COMMUNITY ACTION IN TEL AVIV - SEMESTER ABROAD

Looking to get involved in social action work in Israel while gaining credit at Tel Aviv University?

Integrate volunteering into your semester! Take courses and put your studies into action by participating in Tel Aviv’s vibrant activist community and grassroots initiatives on the ground.

 

A joint collaboration between Yahel - Israel Service Learning and Tel Aviv University, this for-credit program is open to undergraduate students enrolled at accredited colleges and universities outside of Israel. Your semester begins with an intensive Hebrew and Israeli culture course, called an Ulpan. During the fall semester, you will be able to enroll in 2-3 courses in a variety of subjects offered including Communications, Psychology, Middle Eastern Studies, Business and more. When you are not in class, you will join Israeli change-makers in schools, NGO’s, non-profit and grassroots organizations to work with schools, refugees, youth at risk and more.

 

As a participant on this program, you will:

• Join Israeli change-makers in schools, NGO’s, non-profit and grassroots organizations.

• Contribute in a sustainable manner to local grassroots efforts through direct service by working in schools, with refugees, youth at risk, victims of domestic abuse, and more.

• Engage with Israeli social change initiatives through guided workshops and meetings with activists, social entrepreneurs and policy makers.

 

Location:

Tel Aviv

 

Dates:

February 5, 2017 - June 8, 2017

 

Application Deadline:

The application deadline for the Spring Semester is December 4, 2016. 

 

Program Fee: 

• $11,450 (including housing)

• Tuition Fees include the intensive Hebrew Ulpan course, trips, activities and health insurance

• Participants are responsible for arranging their own flights.

 

Eligibility:

The Service Learning Fall Semester program at TAU International is open to accomplished undergraduate students enrolled at accredited higher education institutions outside of Israel. Generally, a minimum GPA of 80 on a scale of 100, 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, or equivalent applies but, exceptions may be made in the case of a strong application with a lower GPA.

 

Ulpan Requirement:

Students who are not highly proficient in written and spoken Hebrew will be required to enroll in an intensive Hebrew course called an Ulpan prior to the start of the semester. When applying for the Service Learning Fall Semester program, you will automatically be admitted to the corresponding Ulpan program unless you provide proof of Hebrew language proficiency with your application.

 

How to Apply:

Please click here to go to TAU International's page and fill out the application. 

 

Application Process:

Applications are submitted online. A student must complete and submit all required materials in order to be ready for review. Please see below:  

 

Application Documents

• An official transcript sent from your home university to TAU International. In order for it to be considered official, transcripts must be sent sealed and stamped from your home university. Students who have completed less than two semesters of college will also be required to submit a transcript from high school.

• Personal essay

  • Your personal essay provides the Admissions Committee with the opportunity to get to know you: your academic interests, life experience, and personality. Essay prompts will appear in the online application; we strongly recommend writing and saving your essays in a separate document before sending them in.

• Two letters of academic recommendations

• Health Declaration Form

• Medical Form

• Demonstrated Command of English: All applicants must prove their English-language proficiency validated through a TOEFL or IELTS exam. Exception: Students whose primary and secondary education took place in the Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, or the U.S. are exempt from this requirement. Exams must be taken before the application deadline, and official scores must be sent directly to the TAU International office by the testing agency. TAU International's ETS code is 7704. TOEFL test (minimum score: written 582, computer-based 223, or iBT 89) IELTS test (minimum score: 6.5). Note that students, who were born in one of these countries but were educated elsewhere, will still be required to satisfy the English proficiency requirement in order to complete their application.

** Please Note: All students will be required to have a Skype interview with Yahel Israel Service Learning Director of Recruitment, Nina Wanerman.

 

Questions? Contact:

Nina Wanerman

nina@yahelisrael.com

Program Description

 

Curriculum:

You will be enrolled in 2-3 courses from Tel Aviv University International for two days during the week and working with your service learning project and workshop for 3 days, 7-8 hours per day. 

 

** Not all TAU courses will be available to students in the Service Learning program because of conflicting schedules. Please be sure to check your Service Learning schedule with the courses you are interested in taking.

 

Where will I volunteer?

Volunteer placements may include (and are not limited to) organizations such as:

 

• The Women’s Courtyard

• Local Primary Schools

• The Schoolhouse: Education for Asylum Seekers

• YaLa Young Leaders

• After School Programs for Youth at Risk

• The African Refugee Development Center

• ASSAF- Aid for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Israel

 

 

Volunteer responsibilities may include:

 

• Mentoring youth at risk in after school programs

• EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teaching assistance in a variety of settings ranging from primary schools to organizations targeted toward adult refugee education.

• Aiding asylum seekers by providing them with information about their legal rights and helping to navigate the local resources available to them.

 

 

Workshops:

In addition to your regular classes, you will also take part in hands-on learning sessions and workshops 

on topics such as: 

• Cultural sensitivity training

• Training to work with victims of domestic violence and crisis

• Training to work with youth at risk

• Teaching English as a foreign language

• Methods of community empowerment

 

 

Walk away from this trip with:

 

• A deep understanding of social action work on the ground in Israel.

• Hands-on, professional experience working in the nonprofit sector, in education, and many other fields.

• Connections to individuals in Israel who are involved in social change efforts.

• The satisfaction of having done something meaningful and helpful during your semester abroad.

About TAU International