HUJI has a few furnished apartments for singles and families at the Student Village dorms, close to the Mt. Scopus campus and in several other locations. Those apartments can be a good solution for those who choose to search for a rental apartment while already being in Israel. The number of apartments is limited and based on availability.
For checking the apartments availability, please contact Ilanit Tobby Alimi: ilanitt@savion.huji.ac.il.
For a few more apartments in different locations, please contact Gal Lombrozo: Gallom@savion.huji.ac.il.
Off-Campus Housing
For assistance with finding suitable accommodation in Jerusalem, we suggest Trusted House - Off-campus housing solutions for international students and researchers in Jerusalem and Israel.
Please note that the University has no responsibility and makes no warranties concerning the services provided by the company and this information is provided to you as a courtesy only.
Another option is to search for an apartment in Jerusalem independently. Click here for tips how to do it.
For further info please visit: https://international.huji.ac.il/book/accommodation-0
In-campus accommodation
In principle the host professors are responsible for in-campus housing of visitors. Information can be found on the University website:
http://international.huji.ac.il/en/useful_information/housing#givat-ram-campus
You can live in one campus and work in other campus. Givat Ram dorms (Liberman dorms for Post-docs) is one studio apartment (kitchen and bedroom in a room) well equipped and maintained; Ein Kerem and Mount Scopus dorms are shared apartments with separate kitchen and bedrooms. Housing facilities for a family can be arranged but they are limited (Liberman dorms offer rooms for couples without kids).
Please note that the rooms in dormitories are furnished but no personal items are provided, such as blankets, pillows, bed linen, towels and kitchen accessories. You should bring them with you or arrange them with a colleague before your arrival, until you will be able to buy your own things.
The rental price includes water, gas, electricity, city taxes. Depending on the dorm, internet has to be arranged with Bezeq International (Bezeq Leumi) and paid separately. In case of Liberman, there is free high speed Wi-Fi.
You should ask the dormitories office what are the rules in term of guests. Some dorms do not allow hosting someone in your bedroom (even if you are a couple) for a short period; some dorms allow it with an additional rent.
Off-campus accommodation
A very popular classified ads website in Israel is Yad2 (second hand), www.yad2.co.il, in Hebrew. The apartment’s ads are all along the day. Once you find an interesting offer, call the publisher. Do not use the message service provided by the website.
List of neighborhoods:
|
City Center |
מרכז העיר |
Rasco |
רסקו |
|
Rehavia |
רחביה |
French Hill |
הגבעה הצרפתית |
|
Nachlaot |
נחלאות |
Beit HaKerem |
בית הכרם |
|
Old Katamon |
קטמון הישנה |
Talbyah |
טלביה |
|
Talpiyot |
תלפיות |
Musrara |
מוסררה |
|
Old city |
העיר העתיקה |
German Colony |
המושבה הגרמנית |
|
Nayot |
ניות |
Nahalat Shiva |
נחלת שבעה |
Lease
Contracts are usually for one year. After a year, a new contract should be signed. Note that the price can be increased by the landlord. You can agree on a rise in case of lease extension and write it as an option in the contract, but it is unofficial.
Budget
Prices are very dependent on the location, surface, etc. A rough estimation is around 3000-4000 NIS for a one-bedroom apartment and 5000-7000 NIS for a 2 bedrooms apartment. Additionally, you will have to pay the city tax (arnona), which value depends on the apartment (around 1-1.5 monthly rent per year), electricity, gas, water, internet and the building fees (Vad Bait).
Shared apartments
It is common to share an apartment. Be aware that Israelis search on short notice, that is, a few weeks (or even days) before the move in date.
Some residents look specifically for man/woman. In some ads it is specified if the kitchen is kosher and if the residents follow the rules of Shabbat. The code is SK/SS for Shomer Kasher/Shomer Shabbat = keep kosher/keep Shabbat.
First accommodation
You can consider subletting an apartment for your arrival, giving yourself time to discover the city and to visit apartments for a long-term rental.
Cleaning/Laundry
Automatic coin-operated self-service and service laundromats can be found in most (but not all) neighborhoods in Jerusalem. They provide facilities for washing and drying, dry-cleaning and pressing. Prices vary. Note that even coin-operated laundries are closed on the Sabbath and holidays.
In Givat Ram, at the dormitory building 9, there are several machines (also dryers) open 24/7 that can be used with coins or swiping a credit card (7NIS each use).