One of the founding principles of Aardvark Israel is a dedication to bring as many participants to Israel as possible. It is for that reason, we are committed to offering the best program for the best price! Even with our great price, we recognize that there are applicants still in need of additional assistance. The staff at Aardvark is available to help applicants identify and secure the necessary funds required to participate. In addition to the sources listed below, we encourage families who are in financial need to be in touch with us so that we may assist you in finding additional scholarship sources.

Individuals wishing to make a donation towards scholarships for Aardvark Israel participants, please click here.

• MASA is a project of the government of Israel and the Jewish Agency of Israel and provides financial assistance to participants on qualifying programs, such as Aardvark Israel, in the form of grants and scholarships. Most participants are eligible for an automatic grant of $1000 from MASA to be used towards the program tuition.  Students from North America who will be 21 or older on the start date of the program are eligible to receive $3000 towards the program tuition. Limited need-based scholarships are also available through MASA.  To apply for the MASA grant, please click here. To estimate the amount of funding you may be eligible for from MASA, click here and please contact Debbie on the Aardvark Israel staff with any questions you might have regarding MASA at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  

• MASA Website – Additional sources of scholarships that participants may qualify for are listed on the MASA website which you can find by clicking here.

• Local Jewish Federations (North America) – Many local Jewish Federations have scholarship programs for trips to Israel. Contact your local federation and inquire about sources of funding from within the organization and if the staff to also recommend other sources of funding available in your local community. You may find the contact information for your local Jewish Federation by clicking here.

• Synagogue – Many synagogues have scholarship funds to assist young members in participating in Israel programs. In addition, some Rabbis and Cantors have discretionary funds which they may award as they deem responsible. Call your family’s synagogue and inquire what assistance may be available to you. Ask your Rabbi if s/he knows of other sources of possible funding.

• Other Community Organizations – Other Jewish community organizations may have scholarships available or be able to assist you in identifying other sources of funding in your area. Contact the local JCC, Hebrew Free Loan Association, and other Jewish and Zionist Organizations (such as B’nai Brith, Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, etc.)

• Plant Your Way To Israel – You can raise money for your trip to Israel through a program sponsored by the Jewish National Fund simply by selling trees to be planted in Israel by JNF. Half of the proceeds of each donation ($36 minimum) will go towards planting a tree in Israel and the other half goes into a student account which can be redeemed for any trip to Israel. See http://support.jnf.org/pyw for more details or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (212) 879-9305, ext. 263.

• The Amy Adina Schulman Scholarship Fund – Grants are awarded to applicants from the US and Canada who will spend time in Israel engaging in volunteer work or internships in progressive social action projects. Recipients must commit to educate and encourage their peers in their home communities to participate in similar social action. For more information see http://www.amyadinaschulmanfund.org/ or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• College Scholarships – As an accredited university program, many “regular” college scholarships (for example, the Rotary Club), may also be applied to the Aardvark Israel Gap Year and Semester Programs. Talk to your high school guidance counselor and ask for his/her help in identifying scholarship sources that you may qualify for. Also, check out online college scholarship databases, by searching on the internet for “college scholarship.” To get you started, here are a few of the search results you’ll find:

www.fastweb.com
www.college-scholarships.com
www.scholarships.com
www.financialaidfinder.com
http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp

• Student Loans - Although US-government financial aid is not available, several banks offer student loans which are applicable to the Aardvark Israel program.  For example, Wells Fargo Bank has two options for students and parents: the Wells Fargo Education Connection Loan and the Wells Fargo Student Loan for Parents.  Check out https://www.wellsfargo.com/student for more details.

Great opportunity for Aardvark Israel students:
Earn your undergraduate degree at the American Jewish University
Aardvark Israel participants can earn up to a year's worth of college credit to AJU.
Additionally, Aardvark Israel students qualify for $7,500/year in AJU scholarships.
Curious?  Contact AJU at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 310-440-1250 for more info.