Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, there is! The Israel Student Authority which operates through the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, aims to make it easier for young Olim to get an academic degree in Israel. The Student Authority’s services include educational guidance and counselling, preparation programs (Mechinat Olim and TAKA) and financial aid in the form of the tuition benefit; Olim within their first 36 months of Aliyah (not including time serving in the IDF and Sherut Leumi) are entitled to be reimbursed for the Israeli standard tuition-currently 12,017 NIS- for their entire BA degree as long as they begin studies before the age of 27. See this page for more information. You can apply for the benefit here from July onward, and only once you are accepted into an academic program.
In Israel, you are not applying to the college as a whole; rather, you are applying to a specific major in a college or university. Most STEM degrees require a minimum Psychometric/SAT/ACT score which varies, depending on degree and university. This standard exam score and a good GPA from high school is usually enough to get into the English language programs in Israel (most of which you can find here). For most Hebrew-language degrees in Israel, you will need a bagrut (Israeli matriculation exam) equivalent to apply. The equivalents per country can be found here. More information on bagrut equivalency is here.
Bar-Ilan University and most of the Israeli colleges do not require a bagrut equivalent. Since the majority of the universities do require it, you have the option to do a year of Mechinat Olim in order to fulfill that requirement.
Note that if you are applying for a Hebrew-language degree in Israel, you will also need to take the YAEL Hebrew-language proficiency exam and score at least 105 (and in certain cases- higher). More information and practice tests are here.
Applications in Israel for a BA tend to open in the end of January/beginning of February at which point, the university application portals open and you can choose a major, upload documents and fill out your application online. Each school has a hotline to assist applicants in the application process.
Applications are usually accepted until the beginning of the summer, but some of the more in-demand programs have smaller application windows. You will need to check the websites of each school to get this information because it varies greatly.
Hebrew is very important to integrate culturally and professionally in Israel. Though it may take time to adjust to the many facets of being an immigrant, we have found that the sooner you embrace the Hebrew language, the better you will successfully acclimate and integrate into Israeli society.
Even if you are not completely fluent, you may be able to keep up with your studies in Hebrew. In many fields, study materials and textbooks are available in English. Keep in mind that many university programs allow Olim to submit papers and take exams in English. Check with each individual department to see what their policy is.
The good news is that Student Authority of the Ministry of Aliyah- together with the Israeli academic institutions- has created many academic integration programs to enable Olim to start their academic journey with confidence. These degrees- which entail studying in English in the first year and then transitioning into Hebrew studies in the second year- include advanced Ulpan studies alongside social and academic support throughout.
See this for more information!
Mechina, which translates to “preparation,” is a year-long program to help students prepare for university if they didn’t complete their bagrut in Israel.
Mechinat Olim is a mechina specially designed for Olim who want to study in a Hebrew- language BA program which requires a bagrut equivalent, and did not fulfill the requirements for this in high school. Offered at both Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Bar-Ilan University, Mechinat Olim is a one-year program which includes intensive Ulpan, basic maths and sciences, with optional tracks in the social sciences, business and humanities. Mechina is an excellent way to ease your way into studying in Hebrew, and by providing a bagrut equivalent, it can positively influence your chances of getting accepted to the Hebrew-language degree of your choice.
Please note that Bar-Ilan University and most of the Israeli colleges do not require a bagrut equivalent.
Israel is a small country, and most Israeli students go home for the weekend. However, campus life- especially for English speaking Olim- is very active! There are Hillel houses, JLIC couples and programming, and every university has an “Agudat Hastudentim”- Student Union- that organizes social activities, concerts, and events. You can find more information on the university websites. Most Olim do live on campus the first few years of their academic studies, and many eventually transition to living in nearby student communities.