Israel updates university rules for soldiers serving in reserve

The Israel Defense Forces announced a new set of academic rules for the 2026-27 school year.

The plan changes how universities grade students who are also active military personnel. It applies to all fields of study and all levels of education. The goal is to let soldiers keep their studies moving while they serve long periods of reserve duty.

The new policy expands the use of alternative assessment. Students no longer have to take a standard written exam for every course. They can submit a research paper instead. They can take a modified version of the exam. Or they can take two exams and have the higher score count toward their final grade.

Eligibility for these options depends on how much service a student has completed. The system uses tiers. Students in the highest tier, along with career soldiers in frontline roles, can use the alternative assessment option in three courses. This means they can skip class and submit papers for those subjects. Top-tier students not in frontline roles can use the option in two courses. Students in the second tier, who have served at least 21 days in a semester, can use the option in one or two courses depending on the specific nature of their service.

The plan also addresses students who have already fallen behind. If a soldier’s service forces them to extend their degree by a semester or a year, they keep their tier-based accommodations. This support continues until they finish their program.

Merit scholarships will also be adjusted. The plan lowers the minimum number of credits required for reservists and career soldiers to qualify for dean’s and rector’s awards. This threshold will be 10% lower than the requirement for other students.

Graduate students will receive individualized support. If their research is delayed by military service, universities will offer extended deadlines. They will also review research grant payments and create a personalized plan to help the student finish their work on time. For those applying to master’s programs, students can show their actual grades to admissions committees if their transcripts only show a pass or fail grade adjusted for duty. This disclosure will not change their undergraduate GPA.

The rules extend to some family members. Spouses of career soldiers and frontline reservists who have children under age 13 will be treated the same as career soldiers for the purpose of these accommodations.

Practical tools are included to help students catch up. Universities will keep lecture recordings available for three months after the semester ends. The plan also provides one-on-one tutoring for missed material. It allows for rescheduled exam dates and maximum credit exemptions.

Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, said the plan was built with the Council for Higher Education. He noted that the rules are a response to the needs seen in the field. He stated that those who serve are not asking for discounts but are demanding fairness. He said it is the duty of the institutions to ensure these students receive equal opportunity.

The plan builds on similar measures introduced in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years. It represents the third iteration of this specific support structure for students in uniform.