Government restores free college tuition for IDF veterans after budget woes

The military and Defense Ministry on Wednesday announced that a program that funds university studies for some recently released soldiers would continue as normal this upcoming year, despite initial budgetary concerns.

The program, dubbed “From Uniforms to University,” provides two-thirds of the recipient’s tuition for a bachelor’s degree. It is available to veterans of combat units, as well as people from “special populations”: lone soldiers, who either do not have family in the country or are not supported financially by them; new immigrants; conscripted soldiers who have children; and recognized minorities.

In light of the current economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the funding dried up for the program — known in Hebrew as Mimadim Lelimudim — whereupon the Defense Ministry closed its registration.

That decision, which was first revealed by Army Radio, led to harsh public criticism, notably from Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Liberman, who served as defense minister when the program was created.

“Freezing the program when young people are especially being hit hard in the economic crisis is an embarrassment and proof that this is an out-of-touch government that is screwing over young people who contributed to society and to the country,” Liberman wrote in a tweet Tuesday.

Following the outcry, the Defense Ministry and Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday announced that the program would open for the coming academic year and that the gaps in the budget would be filled by donations.

“The Defense and Finance Ministries are working to finalize the funding sources — from donations — that are needed to fund the program so that registration will open on September 1,” the IDF and Defense Ministry said in a joint statement.

Following the announcement, Liberman praised the move, calling it “correct and important.”

“Whoever contributes to the state needs to be at the top of the priority list. Well done, IDF and Defense Ministry, for bringing back the program,” he wrote in a tweet.

The program is open to any former soldier — male or female — who enlisted in the IDF after July 1, 2013, and who either performed full combat service or who came from one of the military’s “special population” groups.

“The IDF and Defense Ministry see great importance in continuing to carry out this program that has great national importance and whose goal is to show appreciation for combat soldiers and troops from special populations for their service in the IDF,” they said in their joint statement.