The question of where to live during your time at the Hebrew University is one that we recommend considering as early as possible. Generally speaking, you can choose between living in the student dorms adjacent to campus, or residing off-campus. Both have their advantages; it boils down to the lifestyle you envision while here in Jerusalem, and what kind of environment and accommodations will best facilitate this for you.

Living in the dorms is a comfortable choice given their proximity to campus and the support and services offered by the management with all matters pertaining to administration and maintenance. What’s more, you’ll be surrounded by students like yourself, making it easy to get to know people and integrate yourself into a thriving community of students from across the globe. On the other hand, while the dorms are within walking distance of campus, they are a bus or light rail ride away from the city center, making public transportation and travel time a necessity in order to take advantage of much of what the city of Jerusalem has to offer its students.

Living off-campus (either with roommates or by yourself) allows you the opportunity to experience Jerusalem beyond the student community on campus, in a neighborhood of your choice (Nachlaot, Rechavya, Baka, and Beit HaKerem are all very popular amongst Jerusalem’s student community).  If you pursue this option, keep in mind that finding an apartment while you’re still in your home country can be a challenge, and studio apartments are hard to come by.

When considering your options, ask yourself what is most important to you –proximity to campus and minimal travel time, immersion in local culture and doorstep access to the city’s resources, living with other international students or Israelis, and more. These answers, along with the information provided below, will help you to identify the best fit.

Dormitory Housing

Whether you’re a student, a postdoctorate, or a visiting researcher, and whether you’re planning on moving to Israel alone, with your partner, or your family, Hebrew University offers university housing to suit your personal needs. Since student housing is assigned on a first come, first served basis, we recommend that you reserve your housing as early as possible.  Don’t worry, if your preferences shift after you’ve already been assigned university housing, you can still cancel your reservation.

Housing Types
Various types of dormitory housing are available across all Hebrew University campuses:

• Residence halls for singles: You’ll stay in a single- or double-room and share a common kitchen, showers and toilets with the other residents.
• Shared apartments: You’ll have a room to yourself or with a roommate, and the kitchen, bathroom and toilets are shared with the other residents of the apartment. In some locations, single or double apartments are also available.
• Research apartments: These typically have fewer bedrooms, accommodate less residents per apartment, and are reserved for students in advanced degree programs (graduate students and higher)
• Family apartments: You and your family will stay in a private, two- to three-room apartment.

All accommodations come with basic furniture (bed with mattress, desk, wardrobe, bookshelf, and chairs; shared spaces of apartments come with fridge, stovetop, dining table, and chairs). Kitchen equipment and bedding are not provided. Most dormitory complexes also offer facilities such as laundromats, computer rooms, and lounges.

Rent for dormitory housing varies according to room type and location, starting at ₪ 902 (US$ 280) for a shared room in a residence hall and up to₪ 2,074 (US$ 640) for a studio apartment. To view a detailed list of rental fees, please click here for single housing and here for family housing.

Locations
Below you’ll find a short overview of the different dormitory locations. For more detailed information, please refer to this website. 

Mount Scopus

Student Village
As the name suggest, the Student Village on French Hill covers a large area and comprises several buildings containing either apartments with five bedrooms for single students or two- to three-rooms for graduate students, couples and families . In the five-room apartments, every student will have his or her private bedroom.  

Bronfman (Idelson) Dorms
There are about 850 beds in shared two- and three-room apartments in the Bronfman (Idelson) Dormitories. Students either have a bedroom to themselves or share it with a fellow student.  A few one- and two-room apartments are also available for couples and families.

Maiersdorf (Reznik) Dorms
In the Maiersdorf (Reznik) Dorms, students live in halls of residence with 10 rooms on each floor and share the kitchen, bathroom and showers with the other residents. They either have a private bedroom to themselves or share it with another student. Two buildings are designated for graduate students.
Scopus Student Village
As the name suggests, the Scopus Student Village in the French Hill spans a large area and comprises several buildings containing either apartments with five bedrooms for single students or two- to three-rooms for graduate students, couples, and families. In five-room apartments, each student has a private bedroom.  

Bronfman (Idelson) Dorms
There are about 850 beds in shared two- and three-room apartments in the Bronfman (Idelson) Dormitories. Students either have a bedroom to themselves or share it with a fellow student. A few one- and two-room apartments are also available for couples and families.

Maiersdorf (Reznik) Dorms
In the Maiersdorf (Reznik) Dorms, students live in residence halls with 10 rooms on each floor and a common kitchen, bathroom and showers for all residents. They either have a private bedroom to themselves or share it with another student. Two buildings are designated for graduate students.

Edmond J. Safra Campus (Givat Ram)

Zweig Dormitories
The Zweig Dormitories comprise several halls of residence for singles with shared bathrooms, showers and kitchens. Most of the bedrooms are shared, though there are also a few private rooms.

Lieberman Dormitories
The 101 one-room apartments in the Lieberman Dormitories are designated for graduate students only. All apartments include a kitchen, shower and restroom. A limited number of apartments for families is also available.

Ein Kerem and Kiryat Hayovel

Boston Housing Complex, Ein Kerem Medical Campus
These dormitories are intended for students in the Faculties/Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Sciences, and Public Health. Students stay in residence halls with shared facilities. Most share their bedroom with a roommate, though a few private bedrooms and a limited number of two- and three-room apartments for single students or couples are also available.

Kiryat Hayovel – Guatemala Housing Complex
The Guatemala Housing Complex offers single students shared bedrooms in two- to three-bedroom apartments. Several apartments for single students or couples are also available.Kiryat Hayovel – Stern 

Kiryat Hayovel – Stern Housing Comple

The two- to three-room apartments in these dorms are designated for graduate students (singles, couples or families).

Rehovot

Students at the Faculty of Agriculture in Rehovot are offered private or shared bedrooms in residence halls or a private room in a shared apartment.

Registration

Please refer to the website of the Dormitory Administration Office to apply for university housing. You’ll be required to pay a registration fee of ₪100. Once you’ve been assigned a room at the dorms, you may also indicate preferences regarding your room assignment, for example, if you wish to live with a specific roommate. On this Q&A website, you will find detailed registration procedures.

Off-Campus Housing

Costs
If you’re looking for off-campus housing and willing to share an apartment with other students, you should expect to pay between US $450-850 per month, depend­ing on the size, location, and the number of roommates. Studio apartments usually cost at least US $900 per month. When choosing to rent an apartment, you should take into account that additional expenses are typically not included in the advertised rental fee, such as:

• Electricity
• Water
• Gas
• Municipal taxes (Arnona) – see below
• Monthly building maintenance fees (va’ad bayit)

Arnona Payments
All cities in Israel charge Arnona, a property tax. Tenants are obligated to make these payments, which are calculated according to the size of your apartment. Students are generally entitled to a discount, depending on their income.

To claim the Arnona discount, you will need to present the following documents:

• Official passport and visa, and a copy of each
• Copy of a valid rental contract, including the exact start and end date
• Arnona number of your apartment (ask your roommates or the landlord)
• Student card and certificate of enrollment at Hebrew University
• Statement from a lawyer confirming your income

During the academic year, lawyers offer their services once a week at the different campuses, and you may ask a lawyer for a statement confirming that your income is as you have declared. For details regarding lawyer consultation hours, please contact the Student Union at mazkirut@aguda.org.il. After receiving the lawyer’s statement, you’ll need to schedule an appointment with the municipality by calling *3552.
Please visit the homepage of the Arnona Unit at the Municipality of Jerusalem for further information.

Finding an Apartment
The most popular way of searching for an apartment or a room in a shared apartment in Jerusalem is through posting in and replying to advertisements in Facebook groups. Most of them are in Hebrew only. If you scan the offers, you’ll notice that many people advertise their room/apartment only several days before it becomes available. In fact, it is rather uncommon in Israel to advertise apartments months in advance.

Helpful Tips

• To get more exposure, consider asking an Israeli friend or family member to translate your post into Hebrew and publish it for you in Hebrew-only Facebook groups.
• If you talk to the current tenant or landlord, always ask if the expenses for utilities, etc., are included in the advertised price; if not, then be sure to inquire as to how much you’ll have to pay in additional fees.  
• We highly recommend visiting the apartment or room before signing a rental contract. If you cannot stay with family or friends in Israel while looking for an apartment in Jerusalem, you may want to consider booking short-term housing through the university or a hotel, until you manage to find a suitable place for your long-term stay.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of local Facebook groups for finding housing in Jerusalem:

Looking for an Apartment in Jerusalem
Apartments for Rent in Jerusalem
Looking for an apartment in Jerusalem...
Apartments for Rent in Nachlaot Jerusalem
Apartments/roommates in Jerusalem
Apartments for Rent in Jerusalem / Rechavia / Nachlaot / Baka / Talbiya
Secret Jerusalem
Secret Jerusalem 2
International student housing/apartment forum - Jerusalem
For rent in Jerusalem

*Kindly note, the above-listed groups operate entirely independently of the Hebrew University, and we therefore cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, reliability or suitability of the information that they provide.

Short-Term Housing

Lecturers, guests and students from abroad may apply for short-term housing at the Student Village near Mount Scopus Campus. The guest rooms and apartment units can be booked for at least a week and up to three months. All apartments are fully equipped, including a kitchen with kitchenware and electric appliances, as well as bedding and towels. This offer is based on availability only. If you are interested, please write to ilanitt@savion.huji.ac.il.