Israel-focused course in each semester/quarter of their placement.  Courses may be in any discipline but, to be considered Israel-focused, at least sixty percent of the topics and readings must be about modern Israel. Courses must be listed at the undergraduate level, taught in person, and last an entire semester or quarter (10-week minimum). Visiting Faculty grants do not support graduate, online, summer, or intensive courses.

Each semester the Visiting Faculty member must also arrange to speak about Israel at two public or academic events (outside the classroom), and must have an on-campus office.

Grant recipients are not employees of the Israel Institute and must coordinate hiring with a university. Faculty should plan to cover their own expenses including, but not limited to, living expenses, taxes, health insurance, travel expenses, bench fees, etc.

Israel Institute grants do not pay for college/university administrative costs, fees, overhead, or indirect costs.

Finding a School
The first step in seeking a Visiting Faculty Grant is to find a school (or schools) interested in hosting you, sponsoring your visa, providing you with an office, and offering undergraduate courses about modern Israel that you will teach.

We prioritize applicants who obtain invitations from the top 100 public universities as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. However, we invite applicants to contact Dr. Erika Falk (efalk@israelinstitute.org) to discuss potential university hosts before contacting any universities.

Here is a sample letter that faculty can use for reaching out to potential host schools.

You do not need to have a formal invitation from the school when you apply, but you should know that the school is interested in hosting you and offering your courses. You will need a formal invitation before the grant is awarded.

Online Application
Once you have a school or schools interested in hosting you and offering your courses, fill out the online application, which asks questions about you, the host university, and your proposed courses.

The application also requires:

  • A high-resolution headshot (300 ppi);
  • A short bio;
  • An academic curriculum vitae (CV);
  • Course descriptions for two full-term, three-credit, undergraduate-level courses focused on modern Israel that you propose to teach; and
  • Identification of a host university that has expressed interest in your courses.

Invitation requirements
When requesting an invitation from a school, the university must commit in writing to the Institute’s placement requirements:

  • Offer at least one full-term, three-credit, in-person undergraduate course that the Israel Institute Visiting Faculty member will teach about modern Israel in each semester/quarter during the academic year;
  • Provide the Israel Institute Visiting Faculty member with an on-campus office (shared is acceptable);
  • Sponsor the visa for the Israel Institute Visiting Faculty member; and
  • Make an effort to ensure robust enrollment, including ensuring that courses are cross-listed and/or meet major/minor/general education requirements.
    All scholars need a formal invitation before the grant is awarded.

Download a customizable template for a university invitation.

Meet Visiting Faculty

Find out who has participated in our Visiting Faculty exchange program and where they have taught.
Meet the Scholars

The program allows you to get to know other influential scholars that you won't necessarily have a chance to meet in Israel or at international conferences. ”

Meital Pinto
Visiting Faculty, University of Chicago
Senior Lecturer
Zefat Academic College and Ono Academic College

Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship

Not full-time faculty? Consider a multi-year placement.
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