The 2026–27 academic year is set to commence at 57 higher education institutions across Israel, reflecting continued growth within the university and college system. According to projections from the Council for Higher Education (CHE) and its Planning and Budgeting Committee (PBC), around 350,900 students are expected to enroll, marking a 2.1% increase from the previous year.
In the 2025–26 academic year, enrollment reached 343,717 students, a rise of 2.8% compared to 2024–25. This included 262,083 students pursuing bachelor’s degrees, 68,497 seeking master’s degrees, 12,356 enrolled in doctoral programs, and 781 in certificate programs.
Undergraduate programs accounted for approximately 90% of the enrollment increase during 2025–26, with a 3.4% rise from the previous year. The majority of new undergraduates were registered at privately funded academic colleges and the Open University of Israel, which collectively added 7,978 students—representing 84.6% of total growth.
Demand for first-year undergraduate places surged by 4.5%, while applicants for bachelor’s degree programs rose by about 7.2%. Popular fields included medicine, dentistry, health professions, architecture, and engineering. Enrollment growth for advanced degrees was more modest, with master’s programs increasing by 0.9% and doctoral students growing by 1.3%.
The largest increases in undergraduate enrollment among specific fields were noted in education, which saw an addition of 2,290 students (up 7.5%); law, gaining 1,437 students (up 8.5%); social sciences, which added 1,194 students (up 3.3%); and humanities, which grew by 1,024 students (up 10.9%). While enrollment in technology-related fields fluctuated, the number of students in data science and artificial intelligence reached 2,259. Six new AI degree programs were approved for the upcoming academic year, expected to accommodate around 800 more students. However, mathematics, statistics, and computer science witnessed a 7.4% decline in enrollment, while engineering remained stable.
Medical Program Expansion
In a notable trend, 1,404 students commenced medical studies in 2025–26, reflecting an 11% increase. For 2026–27, the forecast anticipates 1,560 new medical students, with a goal of reaching 1,700 by the 2027–28 academic year. This growth is facilitated by the establishment of new medical faculties at institutions including Reichman University, the University of Haifa, and the Weizmann Institute of Science, alongside the introduction of Israel’s first physician assistant training program.
In northern Israel, the Tel-Hai Academic College has transitioned to university status, now known as the University of Kiryat Shmona in the Galilee. Additionally, Sakhnin College is progressing towards becoming a general academic college, with funding for this transition already in place. The government has allocated approximately 490 million shekels to develop academic supercomputing infrastructure focused on artificial intelligence from 2026 to 2028.
The higher education sector has also adapted to challenges posed by recent events, with around 70,000 students serving in military reserves last year, accounting for 20.4% of the student population. All institutions implemented a unified national framework to provide academic support, scholarships, and individual assistance, resulting in a lower dropout rate among reserve students compared to their peers.
Further representation among diverse groups has continued, with 20,006 students from ultra-Orthodox backgrounds, a 6.2% increase; 65,386 Arab students representing 19% of total enrollment; and 4,770 students of Ethiopian descent. Women constitute 58.6% of the total student body. Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) indicates that about 61% of Israeli students complete their bachelor’s degrees within the standard program duration, surpassing the OECD average of 43%.
