Top 34 Jewish Scholarships in December 2023

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year. Niche is giving one student $50,000 to help pay for tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required!

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

Are you a 13 - 19-year-old Jewish student who has held a leadership role on a project demonstrating the values of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)? If so, consider applying for the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards! Each year, the awards grant up to $36,000 to 15 lucky applicants who have served an important role on or begun their own meaningful service initiative. The awards are funded by the Diller Family Foundation, an organization dedicated to creating and inspiring future generations of strong Jewish leaders in the global community. Just bear in mind that the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards have a slightly unique application process. Before you can apply, you must be nominated by a teacher, rabbi, community leader, or another individual knowledgable about your leadership role within your initiative.  The awards are open from August to January of every year. If you fit the criteria, we hope you get nominated and encourage you to apply! 

Are you a Jewish high school student in San Diego, California? Consider applying for the prestigious Peter Chortek Leadership Award! This esteemed scholarship is open to Jewish high schoolers who are making a difference in our community by taking tikkun olam to the next level through their innovative leadership and passion. Competitive applicants should have experience creating or enhancing a project or program to improve their community. They should also have experience in community building and inspiring large numbers of their peers to get involved in service projects or social justice programs. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a Jewish student at Portland State University hoping to study abroad in Israel? The Lorry I. Lokey Endowed Fund for Israel may be a good scholarship opportunity for you. The scholarship is funded by a generous endowment made by Lorry I. Lokey, a Portland native and founder of Business Wire. Every year, the scholarship provides between $1,000 and $5,000 for one Judaic Studies major to travel and study abroad in Israel. Interested students should explore this opportunity and the application process by visiting the Internal Affairs: Education Abroad website. The program accepts applications until February 1st annually. If you are a Portland State University Judaic Studies student who plans to study abroad in Israel, then we encourage you to apply to the Lorry I. Lokey Endowed Fund for Israel. 

The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Academic Scholarship Program offers scholarship funds to help Jewish college and graduate students offset some of their financial burden. To be eligible, applicants must be Jewish, been born and raised in the Chicago metropolitan area*, including Lake County, Indiana or had one continuous year of full-time employment in the Chicago metro area prior to enrollment, intend to return to the Chicago metropolitan area after completing school, and are entering their last two years of an undergraduate program or entering an accredited graduate program in the upcoming academic year. Eligible fields are listed below under "Eligibility Overview." Selected recipients will earn awards worth up to $4,000 each, which are potentially renewable. If you're an incoming Jewish college upperclassmen or graduate student from the Chicago Metropolitan Area or Lake County, Indiana, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

Are you a Jewish high school senior residing in Greater Collier County, Florida? If so, you should consider applying for the Patricia J. Adkins Youth Leadership Award! Offered by the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, this esteemed scholarship celebrates the accomplishments of Jewish high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills within their congregation and/or BBYO youth group. Winners for this scholarship will be selected based on their ability to excel in Jewish leadership, academics, athletics, clubs, and community service. Learn more below!

If you’re a Jewish woman planning to study in Israel during your undergraduate education, then the Hilda Specter Morgenstern Merit Scholarship may be the perfect opportunity for you! Dedicated to helping Jewish women learn more about government and public policy, the scholarship aims to help one lucky student pay for college expenses each year. The winning student must demonstrate interest in public advocacy, public policy, and/or government affairs. If you’re a Jewish female university student interested in public and/or government service, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a student at Ohio State University who has written a paper on a topic related to Jewish studies? If so, consider applying to the Charlotte Susan Roth Memorial Fund Essay Contest! All that’s needed to apply for the contest is a minimum 1,500-word essay on Jewish studies that has been written in one’s fall or spring semester at OSU. The top applicant will receive a $500 award and the second place applicant will receive $250.

Are you an Ohio State University student who studies Hebrew, Yiddish and Ashkenazi studies, or Jewish studies? If so, consider applying to the Morris and Fannie Skilken Family Foundation Endowment Fund Scholarship! Open to any student who has completed at least one (1) course in Jewish studies at OSU, the $2,000 scholarship is awarded to three (3) students per year. If you’re an OSU student who’s previously taken a class in Jewish studies, we encourage you to apply!

Are you an Ohio State University student planning on studying Yiddish and/or Jewish studies abroad? Then consider applying for the Emily and George Severinghaus Beck Education Abroad Scholarship! Giving priority to students demonstrating financial need, the scholarship awards $2,000 to two students each year who are accepted to relevant study abroad programs. Just bear in mind that if your desired study abroad program is located in Israel, your acceptance of the award is contingent upon Ohio State’s approval of your travel there. Nonetheless, if you’re an Ohio State University student eager to study Yiddish or Jewish studies abroad, we encourage you to apply!

Are you an Ohio State University student who will be temporarily studying at Israel’s Hebrew University? Then you might want to consider applying to the Ellen E. and Victor J. Cohn Education Abroad Scholarship Fund! Each year, the scholarship awards up to $5,000 to two OSU students studying at Hebrew University. Just bear in mind that receiving the award is contingent upon your acceptance to Hebrew University as well as OSU’s approval of your travel to Israel. Nonetheless, if you’re an OSU student who will be studying at Hebrew University soon, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a Jewish student attending Augustana College? If so, consider applying for the Gerry and Morris M. Geifman Scholarship! This scholarship awards $1,000 to a lucky student each year who demonstrates academic achievement, is actively involved in college life, and participates in Augustana's Hillel (Jewish student organization). Better yet, no essay is required! Just bear in mind that the scholarship is awarded to students starting (i.e. in their freshman year) at Augustana College in even-numbered years (e.g. 2024, 2026, 2028, etc.). Keep on reading to learn more.

Are you a Jewish high school senior residing in New Haven County, Connecticut? The Mary Taylor Friedler Memorial Scholarship may then be a great scholarship opportunity for you! The Mary Taylor Friedler Memorial Scholarship is offered by the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven, a trusted and expert resource for charitable gift planning and endowments. The organization also serves as a partner and resource for synagogues, local Jewish agencies, professional advisors, and donors. The scholarship is open to any and all Jewish high school seniors in New Haven County with a “B” average or higher. The annual $1,000 scholarship is awarded to multiple students, so long as funds allow for it. If you fit the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to apply! 

The Clifford Lee Kristal Education Grant is awarded to the direct descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren) of a member in good standing of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America. If an applicant's relative is deceased, the member must have been in good standing at the time of his/her death. All members (including Posthumous) must have joined at least three (3) years ago. The application should be mailed to the appropriate Department Commander. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to receive funding for your post-secondary education. Keep on reading to learn more!

Are you a current student at Ohio State University (OSU) pursuing Jewish Studies? You might want to consider applying for the Norbert and Gretel B. Bloch Endowed Scholarship Fund in Jewish Studies! This scholarship is awarded annually to students who are interested in creating and facilitating a program that will enhance awareness of topics relevant to Jewish life, culture, or history. In addition to the program budget, winners also receive a $1,000 scholarship. Applying for this scholarship isn’t too involved - you’ll just need to complete the online application form including your proposal and some additional academic documents. This scholarship is funded directly through a generous endowment made by Norbert and Gretel B. Bloch. Only one student is awarded each year, so make sure you put your best foot forward in your application materials! If you’re a current student at OSU pursuing Jewish Studies and this sounds like an interesting opportunity for you, then we encourage you to apply!

Are you a Jewish high school student from the Chicago metropolitan area wanting to participate in a study abroad program in Israel? If so, consider applying for the Israel Experience High School Scholarship Program! The Israel Experience High School Scholarship Program is open to Jewish high school students living in the Chicago metropolitan area who have applied for a study abroad program in Israel that does not begin until after the scholarship application deadline. The scholarship is offered by the Jewish United Fund, the central philanthropic center of Chicago's Jewish community and one of the largest not-for-profit social welfare institutions in Illinois. The goals of the Jewish United Fund Israel Experience Scholarship Program are to strengthen students' Jewish identities, develop a greater commitment to the Chicago Jewish community, and promote leadership in the Jewish community. The scholarship is offered triannually, with deadlines on March 15th, June 1st, and November 1st of each year. If this sounds like a good opportunity for you, we encourage you to apply!

Are you an American college student or graduate who has been accepted to an Israel study abroad or MASA Israel Journey program? Further, are you actively involved in pro-Israel activities on your college campus or local community? If so, consider applying for the Helyn B. Reich Memorial Scholarship! Twice a year, the scholarship awards multiple scholarships worth up to $1,500 to fund applicants’ study abroad/post-grad programs in Israel. While applications for the spring semester are due January 15th, fall semester and year-round program applications are due July 15th. The scholarships are funded by the American Zionist Movement, an organization that works to “promote and defend Zionism in the United States.” If you fit the criteria and will soon be enrolled in a study abroad or post-grad program in Israel, we encourage you to apply!