Policy Fellowship visit to the Heritage Foundation, March 2022.
Policy Fellowship Roundtable Discussion, March 2022.
Policy Fellowship Trip to Washington DC, March 2022.
Policy Fellowship visit to the Heritage Foundation, March 2022.
Policy Fellowship FAQ
Applications for 2023-24 are now open
Application deadline: 1 June 2023
What is The Policy Fellowship?
Pictured: the 2021-22 Policy Fellowship in the United States Senate
The Pinsker Centre Policy Fellowship is our elite intellectual programme, designed for both fulltime undergraduate and postgraduate students who want to make a difference on their campus. Our Policy Fellows are based across many of the UK’s leading universities, including Cambridge, Oxford, Durham, KCL, UCL, LSE, Bristol and St Andrew's.
The Policy Fellowship is an opportunity for campus leaders to consolidate their skills, gain practical experience in policy research, learn about the Middle East, participate in high-level foreign policy debates, and grow their professional network.
Participation in this programme will grant you the opportunity to make tangible change on your campus, engage in contemporary political and social debates with international policymakers, and expand your future career options.
What are the benefits of the Programme?
Pictured: the 2021-22 Policy Fellowship with Senator Tom Cotton
1) Successful applicants will receive a scholarship award for £1500 upon completion of the fellowship.
2) COVID-permitting, participants are given the opportunity to attend an all expenses paid policy research trip to Washington DC.
3) Depending on their studies and their career aspirations, selected participants are given the opportunity to intern with renowned think tanks, public affairs organisations and legislative offices in order to learn about policy research and develop their CVs.
4) The programme offers exclusive opportunities to engage and network with experts in geopolitics, security, domestic politics, and a handful of other fields. Previous cohorts have had private seminars with dignitaries such sitting US Senators, the former Foreign Minister of Canada, and the former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel.
5) Our professional team have historically been graduates of our programme, and alumni of the Policy Fellowship are often offered professional opportunities within The Pinsker Centre.
What does the Programme Involve?
Pictured: the 2021-22 Policy Fellowship at the Heritage Foundation
With the support and guidance of the staff at The Pinsker Centre, participants of the programme will be given a number of responsibilities.
These responsibilities will be both exciting and challenging, including tasks such as producing thought provoking articles and podcasts, assisting in research papers, and hosting events on your own campus with world leaders, renowned academics and international opinion-formers.
Participants will be required to take part in a total of six monthly thematic online roundtables with leading experts in different fields. Very manageable prior reading (1-2 chapters or articles) will be required before each session.
What is the Washington DC trip like?
Pictured: the 2021-22 Policy Fellowship in the office of Senator Ted Cruz
All Policy Fellows are given the opportunity to visit Washington DC on a bespoke delegation at the end of March. It is an unforgettable and unparalleled opportunity for students.
Participants visit both Houses of Congress, the White House, the State Department and North America’s leading foreign policy think tanks.
Previous fellows have met with Senator Tom Cotton (R), Representative Liz Cheney (R), Representative Josh Gottheimer (D), and Representative Eliot Engel (D).
Previous trips have also incorporated visits to the Heritage Foundation, the Hudson Institute, the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), AIPAC and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).
Who can Apply?
Applications are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students (including PhD students) who will be in full-time education for the 2022-23 academic year.
This is an exclusive fellowship and only 12 places are available: the application process is very competitive.
Shortlisted applicants are invited for a Zoom interview.
We welcome and encourage applicants from all academic and social backgrounds, and all places are awarded on a meritocratic, equal opportunity basis. Please do not hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions.
What have previous Policy Fellows said?
“The work that the Pinsker Centre does in cultivating relationships, and offering new opportunities to students, is totally unparalleled.”
James Harris, Policy Fellow 2018-19, formerly President of the Union of Jewish Students now working in corporate communications
“The Pinsker Fellowship programme provided me with personalised support to improve professionally, which has proven to be extremely beneficial in my early career. I particularly enjoyed the exclusive seminars for policy fellows where we could network and learn from decision makers about the Middle East and other contemporary political issues.”
Lili Zemplenyi, Policy Fellow 2020-21, now working at a European think tank
“The Pinsker Centre has accomplished so much through the entrepreneurial acts of students and young professionals. It was a
privilege to be a part of this when I was a Policy Fellow.”
Tamara Berens, Policy Fellow 2017-18, now working at a US think tank