A soldier was denied the full amount of the "From Uniform to University" scholarship - due to the intervention of the Office the Ombdusman his requestwas approved
The Department for Discharged Soldiers and Reservists at the Ministry of Defense (the Department) grants scholarships entitled "From Uniform to University" to combat soldiers and special populations, for academic studies towards a bachelor's degree or a master's degree at institutions accredited by the Council for Higher Education.
A discharged soldier who was eligible for the scholarship contacted the Office of the Ombudsman, complaining that the Department had rejected his application to receive the full amount of the scholarship, because his studies were conducted in a special track whereby he completed a bachelor's degree in one academic year instead of three.
The complainant noted that even though he had completed the bachelor's degree in one academic year, the tuition fees were identical to the tuition charged over three years for a regular bachelor's degree.The Department granted him the sum of just NIS 9,000, on the grounds that the full scholarship was only awarded to students whose degree required a course of study for three years. The complainant emphasized that he had enrolled for this degree while relying upon the fact that the degree would be financed via this scholarship.
Following an inquiry from the Office of the Ombudsman to the Department for Discharged Soldiers and Reservists, the complainant's application was reexamined, and the Department agreed to pay him the full amount of the tuition fees.
