Scholarships for Romanians

I.                 General information 

1.     Romanian post-graduate students can apply to study in Israel for two different programs:

a)      Ulpan (intensive Hebrew courses), with 1 place available;

b)     One academic year scholarships, with 2 places available. 

2.      Summer Ulpan studies generally last for 3 ½ weeks, 1 month and take place at the University of Haifa. 

3.     The scholarships for one academic year (8 months) are granted to post-graduate students for programs such as:

a)     Post Doctorate: Students will need to present a research plan and an acceptance letter from an Israeli supervisor at one of the Israeli universities. 

b)     Research program: Students may create their own research program under the supervision of an Israeli supervisor from one of the Israeli universities. Candidates will need to present a research plan and an acceptance letter. 

c)     Ph.D. Students: Ph.D. students who are registered for Ph.D. studies in Israel may apply for a one academic year (8 months) scholarship from the Ministry. This scholarship is not renewable and the student will need to find other sources to finance the full degree. Registration to the Ph.D. program is the student’s responsibility. The student will need to meet the Israeli university requirements for the Ph.D. program. 

d)     M.A. students: M.A. students who are registered for M.A. studies in Israel to apply for a one academic year (8 months) scholarship from the Ministry. This scholarship is not renewable and the student will need to find other sources to finance the full degree. Registration to the M.A. program is at the student’s responsibility and the student will need to meet the university requirements for the M.A. program. Post-grad – in International studies schools.

e)     Overseas and International programs: It is possible to register to one of the Overseas or International Programs under the following restrictions: The scholarship will be given for one academic year (8 months) only and NOT for the full program. Tuition fees will not include extra courses such as summer Ulpan, Arabic language course, or any other additional course offered by the Overseas or International Program. 

f)       Special Programs: Some Israeli universities offer special post-graduate programs in English. It is possible to register to one of these special programs under the following restrictions: The scholarship will be given for one academic year (8 months) only and NOT the full program. The scholarship will cover only part of the tuition fee. It is imperative to verify the nature and the cost of the special program before registration. Students may apply for scholarships from other sources in order to cover the high cost of the programs.

4.     The scholarship covers only one academic year (8 months), with the amount of $6000 for studies, and does not provide a degree. However, the International Schools for foreign students from Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem and Beersheba may grant special MA programs of 12 months or two years. Should the visiting student decide to complete the degree in Israel, he/she needs to personally cover any expenses beyond the 8 months of the scholarship. 

5.     You can choose either a short-term scholarship or a long-term scholarship. Students cannot apply for both types for the same calendar year. 

II.               Terms and Conditions: 

1.     Terms and conditions of the scholarship may change from year to year according to the annual budget. A partial scholarship will be granted. 

2.     Partial scholarship includes:

a)      Part of the tuition fee

b)     Monthly allowance for one academic year (8 months only)

c)      Basic health insurance*

3.    Scholarships will be granted only for studying in universities and programs approved by the Israeli Council for Higher Education. The list of such institutes can be found at https://che.org.il/en/

4.     As the tuition fee covered by the MFA scholarship for some of these institutions may be only partial, please verify the details in advance. Each university has a different registration procedure. Please check the website of the relevant institution.

III.              Conditions for applying 

Basic Requirements:

a)      The applicant should hold a BA or BSc degree (or higher) and have a good record of academic achievement. People with high academic qualifications must remember that two recommendation letters from university-level professors, transcripts, diploma of the degree and evidence of prior conversations with a professor from the institution in Israel, which shows there is mutual agreement on the program they will study there are essential. 

b)     The applicant should be a Romanian citizen and under the age of 35. 

c)      Proof of English language proficiency. Students must have passed at least one following international examinations: GMAT, IELTS, GRE, TOEFEL etc.  If the research will be in Hebrew, the level of knowledge of Hebrew of the students will be tested. 

d)     The applicant should meet the academic requirements of the Israeli University to which he/she applies. A scholarship will be granted only after the required institute approves the acceptance of the candidate. 

e)      Good physical and mental shape.

IV.             Application process 

1.     The file selection process is handled by the Agenția de Credite și Burse de Studii (www.roburse.ro). KEEP IN MIND THAT 3 IDENTICAL FILES MUST BE SUBMITTED.

2.     After the host university has approved the candidate, authorities in Israel will inform the Embassy regarding his/her details. Following this, the applicant must accept, in writing, the terms and conditions of the scholarship.

3.     Although students have passed the selection process here, in Romania, this does not represent a final answer. The decision will be announces by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, once the processing of information is completed.

V.               Important details about the scholarship 

1.      Cost of living: a one-academic-year-long scholarship covers expenses of $850 per month, payable in Shekels, in a bank account made at an Israeli Bank. The students must open one when moving to Israel and provide the Embassy and the University with the name of the bank, number of the account and passport number. Students should know that the amount for expenses is relatively modest compared to the costs of living. 

2.      The study fees are covered up to the amount of $6000. Most of the times, no further costs in this regard are implied. However, should students go for special programs (see I.4), they will need to pay the difference and, in this case, the money will go directly to the university. 

3.      Medical insurance: the scholarship includes basic medical insurance for students. This insurance does not include: dental care, special medical treatment, chronic disease treatment or pregnancy care. Students can upgrade this type of insurance at their own expense. 

4.      Visa: For students who receive the scholarship, study visas must be granted. This visa includes multiple entries at no further any costs. Students who were granted the scholarship are required to apply for such visas at the Israeli consulates in their countries of origin.

Standard application file should contain:

1. Completed application form - Download application forms (https://www.gov.il/en/departments/ministry_of_foreign_affairs/govil-landing-page)

2. Detailed letter describing the field the applicant intends to study in Israel, specifying the University he/she wishes to attend & Curriculum Vitae

3. Legalized copies of graduate diploma attesting the completion of e BA/BSc degree;

4. Copies of letters exchanged with Israeli universities, or in the case of a research or post doctorate – the relevant Israeli supervisor.

5. Official original academic records (or notarized copies) of all relevant studies and test scores, diplomas attesting the completion of an academic degree, including a transcript of the student's records

6. At least two (2) letters of recomm​endation from lecturers/professors who taught the candidate

7. Three (3) photographs

8. Certificate of English language proficiency (legalized copy)

9. Certificate of health

10. (For research scholars only) A document containing information about the conducted research and a letter of invitation from the instructor in Israel.

For the academic year 2022-2023, two partial scholarships are available (8 months-long, with 50% of tuition costs covered - up to a maximum amount of $6000) & 1 Ulpan scholarship.

All of the above should be printed in English and submitted in three (3) copies to Agenția Națională de Credite și  Burse (https://roburse.ro/concurs/israel-2021-2022/) of the Romanian Ministry of Education.

The call for entries is launched usually in August and final date for the submission of application forms is normally no later than December 22nd 2021. 

For further details, click here - https://www.gov.il/en/departments/ministry_of_foreign_affairs/govil-landing-page or contact us at +4021 302 8 544 and pub-dip@bucharest.mfa.gov.il or follow us on our social media!

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