If you have a valid Masa A/2 student visa or an Israeli passport, you will not need an ETA-IL. Starting in January, 2025, students who have not been able to get their student visa through the Israeli Consulate, and who do not have an Israeli passport will need to apply for an ETA-IL (Electronic Travel Authorization). This will allow you to enter Israel as a tourist/visitor for up to 90 days. During your first 90 days in Israel, you will need to apply for your Masa A/2 student visa. You can apply for an ETA-IL here. Keep in mind that this is NOT a visa; it is only a permission to enter Israel as a tourist.

The housing form, along with a number of additional registration forms, will open for you to complete after your application has been reviewed, and you have been accepted to the program. You’ll receive an email from us when your acceptance is complete.

After your application is complete, our staff will review it. If we need any additional information, we’ll let you know. After you have been accepted to the program, you will receive an email from us, and the rest of your registration forms will open for you to complete.

You can check the Masa funding calculator to find out the estimated grant amount that you should qualify for. After Masa reviews your application, they will send you an email with your grant amount.

Please check the website for the Israeli Consulate where you live for exact details. Every consulate has different requirements and processes, so you must check with yours to find out what you need to do. Please note: the acceptance letter that is required when applying for a Masa A/2 student visa is the Masa Participation Confirmation letter. You must download that letter from your Masa portal.

Scholarship checks should be made out to Aardvark Tourism Ltd.

Checks should be sent to:

Aardvark Tourism Ltd.

D.N. Mizrach Binyamin

Yishuv Alon 9061800  Israel

To make a payment via e-check or credit card, go to our website and click “Apply Now.” Enter the email address and password you used when you started your application. Click the word “Home” after you login, and select “make a payment.” If you wish to pay via bank transfer, please contact your admissions representative or email [email protected] for our bank details.

There is a recommended packing list in our Program Guide (you downloaded and signed this during the application process), and also a student-created list on our student blog.

We have looked into the question of 529 eligibility in the past and it seems that in many cases, 529 funds may be used towards our program. Each plan and each state may have specific rules, so it’s important to check with your specific plan. In all cases, from what we understand, in order to use these funds to pay for the program, the student must be enrolled in courses for university credit. In addition, families must request that the funds are disbursed directly to them and NOT to the university.

If you are interested in taking classes for university credit, you must check with the university you plan to attend after your gap year to make sure that they will accept transfer credits from Portland State University (PSU) in the United States. If you wish to enroll in for-credit classes, please indicate this on your Educational and Extracurricular form in your application. There is a $1000 registration fee per semester.

For participation in our program, there are no additional vaccinations required. For students participating in MADA or one of our international trips, the vaccinations listed below are recommended. Please check with your physician to find out if they recommend any additional vaccinations before you arrive.

Nepal – Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid

Ethiopia – Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and Meningococcal (Please note, the areas visited in Ethiopia include Addis Ababa, Gondar, Simien Mountains, and Lalibela.)

Zambia – Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Typhoid

Magen David Adom

• 2 vaccinations against Measles, Mumps, Rubella (usually given as MMR)
•  At least 2 vaccinations against Hepatitis B
• A full vaccination against COVID-19 (one Johnson & Johnson or two of any other brand)

Plus Programs – Summer Camp in America

The NJY Camps requires the following immunizations for all camp staff:

• 5 doses of Tetanus, Diphtheria and Acellular Pertussis (usually given as DTP or DTaP)
  • 1 of the doses must have been administered on or after 11th birthday
• 4 doses of Polio (4th dose not necessary if 3rd was given at age 4)
  • At least 1 of the doses must have been administered on or after 4th birthday
• 2 doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (usually given as MMR)
• 3 doses of Hepatitis B
• 2 doses of Varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of immunity
• 2 doses of Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV)
  • If 1st dose was administered after 16th birthday, 1 dose is adequate

Plus Programs – Ghana and Uganda

• Yellow Fever
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Malaria
• Typhoid

*If you have a medical exemption for any vaccinations, a letter from your physician must be provided.

While most of our students come from visa-exempt countries, students from South Africa will need to apply for a Schengen visa if they are traveling with us to an EU country. This will need to be done after you arrive in Israel, and will require the student to appear in person at the consulate for the country they will be visiting. The cost of the Schengen visa is the student’s responsibility. The only exception to this is if a student from South Africa also holds a passport and citizenship from a visa-exempt country.