“When I'm close to choosing a program and about to pay a deposit, I want to ask the right questions and get clear answers, so I can commit without surprises later.”
How to use this list
You don't need to ask all of these. Pick the ten that matter most to your family and send them in one email, or bring them to an information session or the interview. Ask the same questions of every program on your shortlist so you can compare the answers.
Pay attention to how the answers come back. A program that replies clearly and in writing before you've paid is likely to communicate well during the year too.
Ask for the student handbook or written policies. Whatever is in writing is what you can count on in March.
Daily schedule
Why it matters: the schedule is the year. It tells you more than any mission statement.
- What does a regular weekday look like, hour by hour, from wake-up to lights out?
- How much of the day is classes, and how much is independent study with a partner?
- Are there different levels? How are students placed, and can they move?
- Which parts of the day are required, and what happens if a student misses them?
- How much free time is there, and when?
- What trips, volunteering or other activities are part of the program, and are they included in the price?
Staff and supervision
Why it matters: your child will be far from home, and you want to know which adults know where they are and how they're doing.
- How many staff are there for how many students, and who lives on site?
- Who are the dorm counselors, called madrichim (מַדְרִיכִים) or madrichot, and how old and how trained are they?
- Does each student have one adult who is responsible for checking in with them?
- Is there a curfew? How do you know where students are at night and on weekends?
- How and when do you contact parents? Who should a parent call with a concern?
Health and mental-health support
Why it matters: most students get sick at least once, and many have a hard stretch emotionally. You want to know the plan before you need it.
- What health insurance do students have, and is it included in tuition?
- Who takes a student to the doctor or the emergency room, and who stays with them?
- How are daily medications handled, including refills of prescriptions from home?
- Is there a counselor or therapist on staff or on call? Is that person licensed, and is there an extra cost?
- What happens if a student is struggling emotionally? At what point are parents told?
- Can you support a student with a learning difference, a food allergy or a chronic condition? How, specifically?
For more on this, see health insurance and medical care and when things get hard.
Shabbat and vacation policy
Why it matters: on Shabbat (שַׁבָּת) and during breaks, many programs close or leave students to make their own plans. Families are often surprised by how many of these there are.
- How many Shabbatot are spent at the program, and how many are "out"?
- When students are out, do they have to tell you where they're going? Do you help students who have nowhere to go?
- Does the dorm stay open on out Shabbatot and during vacations? Is food provided then?
- What are the vacation dates, and when can students fly home or have visitors?
- Are there rules about where students may travel in Israel?
See Shabbat and vacations for how to plan around this.
Housing and food
Why it matters: where a student sleeps and eats shapes every day of the year, and it's the area where hidden costs most often show up.
- Is housing a dorm or apartments? How many students share a room, and how are roommates chosen?
- How far is the housing from the study building?
- Is there air conditioning, heating, laundry and Wi-Fi, and is any of it extra?
- How many meals a day are provided, and on which days? What do students do for the others?
- What kosher certification does the kitchen have, and can you handle allergies or special diets?
Safety and emergencies
Why it matters: you want to hear a specific plan, not a general reassurance.
- What security is there at the building and the housing?
- Where is the nearest protected room or shelter, and are students drilled on what to do?
- How do you reach every student quickly in an emergency, and how do you update parents?
- What are your rules for trips and for students traveling on their own?
- Under what conditions would you move, pause or close the program, and what happens to students then?
Money and refunds
Why it matters: the tuition figure is rarely the full cost, and refund terms matter most in the situations nobody plans for.
- What does tuition include, and what does it not include?
- What other fees are there: registration, security deposit, trips, insurance, books?
- How much is the deposit, when is it due, and is any of it refundable?
- What is the payment schedule, and in which currency?
- What is refunded if a student withdraws before the year, leaves mid-year, or is asked to leave?
- What happens to tuition if the program closes early or a student can't travel?
- Is there financial aid, and what is the deadline to apply?
See paying for the year.
College credit
Why it matters: "you can get credit" can mean several different things, and the college you'll attend has the final say.
- Which colleges do you have a formal credit arrangement with?
- Who issues the transcript, and how do I request one later?
- Do students have to register and pay separately for the credit program, and by when?
- Are there exams or attendance rules a student must meet to earn the credits?
- About how many credits have recent students had accepted, and by which colleges?
Then ask your college the same question from its side. See college plans and deferrals.
Common questions
- When should I ask these questions?
- Before you pay a deposit. The best moments are at an information session, in a follow-up email after the interview, or once you're accepted and deciding. Asking practical questions is normal and programs expect it.
- Who should ask, the student or the parent?
- Both. Students usually ask about the schedule, the learning and daily life. Parents usually ask about supervision, health, money and refunds. It helps to agree ahead of time who is asking what so the program gets one organized set of questions.
- What if a program won't answer or gives vague answers?
- Ask once more, in writing, and ask whether there's a handbook or policy document. If an answer is still unclear on something that matters to you, like refunds or medical care, take that into account when you compare programs.
- Are there right answers to these questions?
- Not usually. A strict curfew is right for one student and wrong for another. The goal is to know what you're signing up for and to compare programs on the same points.