If you attended the recent 51勛圖 2026 Annual Conference in Baltimore, you may have used Waze to get from the Inner Harbor to the airport. En route, your rental car alerted you to a careless driver. During the conference you put all your documents on a USB drive. Did you indulge in soft-shell crab over a salad with cherry tomatoes? A Jaffa orange? Before your day began, did you perform Krav Maga to burn off all those late-night noshes?
If you did any one of these, then youve benefited from an Israeli product. While its easy to disparage this small country (no larger than New Jersey), its brilliance in tech, medicine, defense, environmental science, and food technology cannot be disputed. It is no wonder that Israel is known as Start-up Nation.
While gap-year programs are popular among Jewish American students, this article will explore the process for matriculating at an Israeli university, dispelling some misconceptions along the way.
You dont have to be Jewish to go to an Israeli university. Although Israel is 73 percent Jewish, some universities are very diverse. For instance, the , a research university in northern Israel with about 18,000 students, is about 40 percent non-Jewish. The , Israels answer to and , can count almost one-quarter of its students as non-Jewish. In fact, most pharmacists and nurses in Israel are of Arab descent. Currently, there are between 2,000 and 3,000 American students pursuing degrees in Israel, citing cost and increased antisemitism on U.S. college campuses. Almost all are Jewish because Israeli universities target Jewish day schools, community groups, and youth organizations. However, all religions and races can be found.
You dont have to speak Hebrew or Arabic. Your student may want to learn some Hebrew and Arabic to get by on a daily basis, but lectures will not be delivered in those languages. For example, , a premier private university in Herzliya, Israel, offers nine different English-language undergraduate degrees.
You are employable outside of Israel. Graduates of highly prestigious programs, such as those at Technion University, will find success in gainful employment.
You will find some unique degrees. Desert agriculture is world-class in Israel, a nation with 60 percent of its landmass non-arable. Drip irrigation originated there, and Israel recycles nearly 100 percent of its wastewater. The at offers specialized courses examining the Arab-Israeli conflict and trauma resilience, integrating theory with the lived Israeli experience.
So, now that Ive (hopefully) piqued your interest, what do you need to tell your students about applying?
Students must apply directly to each university. There is no , , or . However, the application process is generally streamlined. To bypass the (akin to a British foundation year), a 3.0 GPA is the minimum. Because Israeli universities start academics at a higher level than U.S. universities (the is akin to A-levels), three to four AP exams, with scores of 4 or 5, are required. Additionally, SAT or ACT scores of 1340 or 29, respectively, are expected.
Theres no such thing as a holistic review. Israeli universities go by the numbers. If you dont have them, youre not deemed admissible.
Students must submit a letter of motivation. Every applicant must write a one-page (500 words or so) essay, discussing:
- Explanation of their academic interest
- Courses that prepare the student for the degree
- Reason for applying to a specific university
- Reason for wanting to attend university in Israel
- Career aspirations
- What the student will bring to the university
Israeli culture values direct, concise communication. Avoid florid language.
Most programs are three years in length. Some, like engineering, may take four years.
The price is right. Tuition will cost no more than $20,000 per year and, in many cases, much less. There are scholarships for U.S. students. For housing, health care, and food, budgeting about $925 per month should suffice.
Unfortunately, there is no definitive guide to Israeli universities. You and your student will have to research each school and course of study. An excellent resource is ; however, it is geared to Jewish students (and more particularly Orthodox and Modern Orthodox students).
As you talk to your students about non-U.S. universities, encourage them to be open to Israel. The academic experience, the breadth of history, and the diverse culture are outstanding.
Note: On February 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of State suggested that potential travelers to Israel reconsider travel to Israel due to terrorism and civil unrest. Furthermore, it has strongly recommended that citizens not travel within four kilometers of the Syrian and Lebanese borders. For more information, please refer to .
By Alan Sheptin, MBA, 51勛圖 (NY), Sheptin Tutoring Group, LLC
Note: ChatGPT was used to help with rhetoric and to double check statistics from school websites.