Esther Hayut, former Israeli Supreme Court president, has joined the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee in Israel, helping to choose the next two recipients of the renowned academic award. Hayut (who served as president from 2017 to 2023) joins the committee as a public representative, alongside a panel of distinguished Rhodes alumni.
Established at Oxford University in 1903, Rhodes is the oldest and most prestigious scholarship program worldwide. Next year marks a decade of the Rhodes Scholarship in Israel. Since its launch in 2016, some 18 Israelis have been awarded the scholarship.
Winning students, known as Rhodes Scholars, receive a comprehensive package that includes full tuition for two to three years of postgraduate study, a living stipend, housing, airfare and more.
“I believe Israeli scholars need to be at the international table where ideas, values and futures are shaped,” said Hayut. “The scholarship represents a tradition of intellectual courage and serious engagement. At a time when public discourse is often polarized and divisive, it is more important than ever to champion depth, nuance and integrity. I am proud to support young Israelis who embody those qualities.”
In the last few days, presidents of Israeli institutions of higher education were contacted and asked to encourage eligible candidates to apply.
Doron Weber, national secretary for the Rhodes Scholarships for Israel, said: “The Rhodes Scholarship represents academic excellence in a wide range of fields, but it also honours exceptional leadership, character and public service. It’s a platform for nurturing original thinkers and bold, principled leaders. During difficult times when divisions run deep and certain problems may seem intractable, it is imperative that Israeli voices of every stripe remain part of the global conversation, bringing their experience, empathy and sense of purpose to the challenges facing our world.”
Nadine Baudot-Trajtenberg, Israel Rhodes Selection Committee member and the former deputy governor of the Bank of Israel, received the scholarship 30 years ago as a resident of Canada before immigrating to Israel.
Other notable alumni include Nadav Lidor, co-founder of the fintech infrastructure company Weav, which was acquired by Brex for US $50 million; and Lian Ryan-Hume, the first Arab-Israeli Rhodes Scholar, who now leads Trust and Safety Policy for TikTok in the Middle East.
Previous winners’ home institutions include Tel Aviv University, the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Hebrew University, Reichmann University and the University of Haifa.
This year, two exceptional Israeli students will be selected for two to three years of graduate study at Oxford, beginning in September 2026. The deadline for applications is Oct. 15.
Applicants must:
- Hold an Israeli passport
- Have completed an undergraduate degree by July 2026
- Be under 27 years of age
- Have resided in Israel for at least five of the past ten years
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.7 (93)
Apply: www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/applications/israel/.
