Blue-sky thinkers in science, engineering and sustainability
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF STUDYING IN ISRAEL?
With 4,000 years of history, students are drawn to Israeli culture and its excellent academics. Israel’s higher education institutions are known worldwide for their award-winning faculty members, cutting-edge research and innovative programmes, with several universities ranked among the highest in the world.
Due to the informal culture of Israeli society and its flat hierarchy, students can engage intimately in this academic environment.
Students take an active role in their studies, debate and collaborate with their professors and develop entrepreneurial skills that will jump-start their careers.
While pursuing a globally recognised degree at one of Israel’s top universities, students meet people from around the world, soak in history and experience extraordinary cities, food, nightlife and travel.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Israeli higher education tuition fees are competitive, compared to average costs of university in the UK. Tuition varies, beginning at about £3,500. This does not include room and board.
WHEN DOES ISRAEL’S ACADEMIC YEAR START?
Mid- to late October, following the High Holy Days. International students also have the opportunity to enrol in summer courses, semester- or year-long study abroad (“mobility”) programmes, as part of their degrees in the UK.
WHAT SUBJECTS ARE OFFERED?
Israeli academia nurtures curiosity and students can study almost any subject in which they are interested here. I’ll name just a few:
Science and engineering: Israel is a world leader in science and engineering. Israeli scientists have won four Nobel Prizes in chemistry, three Turing Awards (the highest distinction in computer science) and one Fields Medal and one Abel Prize (for excellence in mathematics).
Israel ranks seventh globally in the number of citations per scientific publication and is particularly strong in computer science, mathematics, engineering, chemistry and life sciences. Studying these fields in Israel will give you the chance to work with leading researchers and in cutting-edge facilities.
Business and entrepreneurship: Israelis are known as outof-the-box thinkers — the Start-Up Nation. This sense of innovation is rooted in Israel’s higher education institutions, with many academic programmes targeted at business and entrepreneurship. Some courses include opportunities for internships in leading companies from around the world, a chance to gain career skills and build your CV.
International relations, Middle Eastern and Jewish studies: Israel also offers an unparalleled opportunity to acquire an in-depth understanding of the political, social, and economic dimensions of the Middle East and the international diplomatic arena. The birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Israel is the perfect place to study religion — especially Jewish studies, with some of the world’s top scholars based there. Archaeology programmes are also very strong, with the ability to study ruins dating back thousands of years.
Sustainability and agriculture: Many of Israel’s higher education institutions are engaged in teaching and research related to agriculture and sustainability, which are of critical importance to the world’s environment. Since the first kibbutz farmers stuck their spades into Israeli soil, great progress has been made in the country’s agriculture sector. Israel’s challenging environment and lack of natural resources has led it to become an agricultural incubator of ideas, developing new kinds of plants as well as revolutionary agricultural innovations. Drip irrigation technologies are one example of Israel’s success in this field.
Tuition fees in Israel compare very favourably with the UK’
IS THIS AN IDEAL FIRST STEP TOWARDS ALIYAH?
Definitely. Completing an academic degree in Israel enables people to become accustomed to Israeli society, learn about the culture and make professional connections which are of utmost importance for a successful aliyah.
Many people initially come to Israel as students and decide to make aliyah and we know the supportive academic framework is instrumental in their integration in Israeli society.
WHAT ARE THE COVID ARRANGEMENTS?
At time of writing, due to the Covid-19 pandemic all international students must complete a 14-day isolation period under the supervision of their academic institution. The institution will provide them with all the information they need on this before their arrival in Israel. In addition, safety and security measures have been put in place to ensure the health and safety of all students.
AND TO SUM UP? Israel has opened its skies to international studies and we welcome all students from the UK to join us in Israel and experience our academics, research, culture and society.