The Technion announces a series of academic accommodations as a result of the current war

The Technion has announced a series of adjustments to the academic calendar for the upcoming academic year that will benefit the entire student body, as well as more extensive adjustments for students who were mobilized and are taking part in the war. Currently, 30% of the Technion’s students (both men and women) are serving in the army reserves, as are many members of the academic and administrative faculty and the teaching staff. This morning, the presidents of Israel’s research universities announced that the 2023-24 academic year will be postponed until soldiers in the reserves start to be demobilized, but not earlier than December 24^th, 2023.

The events of October 7^th and the subsequent war have impacted all Israelis, including the entire student population. The Technion is committed to supporting its students in a variety of ways during these difficult times, such as financial assistance for rent for dorm rooms, special financial aid, scholarships, and personal academic support.

The 2023-24 academic calendar will consist of two semesters, and the summer semester will be cancelled. Final exams for the spring-summer semester will take place near the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year. During the two weeks that precede the opening of the current academic year and during the first week of classes, a “getting back on track” program will enable students, and especially those serving in the reserves, to return to a normal routine and readjust to civilian life as seamlessly as possible.

The new academic adjustments announced by the Technion are intended for four groups:

1. The general student body;
2. Students currently serving in the reserves who will be demobilized by the beginning of the academic year;
3. Students who will continue to actively serve in the reserves after the start of the academic year;
4. Students who were affected by the war in a substantial and concrete manner, such as those who were harmed or were evacuated from their homes or whose loved ones were affected.

The initiative was headed by Senior Executive Vice President Prof. Oded Rabinovitch, Dean of Undergraduate Studies Prof. Hossam Haick, and Dean of the Graduate School Prof. Uri Peskin, together with faculty deans and associate deans, Dean of Students, undergraduate studies teams, and the Technion Student Association.

Adjustments for the entire student body:

• For undergraduate students: a grade of 55 or more can be converted to a “Pass” grade for two subjects studied during the spring and summer semesters of the 2022-23 academic year. In addition, individual consideration will be given in cases when this is the last grade of the degree.
• For graduate students: additional dates for English exams; the option to waive one course in their final transcript instead of the requirement to improve a grade; and the option to replace a grade of 65 or above with a “Pass” grade in one subject studied during the spring or summer semesters of the 2022-23 academic year.

Additional academic adjustments for students serving in the reserves and for students who have children and whose spouse is serving in the reserves:

• Option of receiving more credit points for military service than what was customary until now.
• Converting a numeric grade into a “Passing” mark for courses studied during the spring or summer semesters of the 2022-23 academic year; for four subjects for those serving in the reserves who are demobilized before the beginning of the new semester, and for an unlimited number of courses for those demobilized after the start of the new semester.
• Concessions regarding the attendance requirement during the week prior to testing during reserve duty.
• Extra classes to catch up and reinforce the material, offered by the teaching staff.
• Special time extensions of 25% for all exams.
• For students in advanced degree programs: postponing the semester to complete the English exam requirement.

These academic adjustments join a series of benefits that the Technion already offers students serving in the reserves during the last month since the war broke out:

• A NIS 6,000 grant to every student serving in the reserves, intended for tuition, rent in the Technion dorms, or other expenses related to tuition.
• A complete exemption from rent for the months of October and November 2023, for students in the reserves living in campus dorms, as well as for their partners.
• Emotional aid and counseling to provide relief and support.
• Special financial aid to students serving in the reserves and their families (in addition to deferring tuition payments and continuing to receive scholarships for advanced degrees).

The academic departments, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Office of the Dean of Students will provide support and solutions on a personal basis for students who were significantly and concretely affected by the war; those who were harmed or whose loved ones were harmed, those who were evacuated from their homes, etc., as well as those who continue to serve in the reserves after the start of the new semester and require additional assistance.

Click here for the complete list of adjustments for undergraduate students.