Israel's Higher Education Sector Anticipates 350,900 Students in 2026

The 2026-2027 academic year is set to open across 57 higher education institutions in Israel, reflecting continued growth and expansion in the country's academic sector. According to forecasts by the Council for Higher Education and the Planning and Budgeting Committee, approximately 350,900 students are expected to enroll, marking a 2.1% increase and an addition of 7,183 learners compared to the previous year.

Enrollment Trends and Demographics

During the past academic year, the system accommodated 343,717 students, a 2.8% growth from the preceding term. Bachelor's degree programs accounted for roughly 90% of the overall system growth, with undergraduate enrollment rising by 3.4% to reach 262,083 students. The primary surge was concentrated in non-subsidized colleges and the Open University, which together added 7,978 students, representing 84.6% of the total growth. Furthermore, first-year bachelor's enrollment rose by 4.5%, alongside a 7.2% increase in undergraduate applicants.

Demand for studies was notably high in medicine, dentistry, health professions, architecture, and engineering. Advanced degrees experienced more moderate growth, with 68,497 students pursuing master's degrees (a 0.9% rise) and 12,356 candidates enrolled in doctoral programs at universities (a 1.3% increase).

Strategic National Developments and AI Integration

Amid shifting academic disciplines, major national strategic initiatives advanced significantly. Medical student enrollment reached 1,404, with forecasts projecting 1,560 incoming students for the upcoming year toward a target of 1,700. This expansion is supported by new medical faculties at Reichman University, the University of Haifa, and the Weizmann Institute of Science, alongside the approval of a physician assistant training program.

In the country's northern periphery, the academic status of Tel-Hai Academic College transitioned into the Kiryat Shmona University in the Galilee. Additionally, approximately 490 million shekels have been allocated to establish an advanced academic supercomputing infrastructure for artificial intelligence between 2026 and 2028.

"The higher education system has demonstrated remarkable flexibility in addressing wartime challenges, supporting nearly 70,000 student reservists." — Academic Officials

Resilience and Diversity

The higher education system exhibited substantial adaptability amid ongoing security challenges, as approximately 70,000 students served in military reserve duty—accounting for 20.4% of the total academic population. A unified national framework adopted across all 57 institutions provided tailored academic accommodations, scholarships, and personal mentoring, resulting in lower dropout rates among reservists compared to the general population.

Simultaneously, greater participation was recorded among diverse populations, including 20,000 ultra-Orthodox educational graduates, 65,386 students from Arab society, and 4,770 Ethiopian-Israeli students. Women constitute 58.6% of the total student body. On the international front, OECD data indicates that roughly 61% of students in Israel complete their undergraduate degrees within the standard timeframe, compared to an OECD average of just 43%.