Getting College Credit for Your Year in Israel

Who decides

Your program in Israel doesn't decide how much credit you get. The college you attend afterward does. Its registrar (the office that keeps transcripts and approves credit from other schools) looks at an official transcript and applies the college's transfer rules.

That means two students from the same program can end up with different results at different colleges. One may get a full year of credit, another a handful of elective credits, another none. Ask your own college. Don't rely on what a friend received.

Route 1: Yeshiva University's S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program

This route is for students who will attend Yeshiva University (YU) after the year. According to YU's program page, checked in October 2026:

• You apply to YU during your senior year of high school and are accepted to an undergraduate program, and you apply separately to the school in Israel.
• The program works with more than 40 yeshivas and seminaries in Israel, and students stay enrolled as YU undergraduates during the year.
• YU lists a non-refundable program fee of $3,500. That includes a $550 enrollment deposit, and $2,000 of the fee is applied to your first semester's tuition when you return to New York. Tuition to the school in Israel is charged separately by that school.
• You commit to enroll at YU and may not enroll in another college.

YU's 2024-26 undergraduate catalog for women says the credits appear on the YU transcript as a total number of credits without a grade, with the individual courses and grades kept on a separate record. The pages we checked didn't state how many credits a year earns, so confirm the number, and how it applies to your major, with YU's admissions office or registrar.

Route 2: Touro's Israel Option

This route is for students who will attend one of Touro University's Lander colleges. According to Touro's Israel Option pages, checked in October 2026:

• You apply both to the Touro college and to the school in Israel. Being admitted to the school in Israel doesn't guarantee admission to Touro.
• A full-time year can earn up to 36 credits: 24 from Israel Option courses and up to 12 more as transfer credits.
• Grades from Israel Option courses appear on your Touro transcript.
• The enrollment fee ranges from $1,100 to $1,500 depending on how early your documents are in. The lowest fee is for documents submitted by June 15. Students who complete the program get a $550 tuition credit when they return.
• Students holding a deferral at another college can't take part, and Touro expects participants to finish their degree at Touro.

Touro's pages don't attach a school year to these figures, so confirm the current ones with the Israel Option office before you pay.

Route 3: A transcript through your program or a partner college

If you're going to any other college, your program either issues its own transcript or arranges one through an accredited college it partners with. Accredited means officially recognized by an approved review body, which is what most registrars look for. A partner-college transcript usually comes with a fee and its own registration deadline, often early in the year.

Which colleges accept which transcripts varies a lot and changes over time. Ask the program's office which arrangement it has, what it costs, and when you must sign up. Then ask your college's registrar whether it accepts that specific transcript. When you compare programs side by side, add this to your list of questions to ask a program.

Step by step

1. 1Before the year, email your college's registrar or admissions office. Ask whether it gives credit for your program, how many credits at most, which transcript it needs, and whether you need approval in advance. Keep the reply.
2. 2Ask the program's office how transcripts are issued, the fee, and the sign-up deadline. Sign up on time.
3. 3Tell the college about the year as part of your deferral request. See college plans and deferrals.
4. 4During the year, keep course names, hours, syllabi if they exist, and any grade reports.
5. 5At the end of the year, request an official transcript sent directly to your college's registrar. Colleges generally won't accept a copy that came from you.
6. 6A few weeks later, check your student account or ask the registrar whether the transcript arrived and how the credits were applied.
7. 7Meet your academic advisor to see what the credits count toward: your major, general requirements or electives.

Many colleges limit how many credits can come from elsewhere, and some treat a student with college credit differently for financial aid or class standing. Ask about both in your first email.

If the credits are refused

• Ask for the reason in writing. Common ones are a missing official transcript, a missed pre-approval step, or a transcript from a school the college doesn't recognize.
• Ask whether there's an appeal or petition process and what documents it needs. Course descriptions and syllabi help.
• Ask the program's office whether it can send more detail or issue the transcript through its partner college instead.
• Ask whether individual departments, such as Jewish studies or Hebrew, can review courses one by one or offer a placement exam.

Common questions

How many credits will I get for the year?

It depends on your college. Touro's Israel Option lists up to 36 credits for a full-time year. Other colleges set their own limits and some give none. Ask your registrar and get the answer in writing.

Can I sort this out after I get back?

Sometimes, but it's riskier. Partner-college transcripts and joint programs usually need you to register and pay near the start of the year, and some colleges want approval in advance.

Do the grades count toward my GPA?

That's each college's decision. YU's 2024-26 catalog for women says Israel Program credits are listed as a total without a grade. Touro says Israel Option grades appear on your transcript. Many other colleges accept transfer credits without the grades.