On July 21, 2024, Tel Aviv University (TAU) announced a second move in its special admissions terms for reservists, after the first cancelled the psychometric test requirement for some applicants.

First-year students commencing their studies in the coming academic year, who have served at least 30 days in the reserves since the beginning of 2024, will be entitled to a tuition discount of NIS 2,500 (USD $690), covering about 25% of total tuition fees. Officials at TAU estimate that more than 500 reservists who are expected to start their freshman year in November will be entitled to this benefit.

The first year in academia is considered the hardest even in normal times, and the abrupt transition from battlefield to classroom further exacerbates the challenge. The reduction in tuition is intended to make the process easier and to free up precious time for studies. It is specifically earmarked for new students, supplementing other scholarships offered to reservists by Israel’s Ministry of Defense, the Council for Higher Education, and various donors and foundations, among other sources.

The new benefit adds another tier to a previous decision to offer a new admissions track that exempts many hundreds of reservists applying to any first-year study program at TAU from the psychometric test requirement. So far, more than 400 new students have been admitted through this track.

The University emphasizes that the adaptations in the admissions process reflect the University’s deep commitment to reservists and their academic success, and acknowledge the academic and financial difficulties arising from their IDF service even before they commence their studies.