Admissions

At the Zschool we are creating a different future by educating leaders.

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program requirements

Each applicant is viewed as a unique individual. You must be able to meet our requirements by June of the summer you intend to enroll

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View Requirements
Brief Application

Start your process with Part 1 of our application. It’s easy to do and takes less than 1 minute.

Once you submit Part 1, you are officially in our system as an applicant. You will soon receive email instructions for creating an account and moving on to Part 2.

Apply now >

Admissions Meeting

Before filling out Part 2 of the application, we recommend that applicants contact us to set up a conversation and/or a virtual visit. This will help you learn if the Zelikow School is a great match for you.

Full Application

This is the bulk of your application, which includes in-depth questions about your desire to pursue this professional degree.

If you have already submitted Part 1, you should have received an email with login instructions for Part 2. You can return to edit this application at any time.

Are you having issues accessing the application? Contact Melissa Garai for help.

Application Essays

Revised Essays 2025-2026

These writing samples are your chance to share why the Zschool is the right place for you. You’ll upload these essays in the “Supplemental Materials” section of the application portal.

Writing Sample #1 Personal Statement

We want to understand you better. We’re looking for a well-written personal statement that addresses the following themes. Please do not exceed 5 double-spaced pages.

  • Personal Background
  • Jewish Identity
  • Academic Background
  • Work Experience
  • Professional Goals

Choose between the following Short Essay Prompts:

Writing Sample Short Essay- Option A

At Zschool, we believe that meaningful leadership often requires the courage to take risks—whether in thought, action, or spirit.
Describe a time when you took a personal or professional risk. What motivated you, what was at stake, and what did you learn from the experience? How has that shaped your understanding of leadership or innovation?

Please do not exceed 3 double-spaced pages.

Writing Sample Short Essay- Option B

You are the leader of an elite team funded with unlimited budget to solve a problem confronting the North American or global Jewish community. What would you choose and why do you believe it is worth investing community resources to solve?
Think outside the box and use your imagination to create something that stands out and resonates with your audience.

Please do not exceed 3 double-spaced pages.

 

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL COMPONENT FOR OPTION B: How would you get the word out about the project you created with the invested community resources? Create a social media post to promote your idea.

Guidelines:

  1. Time Limit: Spend no more than 90 minutes creating your post.
  2. Platform/Format: Choose any social media platform or format you feel comfortable with—Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter (X), Yelp, or even a mock email post.
  3. Length: If you create a video, it should be no longer than 60 seconds. Text should include no more than 250 words.
  4. Submission: You have two options for sharing your post with us:  Either: Copy and paste the full post into the same PDF or Word document where you’re writing your essays, and upload that file under “Supplemental Materials.”
    Or:  Include a link to the post in a PDF or Word document, and upload that file under “Supplemental Materials.
Supplemental Materials

References
Students applying for a degree are required to submit 3 letters of recommendation. Please include 1 letter from each category below.

  1. Professional Recommendation. You are encouraged to select a current or previous supervisor of paid or volunteer work (Working applicants must submit a recommendation from a current supervisor unless otherwise approved.)
  2. Academic Recommendation. This can be a college professor or instructor with whom you have engaged in serious academic study. If you have been out of school for 5+ years, adult or informal education instructors work too.
  3. Jewish Life Recommendation. This should be someone who knows you in the context of Jewish organizational/communal life. If you know a graduate of the Zschool, this is a great place to include them, but only if they know you well enough to comment meaningfully on your candidacy.

Transcripts

Place an Order For Your Transcripts 

Please request transcripts at least four weeks before the application deadline to allow time for them to be sent to HUC. Transcripts need to be received in order to schedule an interview and determine possible transfer credits. Please provide us with one copy of an official transcript from all of the following: 

  • The college from which you graduated as well as any other colleges you attended. (This includes any school at which you took a college-level course for transfer credit.) 
  • Any graduate schools where you have been enrolled, as well as schools where you have taken graduate-level classes. 
  • Any “Year Abroad” programs or other foreign studies. (If grades from international programs are recorded on your college transcript you do not need to submit a separate transcript.) 

Have your schools mail the transcripts directly to: 

(If electronic: mwaldron@huc.edu) 

Office of Recruitment and Admissions 
Hebrew Union College  

3101 Clifton Avenue 
Cincinnati, OH 45220 

Instructions for applicants with degrees from non-English schools or programs: 

Year-by-year records from colleges and universities attended are required. The record must indicate the number of hours per week devoted to each course, grades received for each course, and degrees awarded, with dates the degrees were conferred. This information must be provided in English. If this information is not available in English, it is the applicant’s responsibility to have it professionally translated and certified before it is sent to HUC-JIR. If grades are not determined on a 4.0 scale system, please include guidelines in English from the school that explain the grading system. 

Professional Resume

Admissions Interview and Possible Outcomes

Admissions Interview

Interview with a panel of Administrators, Faculty, Alumni and/or lay leaders from the Zelikow School. This helps us to assess who you are as a person and allows you to present yourself “off the page”. The interview is also a chance to ask questions of various Zelikow School stakeholders. There is space on the application to indicate your availability.

Possible Admissions Outcomes

Following interviews, the Admissions Committee will communicate one of the following decisions:

  • Admitted 
    • Note: Applicants admitted with a GPA below 3.0 will receive a conditional acceptance, whereby they must earn a grade of Pass on all summer coursework to remain in the program.
  • Not At This Time  
  • Rejected 
  • Waitlist 
  • Degree Track Redirect
Brief Application

Start your process with Part 1 of our application. It’s easy to do and takes less than 1 minute.

Once you submit Part 1, you are officially in our system as an applicant. You will soon receive email instructions for creating an account and moving on to Part 2.

Apply now >

Admissions Meeting

Before filling out Part 2 of the application, we recommend that applicants contact us to set up a conversation and/or a virtual visit. We’d love to introduce you a classroom experience and/or set you up for a chat with a student and/or professor. This will help you learn if the Zelikow School is a great match for you.

Full Application

This is the bulk of your application, which includes in-depth questions about your desire to pursue this professional degree.

If you have already submitted Part 1, you should have received an email with login instructions for Part 2. You can return to edit this application at any time.

Are you having issues accessing the application? Contact Melissa Garai for help.

Application Essays

NOTE: If you are applying to the Zelikow School as an HUC-JIR student or concurrent applicant, please see this page for essay prompts. 

Revised Essays 2025-2026

These writing samples are your chance to share why the Zschool is the right place for you. You’ll upload these essays in the “Supplemental Materials” section of the application portal.

Writing Sample #1 Personal Statement

We want to understand you better. We’re looking for a well-written personal statement that addresses the following themes. Please do not exceed 5 double-spaced pages.

  • Personal Background
  • Jewish Identity
  • Academic Background
  • Work Experience
  • Professional Goals

Choose between the following Short Essay Prompts:

Writing Sample Short Essay- Option A

At Zschool, we believe that meaningful leadership often requires the courage to take risks—whether in thought, action, or spirit.
Describe a time when you took a personal or professional risk. What motivated you, what was at stake, and what did you learn from the experience? How has that shaped your understanding of leadership or innovation?

Please do not exceed 3 double-spaced pages.

Writing Sample Short Essay- Option B

You are the leader of an elite team funded with unlimited budget to solve a problem confronting the North American or global Jewish community. What would you choose and why do you believe it is worth investing community resources to solve?
Think outside the box and use your imagination to create something that stands out and resonates with your audience.

Please do not exceed 3 double-spaced pages.

 

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL COMPONENT FOR OPTION B: How would you get the word out about the project you created with the invested community resources? Create a social media post to promote your idea.

Guidelines:

  1. Time Limit: Spend no more than 90 minutes creating your post.
  2. Platform/Format: Choose any social media platform or format you feel comfortable with—Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter (X), Yelp, or even a mock email post.
  3. Length: If you create a video, it should be no longer than 60 seconds. Text should include no more than 250 words.
  4. Submission: You have two options for sharing your post with us:  Either: Copy and paste the full post into the same PDF or Word document where you’re writing your essays, and upload that file under “Supplemental Materials.”
    Or:  Include a link to the post in a PDF or Word document, and upload that file under “Supplemental Materials.
Supplemental Materials

References
Students applying for a degree are required to submit 3 letters of recommendation. Please include 1 letter from each category below.

  1. Professional Recommendation. You are encouraged to select a current or previous supervisor of paid or volunteer work (Working applicants must submit a recommendation from a current supervisor unless otherwise approved.)
  2. Academic Recommendation. This can be a college professor or instructor with whom you have engaged in serious academic study. If you have been out of school for 5+ years, adult or informal education instructors work too.
  3. Jewish Life Recommendation. This should be someone who knows you in the context of Jewish organizational/communal life. If you know a graduate of the Zschool, this is a great place to include them, but only if they know you well enough to comment meaningfully on your candidacy.

Transcripts

Place an Order For Your Transcripts 

Please request transcripts at least four weeks before the application deadline to allow time for them to be sent to HUC. Transcripts need to be received in order to schedule an interview and determine possible transfer credits. Please provide us with one copy of an official transcript from all of the following: 

  • The college from which you graduated as well as any other colleges you attended. (This includes any school at which you took a college-level course for transfer credit.) 
  • Any graduate schools where you have been enrolled, as well as schools where you have taken graduate-level classes. 
  • Any “Year Abroad” programs or other foreign studies. (If grades from international programs are recorded on your college transcript you do not need to submit a separate transcript.) 

Have your schools mail the transcripts directly to: 

(If electronic: mwaldron@huc.edu) 

Office of Recruitment and Admissions 
Hebrew Union College  

3101 Clifton Avenue 
Cincinnati, OH 45220  

Instructions for applicants with degrees from non-English schools or programs: 

Year-by-year records from colleges and universities attended are required. The record must indicate the number of hours per week devoted to each course, grades received for each course, and degrees awarded, with dates the degrees were conferred. This information must be provided in English. If this information is not available in English, it is the applicant’s responsibility to have it professionally translated and certified before it is sent to HUC-JIR. If grades are not determined on a 4.0 scale system, please include guidelines in English from the school that explain the grading system. 

Professional Resume

Admissions Interview and Possible Outcomes

Admissions Interview

Interview with a panel of Administrators, Faculty, Alumni and/or lay leaders from the Zelikow School. This helps us to assess who you are as a person and allows you to present yourself “off the page”. The interview is also a chance to ask questions of various Zelikow School stakeholders. There is space on the application to indicate your availability.

Possible Admissions Outcomes

Following interviews, the Admissions Committee will communicate one of the following decisions:

  • Admitted 
    • Note: Applicants admitted with a GPA below 3.0 will receive a conditional acceptance, whereby they must earn a grade of Pass on all summer coursework to remain in the program.
  • Not At This Time  
  • Rejected 
  • Waitlist 
  • Degree Track Redirect
Brief Application

Start your process with Part 1 of our application. It’s easy to do and takes less than 1 minute.

Once you submit Part 1, you are officially in our system as an applicant. You will soon receive email instructions for creating an account and moving on to Part 2.

This application needs to be completed in addition to other HUC applications you will be or have completed.

Apply now >

Admissions Meeting

Before filling out Part 2 of the application, we recommend that applicants contact us to set up a conversation and/or a virtual visit. This will help you learn if the Zelikow School is a great match for you.

Application Part 2

This is the bulk of your application, which includes in-depth questions about your desire to pursue this professional degree.

If you have already submitted Part 1, you should have received an email with login instructions for Part 2. You can return to edit this application at any time.

Are you having issues accessing the application? Contact Melissa Garai for help.

Application Essays

NOTE: If you are applying to the Zelikow School as an HUC-JIR student or concurrent applicant, please see this page for essay prompts. 

These writing samples are your chance to share why the Zschool is the right place for you. You’ll upload these essays in the “Supplemental Materials” section of the application portal.

Writing Sample #1 Personal Statement

We want to understand you better. We’re looking for a well-written personal statement that addresses the following themes. Please do not exceed 5 double-spaced pages.

  • Personal Background
  • Jewish Identity
  • Academic Background
  • Work Experience
  • Professional Goals

Choose between the following Short Essay Prompts:

Writing Sample Short Essay- Option A

At Zschool, we believe that meaningful leadership often requires the courage to take risks—whether in thought, action, or spirit.
Describe a time when you took a personal or professional risk. What motivated you, what was at stake, and what did you learn from the experience? How has that shaped your understanding of leadership or innovation?

Please do not exceed 3 double-spaced pages.

Writing Sample Short Essay- Option B

You are the leader of an elite team funded with unlimited budget to solve a problem confronting the North American or global Jewish community. What would you choose and why do you believe it is worth investing community resources to solve?
Think outside the box and use your imagination to create something that stands out and resonates with your audience.

Please do not exceed 3 double-spaced pages.

 

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL COMPONENT FOR OPTION B: How would you get the word out about the project you created with the invested community resources? Create a social media post to promote your idea.

Guidelines:

  1. Time Limit: Spend no more than 90 minutes creating your post.
  2. Platform/Format: Choose any social media platform or format you feel comfortable with—Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter (X), Yelp, or even a mock email post.
  3. Length: If you create a video, it should be no longer than 60 seconds. Text should include no more than 250 words.
  4. Submission: You have two options for sharing your post with us:  Either: Copy and paste the full post into the same PDF or Word document where you’re writing your essays, and upload that file under “Supplemental Materials.”
    Or:  Include a link to the post in a PDF or Word document, and upload that file under “Supplemental Materials.
Supplemental Materials

References
Students applying for a degree are required to submit 3 letters of recommendation. Please include at least 1 letter from each category below.

  1. Professional Recommendation. You are encouraged to select a current or previous supervisor of paid or volunteer work (MSOLI applicants must submit a recommendation from a current supervisor unless otherwise approved.)
  2. Academic Recommendation. This can be a college professor or instructor with whom you have engaged in serious academic study. If you have been out of school for 5+ years, adult or informal education instructors work too.
  3. Jewish Life Recommendation. This should be someone who knows you in the context of Jewish organizational/communal life. If you know a graduate of the Zschool, this is a great place to include them, but only if they know you well enough to comment meaningfully on your candidacy.

Transcripts

Place an Order For Your Transcripts 

Please request transcripts at least four weeks before the application deadline to allow time for them to be sent to HUC. Transcripts need to be received in order to schedule an interview and determine possible transfer credits. Please provide us with one copy of an official transcript from all of the following: 

  • The college from which you graduated as well as any other colleges you attended. (This includes any school at which you took a college-level course for transfer credit.) 
  • Any graduate schools where you have been enrolled, as well as schools where you have taken graduate-level classes. 
  • Any “Year Abroad” programs or other foreign studies. (If grades from international programs are recorded on your college transcript you do not need to submit a separate transcript.) 

Have your schools mail the transcripts directly to: 

(If electronic: mwaldron@huc.edu) 

Office of Recruitment and Admissions 
Hebrew Union College  

3101 Clifton Avenue 
Cincinnati, OH 45220 

Instructions for applicants with degrees from non-English schools or programs: 

Year-by-year records from colleges and universities attended are required. The record must indicate the number of hours per week devoted to each course, grades received for each course, and degrees awarded, with dates the degrees were conferred. This information must be provided in English. If this information is not available in English, it is the applicant’s responsibility to have it professionally translated and certified before it is sent to HUC-JIR. If grades are not determined on a 4.0 scale system, please include guidelines in English from the school that explain the grading system. 

Professional Resume

Admissions Interview and Possible Outcomes

Admissions Interview

Interview with a panel of Administrators, Faculty, Alumni and/or lay leaders from the Zelikow School. This helps us to assess who you are as a person and allows you to present yourself “off the page”. The interview is also a chance to ask questions of various Zelikow School stakeholders. There is space on the application to indicate your availability.

Possible Admissions Outcomes

Following interviews, the Admissions Committee will communicate one of the following decisions:

  • Admitted 
    • Note: Applicants admitted with a GPA below 3.0 will receive a conditional acceptance, whereby they must earn a grade of Pass on all summer coursework to remain in the program.
  • Not At This Time  
  • Rejected 
  • Waitlist 
  • Degree Track Redirect
NOVEMBER 15, 2025

First Round Online Applications Due

NOVEMBER 15, 2025
DECEMBER 1-4, 2025

First Round Interview Dates (Zoom)

DECEMBER 1-4, 2025
January 30, 2026

Second Round Online Applications Due

January 30, 2026
February 17-19, 2026

Second Round Interview Dates (Zoom)

February 17-19, 2026
March 5, 2026

Third Round Online Applications Due

March 5, 2026
March 20, 26-27, 30-31, 2026

Third Round Interview Dates (Zoom)

March 20, 26-27, 30-31, 2026
April 10, 2026

Fourth Round Online Applications Due

April 10, 2026
April 20-23, 2026

Fourth Round Interview Dates (Zoom)

April 20-23, 2026
Financial Aid

We believe cost should not be a limiting factor for those wanting to pursue a Jewish professional career. We provide generous scholarships of up to 80%.

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Calendar

All Zschool dates subject to change

Fall (2025)

August 18: First Day of Classes
September 1: Labor Day (No Classes)
September 23-24: Rosh Hashanah (No Classes)
October 1: Kol Nidre (No Classes)
October 2: Yom Kippur (No Classes)
October 7-8: Sukkot I-II (No Classes)
October 14-15: Shmini Atzeret, Simchat Torah (No Classes)
November 27-28: Thanksgiving Break (No Classes)
December 15: Last Day of Classes
December 16-17: Reading Days
December 18-19: Final Exams

Spring (2026)

January 19:  Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No Classes)
January 20: First Day of Classes
February 16: Presidents’ Day (No Classes)
April 1-12: Pesach Break (No Classes)
April 30: Last Day of Classes
May 4: HUC-JIR NY Graduation
May 4-6: Reading Days
May 7-8: Final Exams
May 18: HUC-JIR LA Graduation

Summer (2026)

June 7-11: Zschool Leadership Conference, in-person in Los Angeles, CA
June 22: First Day of Classes
August 5: Last day of Classes
Mon-Wed, August 4-6: Makeup Classes
August 6: MSOLI Graduation and Culmination 

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View Full Calendar

Certificate in jewish organizational leadership* (7 weeks)

Enrollment confirmation

$200

Enrollment confirmation

$200

Enrollment confirmation

$200

Cost of attendance

$55,350

Learn more about program costs and scholarship information.

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Join the Zelikow School Mailing List

Zschool Admission Requirements

  • A BA or BS degree from an accredited college or university
  • An academic record reflecting the ability to do graduate work at a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or above on a four-point scale
  • A readiness for graduate study, including the capacity to meet the intellectual, ethical, and emotional demands of graduate school.
  • A serious commitment to Jewish communal life, learning and values.
  • Demonstrated Jewish communal leadership experience.
  • An ability to engage in abstract reasoning, to think analytically and conceptually, and to formulate mature, independent judgments.
  • An ability to speak and write clearly and articulately.

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) , where applicable. Read below. 

    International applicants for whom English is not the first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in approximately 100 centers outside the United States. See the information available at: www.ets.org/toefl. The TOEFL school code for HUC is 1291.  

    Candidates who feel they have acquired proficiency in English language may contact admissions to request a waiver of this requirement. Criteria that may merit an exemption from the TOEFL requirement includes (but is not limited to) the following:   

    • Previous assessment of English capacity resulting in evidence of a candidate’s ability to understand and communicate in English.  
    • Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree in English (i.e. BA in English).  
    • A candidate who has studied or worked and/or is currently working with an organization while utilizing English as the primary language.   

    Please contact admissions@huc.edu to submit your waiver request and/or with questions. 

Zschool - Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management

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Our project-intensive curriculum engages you in creative problem solving that will shape your practice as a nonprofit professional.

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