Overview
The Arava Institute offers a university-level, interdisciplinary study abroad program where you receive a cutting-edge environmental education and participate in the regional peace-building process with students from all over the world. You enroll in 4-5 courses, and all are taught in English.
Academics
You can choose from a wide variety of courses in natural and social environmental studies, such as water management, renewable energy, ecology, sustainable agriculture, environmental politics, and more. You can also pursue an independent research project while on the program. Field trips are incorporated into the academic coursework to better understand how these issues are dealt with in real-world contexts.
Program Features
The Arava Institute is located on a kibbutz, which is a communal living environment. In this environment, you will live and study with students from all over the Middle East and the world. A variety of extra-curricular activities are available on the kibbutz, including yoga, hiking, gardening, and camping.
All students live in shared apartments. An effort is made to ensure that each apartment consists of students from a variety of different countries and cultures.
Eligibility
Review eligibility to ensure that you meet all Columbia requirements to study abroad.
Review the external program webpage to understand any additional program prerequisites.
Application Instructions
To apply, you must complete the two steps below. Deadlines vary, and some applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Therefore, you should complete the steps below simultaneously:
- To apply for Columbia clearance (approval) to study abroad, click on "Start Your Application" on this webpage. Clearance applications are approved on a rolling basis until the application deadline listed on this webpage.
- To apply for program admission, complete an external application directly on the program webpage. Note that this deadline may be in advance of the Columbia clearance deadline.