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Incoming | HUJI International

Incoming


Given HUJI’s extensive network of international partners, students who are enrolled at partner universities are eligible to participate in our exchange programs and spend a summer, semester or year at HUJI. As an exchange student, you’ll have the opportunity to take a wide range of courses offered in English and Hebrew, participate in intensive language courses, and enjoy exciting extracurricular activities. The course credits you earn at HUJI may be transferable toward your degree, subject to approval by your home institution.

We offer three exchange tracks based on various types of agreements that we maintain with our partner universities. As you begin to navigate this process, we recommend that you consult with your home institution regarding existing exchange agreements with HUJI.

  1. University-level exchange program: based on bilateral agreements with international partner institutions and includes most academic fields.
  2. Faculty-level exchange program: based on bilateral agreements with corresponding faculties at international partner institutions and is limited to specific academic fields.
  3. Erasmus+: The European Union’s mobility program which enables students from Erasmus+ partner universities to study at Hebrew University in various academic fields, with Erasmus+ funding.

Courses

As an incoming exchange student, you can take a wide variety of courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, all taught in English and Hebrew (conditional upon meeting the Hebrew language requirements). Most of the faculty courses are open to exchange students, pending availability. Participation in some courses requires approval from the department in which the student wishes to study. (Please note that the Faculty of Social Sciences limits the participation of exchange students to elective courses).

Exchange students can also choose from a wide range of courses offered in English at the undergraduate and graduate levels through the Rothberg International School (RIS).

For more information on all courses, please refer to the following websites:

Hebrew and Arabic Language Study
While studying Hebrew or Arabic is not mandatory for exchange students, an exchange semester at Hebrew University is the perfect opportunity for acquiring a basic command of one of these languages – or both.

During the semester, we offer Hebrew courses for learners, including 56 hours of instruction and 4 academic credits. If you’d like to improve your Hebrew within a short period of time or learn basic Hebrew before beginning your studies here, you can participate in one of our intensive Hebrew courses (Ulpan) before the start of the semester. Depending on your level of Hebrew proficiency, you’ll earn 6 to 14 credits. Please note that the Ulpan is not included in our exchange package and, as such, you’ll be required to pay tuition in order to attend.  For further information, please visit the website of the Division of Hebrew Language Instruction.

Our Arabic language courses are all conditional upon availability. Students can take an independent study course (Modern Standard Arabic or Amia/colloquial Arabic; 3 credits) for an additional fee of $400 per credit. Absolute beginners interested in studying in the 12-credit MSA course, which can only be taken based on availability, must participate in the pre-semester course “Foundations of MSA,” for an additional fee.

Academic Calendar

Hebrew University’s academic year runs from October to June. The autumn semester runs from October to February, and the spring semester from March to July. Please note that the academic year at Rothberg International School (RIS) typically ends prior to HUJI’s academic year, and this may impact your schedule should you opt to take courses through the faculties, as opposed to courses offered at RIS.

To see HUJI academic calendar, please refer to this website.
Click here to access RIS academic calendar.

Credits
The courses you take at HUJI may be transferable toward your degree, pending prior approval by your home institution. The standard workload for a full-time student at Hebrew University is 40 HUJI credits per academic year. Our credit calculation is based on frontal lecture hours during the semester. While HUJI has not formally adopted the ECTS credit system, HUJI credits can be converted to ECTS credits as follows: 0.66 HUJI credits = 1 ECTS.

Undergraduate students take a minimum of 15 credits per semester.  
 
Tuition Fees
As an exchange student, you are exempt from paying HUJI registration and tuition fees, with the exception of select courses such as the Hebrew Ulpan that are not included in our exchange package. Instead, you will continue to pay tuition fees to your home institution.

Application Deadlines

  • Autumn semester/full year: May 15 
  • Spring semester: 
  • Undergraduate: November 30
  • Graduate: December 31

Late applications for all of the above are accepted subject to the approval of the program director.

Eligibility

Faculty-level exchange students
As a faculty-level exchange student, you are subject to the entry and language requirements of your specific faculty at Hebrew University. If you wish to take courses at RIS, the information below regarding university-level and Erasmus+ exchange students additionally applies.

University-level and Erasmus+ exchange students
Undergraduate students are required to demonstrate a minimum GPA of 3.0, while graduate students must demonstrate a minimum GPA of 3.2 (or equivalent). Students from non-English-speaking countries and/or candidates who have not completed a full course of study (degree) at an institution in which the language of instruction is English must submit one of the following English language proficiency certificates:

  • TOEFL – minimum score of 80
  • IELTS - minimum score of 6
  • Cambridge English Exams – B2 and above (level must be specifically stated)
  • CEFR – B2 and above
  • Language proficiency certificates issued by university language centers – B2 and above
  • DAAD Language Proficiency Certificate – minimum score equivalent to B2/TOFEL 80 or IELTS 6. If signed and stamped by the university language center, the level needs to be specifically stated.

Application and Admissions

The following application steps are required:

  1. Inquire with the exchange coordinator at your home university about how to apply.
  2. Apply via your home university, in accordance with the internal exchange procedures. After you’ve submitted your application, your home university will evaluate and select candidates for the student exchange program in accordance with its own regulations, as well as Hebrew University's criteria.
  3. Wait for confirmation from your home university. If they think you’re a good fit, they’ll nominate you as a HUJI exchange student.
  4. Your home university will send a nomination to the Incoming Student Exchange Coordinator at HUJI’s International Office, Ms. Ayala Feinmesser-Mizrahi (ayalafm@savion.huji.ac.il).
  5. HUJI will then contact you with application information.

At this stage, you’ll be required to submit the following documents to the HUJI online application system:

  • Curriculum vitae
  • Statement of purpose
  • Official transcripts
  • Medical form (downloadable from the website)
  • Photocopy of your passport identification page
  • Passport photo
  • Academic recommendation (two confidential recommendations from faculty members who have first-hand familiarity with your academic abilities)
  • Study abroad approval form (downloadable from the website)
  • English language proficiency test scores


Hebrew University reserves the right to make the final determination regarding the admission of students nominated by their home institutions for our student exchange program.

Support for Exchange Students

Rothberg International School provides administrative and academic support for incoming students, including pre-arrival assistance with matters such as housing, visa, and health insurance.

The Office of Student Life (OSL) will help you adjust to life on campus and in Jerusalem and will support you throughout your entire stay. OSL also offers unique extracurricular activities, such as trips to other cities, tours in Jerusalem, concerts, parties, and more. If you wish to meet Israeli students, you can take part in H.U.B. (Hebrew University Buddies), a program which will match you up with a local student so that you can get to know Israel from an authentic vantage point.

Finally, visit our Useful Information page, a great resource for inbound students that covers everything from pre-arrival tips to setting up a bank account, using local transportation, how to spend your free time in Jerusalem, and much more.

Contact Us

University-level and Erasmus+ exchange students

For general information (prior to nomination by your home university):
Ms. Ayala Feinmesser-Mizrahi, Incoming Student Exchange Coordinator ayalafm@savion.huji.ac.il 

For application information (after being nominated by your home university):
Undergraduate Students: Rothberg International School - Division of Undergraduate Studies: risundergrad@savion.huji.ac.il Graduate Students: Rothberg International School - Division of Graduate Studies: gradex@savion.huji.ac.il

Faculty-level exchange students
As a faculty-level exchange applicant, you are welcome to contact the relevant faculty directly: