How to Study on Low Tuition in Israel and Admission process

You should choose to study on low tuition in Israel, and you’ll find yourself studying at the heart of an amazing, dynamic and constantly developing culture.

In the course of its 68 years of existence, Israel has grown into an economy renowned for its technological development, innovation and entrepreneurship – and thus gained the nickname ‘the start-up nation’, as it has its own version of the US Silicon Valley, the Silicon Wadi.

Israel is renowned for innovation, especially in the high-tech sector, and houses more high-tech start-ups than any country besides the US – quite impressive, considering the country has a small size and population. In recent years, Israel has also been talked about as the world’s next major biotech hub.

As expected with all this technological innovation and advancement, Israel has a good selection of world class universities – that are strong not just in science and technology subjects, but across other academic spectrum.

Applying to Israeli universities

Israel has no centralized application system for universities in Israel, so you’ll be required to apply directly to your chosen university, and provide the required documents while following the instructions stated on the institution’s official website. You should also take a psychometric entrance test as part of the admissions process, which will test your quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and English language skills.

Israeli student visa regulations

Inorder to study in Israel for a period of more than three months, a student visa (A2 visa) is required. Note that visa applications have to be submitted to the nearest Israeli consulate at least three months before you travel to Israel.

To apply for an Israeli student visa, you will need the following:

An authentic letter of acceptance from an Israeli university
A passport with validity for at least six months beyond your intended period of visit.
Two passport-sized photos
Proof of enough cash to cover the duration of your stay

A completed visa application form, which is available here

Visa processing fee (US$46)

International students are expected to have a health insurance for the length of their studies. This can be provided by the university, included alongside the tuition fees, you may have to purchase the insurance privately. Also note that you’re unable to work in Israel with a student visa.

Tuition fees and living costs

Tuition fees in Israel typically vary based on your level of study and university, but generally you should expect to pay around US$9,000-15,000 per year at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Living expenses are equally cheap, with about US$10,500 required for each year of study.Note that Jerusalem and Tel Aviv will be the most expensive cities to rent accommodation.

Languages in Israel

The official languages in Israel are Hebrew and Arabic. Note that English is widely spoken, and is a compulsory course in Israeli schools up to high school. Russian is equally widely spoken, and Israeli society is very multilingual, with groups speaking many different languages from several countries in Europe and Asia.

Israeli universities lecture in Hebrew, but many other universities equally offer a growing selection of English-taught programs. These courses range from short-term study abroad and exchange courses, to full degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Safety

Understandably,Israel has experienced a fair share of conflict over the years, but despite its negative reputation for being a war-torn region, the country received a record 3.54 million tourists in 2013. Since June 2016, the country continues to receive high terrorism threat, and safety measures such as routine searches have been put in place to protect both citizens and international students. We would encourage you to keep up to date with current events in the area, stay away from large gatherings or demonstrations, and carry photo ID always.