Bezalel advises Arab students throughout their academic track, from the inquiry phase throughout their years of study, until they integrate into the workforce. Within this framework, they are offered assistance and support services to help them adjust on all levels – personal, social, academic and cultural.

Preparatory program for the Arab Society

The preparatory program is a five-month intensive curriculum aimed at preparing the students for academic life at Bezalel, exposing them to the world of art, design and architecture, while gaining hands-on experience with materials, techniques and in-depth artistic processes. During the program, the participants gain significant tools for their academic studies as well as art, design and architecture studies, as they build their own portfolio. All this, concurrent with personal guidance, preparation for entry exams and one-on-one work with each candidate. The program is led by staff from the different departments, artists and graduates.

For more information and registration

One Step Ahead

A summer program for newly admitted students allows them to begin their course of study before the academic year begins, thus contributing to the success of its participants. The program includes: a bundle of electives, including Hebrew and English courses, mandatory courses from the Department of Visual and Material Culture, a course in academic reading, courses dealing with Palestinian culture, identity and art, and various workshops ahead of the new academic year.

For more information and registration: [2]

Absorption in Academic Life

The absorption in academic life array includes, among other things, the following components:

• Workshops on different topics – learning strategies, coping with pressure, test anxiety and receiving feedback, tools and rules for writing academic papers and more.
•  Study groups for different courses
• Private mentorship
• Mental health counselling
• Cultural activity
• “Native language” lecture series – a series of lectures for Arab-speaking students, inviting key figures in the Palestinian art and culture world for lectures, discussions and dialogues observing the experiences of Palestinian students in the academia.  

Career Center

The aim of the center is to help guide and integrate the students and graduates in the world of art design and architecture and in the workforce. The center provides students and graduates with knowledge and skills, such as building a website and artist’s credo, and helps them later on in developing their career through personal career counselling and guidance, workshops, lectures, marathon days, meetings with key figures in their areas of study, and more.

Students from the Arab society are invited to contact the coordinators:

Coordinator for Arab society academic accessibility, Marwa Bakri marwab@bezalel.ac.il   

Project Coordinator for Arab society academic accessibility, Hana Kopti apc@bezalel.ac.il

Absorption in Academia Program Coordinator, Arab society accessibility, Danielle Zini danielle@bezalel.ac.il

Bezalel grants assistance to students of Ethiopian decent, aided by the Planning and Budgeting (PBC) Committee of the Council for Higher Education (CHE). This aid is granted on a personal level, academic coping, social, financial as well as custom-tailored to each and every student, in order to allow for genuine equal opportunity, reduce dropout rate and provide optimal conditions for academic success.  

The full aid package includes the following components:

• Academic support through individual mentorship
• Social mentorship for first-year students
• Emotional-mental counseling during crises
• Sponsoring evaluations for students with learning disabilities
• Assistance in paying for dormitories or rent, and in covering transportation costs, based on their socioeconomic status.

For further details, contact the Dean’s Office staff as follows:

Academic and emotional support - Liora Tass: liora@bezalel.ac.il

First-year absorption and social mentorship – Tamar Arman: tamara@bezalel.ac.il

Financial aid – Aidan Naftali: aidan@bezalel.ac.il

For information about the academic excellence program for students of Ethiopian decent on the CHE website click here

The Dean’s Office offers support services to students whose native language is not Hebrew, aimed at easing their absorption on a personal, academic and social level. Among other things, the support array includes mentorship, guidance, and test modification. Students who are new immigrants, or are temporary residents (or on visa) can receive assistance from the Dean’s Office with paying tuition, with a living stipend and with dormitories. For details, please contact the Dean’s Office directly at 6 Hillel St., Jerusalem, Tel: 02-6214555 (or via your immigration representative overseas).  

For individual assistance tailored to specific needs, contact Liora Tass by email: liora@bezalel.ac.il

Pregnant and post-natal students, as well as students undergoing fertility treatments are eligible for adaptations according to academic regulations. Most of their rights include: absence from class, modifications on papers and exams (postponing deadlines for paper submission, makeup exams, extra time, etc.), extending the course of study without paying additional tuition, as well as parking permits on campus. These benefits and modifications are given for pregnancy and post-natal students, as detailed below in the full version of the rules.

For information regarding the full rights and assistance click here

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