First-Year Study Abroad Program

Our program gives you an exciting and unique way to enter university life as an international first-year student. You’ll make new friends from around the world while experiencing Israel’s rich and vibrant culture through field trips, social activities, and courses, including Hebrew, Israel, and Middle East studies. Jerusalem will be a second classroom for you, full of colorful sights, sounds, smells, and tastes.

Our First-Year Study Abroad program will strengthen your research and writing skills and provide you with strong academic and social support. It will give you a solid initiation into academic study, and the credits you earn will be transferable to most top-tier colleges and universities abroad. After completing your first year at HebrewU, you’ll be prepared for success at a range of top-notch institutions around the world.

Studies begin with a mandatory pre-semester course and the first-year orientation, where you’ll get to know your peers and acquaint yourself with the university campus and the city of Jerusalem.

Your Hebrew-language studies will continue during the semester, with the remainder  of your credits will be taken in introductory-level courses in Jewish, Israel, and Middle East studies, as well as in social sciences, , and communications.

Program Structure & Credits

You will take between 13-15 credits during the semester in addition to a pre-semester course.

Pre-Semester Program: “Encountering Jerusalem”

During the semester

• Modern Hebrew (6-7 credits)
• Two or three introductory-level courses (3 credits per course)
• Community service option

You can view the introductory courses open to first-year students in our course catalog. We also invite you to review our faculty list to see with whom you may be studying.

To get involved in the community and to help make a difference, you may choose to enroll in a 12-credit program per semester and volunteer with one of our community service projects at a nonprofit organization in the Jerusalem area. Once a month, you’ll meet with other volunteers to learn about a specific social issue facing Israeli society.

You’ll be invited to participate in a wide array of trips, tours, and activities offered by the Office of Student Life. From a tour of the Old City, to a trip to the Dead Sea, to checking out the festivals that are held throughout the year, you’ll build your own unique impressions and memories of Jerusalem and Israel.

While residing on the Mount Scopus Campus with other international and Israeli students, you’ll have a chance to form new friendships and get involved in campus life. A team of multilingual Israeli students, called madrichim, is also there to help you adjust to your new surroundings and give you tips on things to do. Learn more about student life at HebrewU.

Experience Jerusalem’s incredible mosaic of cultures, foods, religions, and peoples. Stroll through a lively street market or spend an evening with friends at a trendy nightclub. Immerse yourself in the lively arts and culture scene, or discover the city’s religious mosaic. Entrepreneurs, creatives, scholars, scientists, and activists all flock to Jerusalem, making it an exciting place to study abroad.

Make new friends and new memories as you discover first-hand Jerusalem’s rich history as well as its vibrant and innovative culture. Learn more about Jerusalem in the Student Life section and start planning your adventure.

Apply by:

Fall/Year: June 30

Spring semester : November 15

Program length: Semester or year

View our Course Registration Deadlines.

For financial information, see Tuition & Fees for Other undergraduate

Scholarships

A limited number of scholarships based on demonstrated need or merit are available. To apply, follow the procedure required by your local office.

A High School diploma with a minimum of GPA 3.0 or equivalent is needed to be eligible for the program. Both options require a letter of consent from your guardian(s) if you are under the age of 18.

English Language Requirement

If you are from a non-English-speaking country and have not previously studied at a secondary school where the language of instruction is English, you are required to take an English proficiency test.

A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the internet-based test is required. The school code for TOEFL is 0206. Equivalent Cambridge or IELTS scores are also acceptable.