Atuda

Atuda, or Academic Atuda (Hebrew: עתודה אקדמית, literally: Academic Reserve), is a program of the Israeli Defense Forces which enables high school graduates to defer the draft and attend university prior to their military service.

In many fields, the army needs soldiers with a much broader education and academic background, such as engineers, physicians, economists, nurses, and lawyers.

Usually, the Atudai attends officer training after completing their studies, but before starting obligatory service.

This program is shorter (one or two years instead of three or four), and usually takes place in technological colleges instead of universities.

[2][3] If the enrollees wish to opt out of the program, e.g. if they changed their mind, they will have to settle the prior tuition payments with the army, which, as a consequence, turn into debt.