For many students financing the year in Israel is daunting. Below is a partial list of scholarship options and their websites, which are available in order to help defray those costs.
There are a number of scholarships available specifically for Canadian students. In most cases, RESP savings can also be applied to studying in Israel. Parents may also be able to receive a tax deduction on some of the tuition costs. Please speak to your accountant about eligibility.
Below is a partial list of scholarship options and their websites:
The Yeshiva/Seminary/Gap Year Program that you plan to attend often has scholarships valued up to $15,000. Contact your particular institution directly to learn more.
Masa awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $3,500 to students. Visit Masa to learn more.
Associated Hebrew School awards eligible alumni with $500 scholarships. Contact the school directly to learn more.
Tannenbaum CHAT awards eligible alumni with scholarships ranging from $500 to $1000. Contact the school directly to learn more.
Jeff Seidel awards eligible students with $400 scholarships. Visit www.jeffseidel.com to learn more.
Mizrachi Canada awards eligible students with scholarships ranging from $750 to $2,500. Visit Mizrachi.ca to learn more.
Oorah awards $3,500 scholarships to offset the cost of tuition and an additional $100 per month for spending money. Awardees must attend Oorah’s DiscoverU Camp for 2 1/2 weeks in the summer that precedes and follows the gap year program. The scholarship is for students from non-observant homes, currently attending a public school or non-denominational private school, who wish to attend a yeshiva or girl’s seminary. Please contact Oorah at oorah.org/israelstudents to learn more.
Beth Tzedec Congregation Men’s Club awards scholarships of varying amounts. Visit the Beth Tzedec website to learn more.
Canadian Zionist Federation: Hebrew Culture of Canada Dr. Leon Aryeh Kronitz Memorial Scholarship awards scholarships of varying amounts. Contact czf.national@federationcja.org to learn more.
Nechomos Yisrael awards students with $1000+ scholarships to non-observant students, currently attending a public school or non-denominational school, who wish to attend a yeshiva or seminary. Call 718-851-0340 to learn more.
Jewish National Fund (JNF): “Plant Your Way to Israel” Initiative
The Plant Your Way to Israel initiative helps JNF while helping you to earn money for your gap year program. For every $36 donation that goes toward planting a tree in Israel, $18 will go to the purchase of a new tree and $18 will go toward your tuition. Click here to start your own personal fundraising initiative. Some people are willing to buy trees by the dozens, which can earn you lots of money towards your tuition!
The Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Fund is limited to programs that have a strong volunteering component. Visit http://www.amyadinaschulmanfund.org/ to learn more.
Taglit-birthright Israel provides free (including airfare) 10-day trips to Israel for students aged 18–26, who have never been on an organized tour of Israel (even if you’ve come to Israel before). Visit Birthright Israel and Israel Free Spirit to learn more.
The American Zionist Movement offers the Helyn B. Reich Memorial Scholarship for young Americans. Reich scholarships are awarded each fall and spring to a limited number of American students who choose to study at one of several designated Israeli universities or attend post-college long-term programs. For more information please email us at azm@azm.org or call the AZM National Office at 212-318-6100.
The American Jewish League for Israel awards eligible candidates with scholarships to study in several Israeli institutions of higher learning. The Screening Committee will consider each student’s merit regardless of whether or not there is financial need. To learn more about these scholarships, please visit the website here.
Local Jewish Federations (North America)
Many local Jewish Federations have scholarship programs for trips to Israel. Contact your local federation and inquire about sources of funding from within the organization.
Synagogues
Many synagogues have scholarship funds to assist young members in participating in Israel programs. In addition, some rabbis have discretionary funds, which they sometimes use to award scholarships to eligible candidates. Call your family’s synagogue and inquire what assistance may be available to you.
University/College Scholarships
Check online college databases by searching the internet for “college scholarships.” Here are a few: www.college-scholarships.com, www.scholarships.com, www.financialaidfinder.com
A full listing of scholarships available through the UJA Foundation can be found here.