Travel and Packing
Preparing for JUC
Before your arrival at JUC, here are a few things you should take care of:
Required Forms
All incoming students must submit the Housing Form and Travel Form below.
Mapping Materials Package (Pre-Israel Assignment)
JUC desires that you are well-equipped to make the most out of the academic and spiritual investment you are preparing for. Before you begin your travels, you will be studying resources and marking maps to give you the framework for the Land you are about to encounter. Upon paying your deposit for a Long-Term program, you will be sent a Mapping Materials Package in the mail. You will use these maps in the classroom and field throughout your program.
It is important that you complete these materials before beginning your program. To do so, you will follow the instructions in your mapping packet. You should also be prepared with a set of colored felt-tipped markers or colored pencils (specifically red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and brown). Please estimate approximately 40 hours to mark your maps.
You will use the Regional Study Guide to complete your maps. More information about how to use and access the Regional Study Guide will be emailed to you and sent in your Mapping Materials Package.
Arrival In Israel
Please schedule your arrival in Jerusalem on the date that campus housing opens for your study program. To get to our campus from the Ben Gurion Airport, follow the insructions below:
1. Take the Jerusalem Shuttle Service (Nesher Sherut) to JUC.
The easiest way to get to campus from the airport is by taking a sherut, which is a shared taxi for 10 people (click here to see what they look like). Sheruts run 24-hours a day, including Shabbat, and the cost is $20 (USD) or 73 shekels per person. You do not need to tip your driver.
The sheruts are lined up waiting outside the Ben Gurion airport. To find them, exit the airport and look for yellow-white vehicles that resemble a van. Sheruts are different from regular taxis, which typically cost 300+ shekels ($100+).
Tell the sherut driver that you want to be dropped off at The American Institute on Mount Zion. If they do not recognize the name, you can tell them the Hebrew name: "Machon Amerikai." To avoid any additional fees, wait for the seats to fill before leaving. Then, prepare to hand payment to the sherut driver after arrival to your destination, when your bags are unloaded.
2. Walk from your drop-off point to the JUC campus.
Avoid using GPS or online maps. They are unreliable when navigating to JUC.
If you have trouble locating the campus, please call us:
- School office: +972-2-671-8628
3. Ring the button at the campus gate.
Ring the button for “JUC Office" or "Yard."
4. Enjoy your time.
Welcome to JUC! We are glad you are here.
Departure From Israel
Please schedule your departure no later than noon of the departure day of your study program. Staying on campus after your departure day is only allowed with prior approval from the administrative office, and those who stay must pay a per-day fee.
Communication
We want to get in touch with you before you come. If you will be at a different physical address than the one shown on your application before arriving in Israel, or if your email address is different than the one shown on your application, please let us know.
Bill Pay
Students are required either to have paid their bill in full before the beginning of the semester or have a written agreement with our North American office stipulating an alternative method of payment. You will not be able to formally register for classes or attend classes if this requirement is not fulfilled before you come.
Student Identity Card
Within the first two weeks of the semester you will be issued a Jerusalem University College student ID card. We recommend that you also obtain an International Student Identity Card before coming to Israel. This card will help you to save money in various ways, including on insurance coverage.
- If you are using a travel service to get your airline tickets, they may be able to obtain a card for you.
- If you wish to obtain a card on your own, you may obtain one through ISIC.
- It is also possible to get an International Student Identity Card once you have arrived in Israel.