Azrieli Research Fellowship in Holocaust Survivor Testimony, 2026-2027
The Programs Division at the USC Shoah Foundation invites applications for its Azrieli Research Fellowships during the 2026-2027 academic year. The call is open to students enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs at accredited institutions or who have finished a master’s or doctoral degree within the last 5 years and continue to pursue academic research related to the relevant topic with or without an official academic post. Those with academic positions must be untenured.
Up to four applicants will be chosen to pursue original research in any scholarly discipline that uses the USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive (VHA), which currently holds over 59,000 video testimonies of survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides and survivors of antisemitism since 1945. These are full-life oral histories which cover the period before, during, and after the experience during the Holocaust or other violent event. Applicants who are pursuing research that relates the Holocaust to historical and contemporary antisemitism or other genocides or that incorporate Holocaust testimony and history into other fields of inquiry (the history of immigration or human rights or the literary questions of memoir and narration to just name a few possibilities) are eligible to apply.
Each fellowship will provide a $12,500 USD stipend that fellows may use towards travel, equipment purchases, or any other need that supports their research. The fellowship will also grant the incumbent one year of access to the VHA. Fellows may work from anywhere in the world but are expected to complete at least one research trip (1 week minimum) at the USC Shoah Foundation’s headquarters in Los Angeles to connect with USCSF staff and publicly present their work. Fellows are responsible for paying their own travel costs and securing their own housing and health insurance.
Eligibility requirements: Candidates must be enrolled in an accredited master’s or doctoral program or be in the first five years of their career after degree conferral. They must be untenured. Although any person may apply, preference will be given to Canadian scholars, those at institutions located in Canada, or research projects related to Canada.
This fellowship is awarded on a competitive basis. Applications must be submitted no later than midnight PT on May 15, 2026 via the online portal.
- Curriculum vitae
- Research proposal that specifically addresses how the Shoah Foundation testimonies will be used (1000 words)
- Academic reference letter (due May 22, 2026)
Please note: Only complete applications will be considered. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by June 15, 2026.
Please direct both questions regarding the fellowship or application process to USC Shoah Foundation Programs: [email protected].