Bar-Ilan University
אוניברסיטת בר-אילן
Israel's second-largest research university, pairing science and law with the world's largest Faculty of Jewish Studies.
- Students
- 19,887
- International
- 4%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 20.6:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- ₪15,254
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1955
About BIU
Bar-Ilan University opened in 1955 in Ramat Gan, just east of Tel Aviv, with 90 students in provisional buildings. It was named after Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan, a religious Zionist leader, and its emblem combines a Torah scroll and a microscope, reflecting its founding idea of joining Jewish heritage with modern science. Today it describes itself as Israel's second-largest research university, with about 20,000 students.
The university lists ten academic units: Engineering, Exact Sciences, Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Law, Education, Jewish Studies (which it calls the largest of its kind in the world), the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine on its own campus in Safed, and an Interdisciplinary Studies Unit. Around 700 researchers work in more than 70 research institutes and centres, including the Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, and the university counts 24 Israel Prize laureates as part of its academic community.
For international students, the International School runs BA programmes taught entirely in English, such as Communication and Political Science, English Literature and Linguistics, plus a second track in which Psychology, Law and Life Sciences are taught in English in the first year and in Hebrew afterwards, alongside an intensive Hebrew ulpan. Admission is largely threshold-based on SAT, ACT, Israel's Psychometric exam or a converted school diploma. Jewish students take a set of Jewish studies credits; students who are not Jewish can swap them for general courses.
Why students choose BIU
Several BA programmes, including Communication and Political Science and English Literature, are taught entirely in English and need no Hebrew.
Law, Psychology and Life Sciences offer a first year in English with an intensive Hebrew ulpan, then full integration into the Hebrew degree.
Admission criteria are published as clear score thresholds, for example SAT 1200 for Communication and Political Science and SAT 1320 for Law.
The campus is about 20 minutes from Tel Aviv and 45 minutes from Jerusalem, and was named Israel's most beautiful academic campus by the Council for a Beautiful Israel.
Admissions
Entry October 2027 (2027-28 academic year)
Selectivity
Bar-Ilan does not publish an acceptance rate. Admission to the English-taught and English-Hebrew BA programmes works mainly by minimum scores: a high school diploma plus an SAT, ACT or Psychometric score (or a converted Bagrut-equivalent diploma from eligible countries), with thresholds from SAT 1010 for Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies to SAT 1380 for Computer Science. Meeting a threshold does not guarantee admission; each application is evaluated on its merits after registration.
Typical entry requirements
| SAT | Programme thresholds: 1010 (Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies), 1160 with Math 630-650 (Life Sciences), 1200 with EBRW 650 (English Literature; Communication and Political Science), 1250 (Linguistics), 1320 (Law; Psychology with Math 640), 1380 with Math 690 (Computer Science) |
|---|---|
| ACT | Programme thresholds from 19 (Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies) and 24-25 (Life Sciences, Communication, English Literature) to 29 (Law, Psychology) and 31 with Math 30 (Computer Science) |
| Psychometric Entrance Test (Israel) | From 500 (Jewish Studies) and 580-600 (Life Sciences, English Literature, Communication) to 660 (Law, Psychology) and 690 (Computer Science) |
| Diplomas convertible to Bagrut (IB, UK, US, Canada-Ontario, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland) | Converted Bagrut score of 98 for Communication and Political Science or English Literature; 90 plus a letter of intent for Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 Minimum for bachelor's applicants: TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS 6.5, AMIRAM 120, SAT EBRW 600 or Psychometric English 120. High school graduates from Australia, the UK, the USA, New Zealand, Ireland and Canada (Ontario) are exempt. Students below the exemption level take English courses, which are charged on top of tuition. |
Deadlines
- International School undergraduate applications (2027-28) Non-bindingExpected around the end of July 2027
Bar-Ilan says undergraduate applications open around mid-January and close around the end of July for studies starting the following October; 2026-27 programme pages listed application periods of February to August (Law) or February to September (e.g. English Literature, Life Sciences).
Exact 2027-28 dates had not been published when checked on 30 September 2026; the pattern above comes from the International School's FAQ and 2026-27 programme pages. Apply early if you need a student visa or a dorm room.
How to apply
Apply online through the International School's application form for undergraduate degrees taught in English (or English plus Hebrew), and send official SAT, ACT or Psychometric scores, an English test result and your school diploma. Double-major applicants must meet the requirements of both programmes. Applicants to the English-then-Hebrew track take a Hebrew placement test (YAEL or Bar-Ilan's own exam) once they have applied.
What admissions looks for
- A completed high school diploma.
- An SAT, ACT or Psychometric score (or converted Bagrut score) at or above the programme's published threshold, including maths sub-scores for Computer Science, Psychology and Life Sciences.
- English proficiency at the published minimum (TOEFL iBT 90 or IELTS 6.5) unless you graduated from an English-speaking country.
- For some programmes, such as Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies, a letter of intent; for Hebrew-track degrees, progress in Hebrew to at least level D by the end of the first year.
Tips for applying to BIU
- 1 Check whether your school diploma is on Bar-Ilan's convertible list (IB, UK, US and others); if not, you must apply with an SAT, ACT or Psychometric score.
- 2 Send SAT or ACT scores officially to code 0967 during registration; screenshots are not considered.
- 3 For Law, Psychology or Life Sciences, plan for Hebrew: each ulpan level costs 3,500 NIS and some programmes start the ulpan in the summer before year one.
- 4 Double-major applicants must clear the thresholds of both programmes, so check each one separately.
- 5 Book a dorm place early: the International School says dorms are in high demand, and a room is only reserved after a 1,000 NIS deposit and a signed contract.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in ILS
Bar-Ilan lists undergraduate scholarships through its International School and advertises Olim (new immigrant) scholarships worth up to 400% of tuition. It has withdrawn from the US federal Title IV programme, so US students cannot use Direct Loans there, though the university still issues Form 1098-T for US tax purposes.
- 3,500 NIS
- Hebrew ulpan, per level
- 2,450 to 3,700 NIS depending on apartment type and contract length
- International School dorms, per person per month (water and electricity included)
- Not available (Bar-Ilan withdrew from Title IV)
- US Federal Direct Loans
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and spring, plus a summer session); the academic year starts in October
BA in Communication and Political Science (English-taught)
Three years fully in English with no Hebrew requirement; SAT 1200 or Psychometric 600.
LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
Four-year law degree with a first year in English plus intensive ulpan; the faculty reports a pass rate of around 98% in the Israeli Bar exam.
BSc in Life Sciences
Taught in English in year one, then Hebrew, in the Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, with fields including biotechnology, computational biology and biophysics.
BA in English Literature
Fully English-taught, from Shakespeare, Milton, Austen and Dickens to contemporary writers, with double-major options in Communication or Linguistics.
Multidisciplinary BA in Jewish Studies
Taught in English within what Bar-Ilan calls the world's largest Faculty of Jewish Studies.
BSc in Computer Science
The highest published threshold: SAT 1380 with Math 690, ACT 31, or Psychometric 690.
Research
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center combines physics, biology, computer science, engineering, pharmacology, psychology, linguistics and mathematics.
- The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials is described by the university as the largest nano centre in Israel.
- The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies works on the Middle East, Israel's national security and its foreign policy.
- The Responsa Project, first launched in 1967, is a digital database of Torah literature that received the Israel Prize in 2007.
Schools & faculties
- Alexander Kofkin Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Exact Sciences
- Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Jewish Studies
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine (Safed)
- Interdisciplinary Studies Unit
The Faculty of Law reports that around 98% of its students pass the Israeli Bar exam. Bar-Ilan says it has more than 100,000 graduates.
Student life
Bar-Ilan's campus in Ramat Gan borders four cities and has cafés, a grocery store, a post office and a daycare centre on site. The student body mixes secular and religious Israelis, Jews and non-Jews, new immigrants and international students. Jewish tradition is visible in campus life, from holiday events and Kabbalat Shabbat to a Kollel for men and a Midrasha for women, open to students free of charge. The International School runs social activities and helps with visas, and faculties run free or low-cost public clinics in law, psychology, social work and optometry.
- Named Israel's most beautiful academic campus by the Council for a Beautiful Israel.
- Free Torah study at the Jesselson Institute's Kollel and the Midrasha alongside academic degrees.
- Public clinics in law, psychology, social work and optometry serve the community.
- Erasmus+ exchanges let students spend three to 12 months at partner universities in Europe.
Housing. International students can rent air-conditioned shared apartments in the campus dorms, run by Electra for full-year contracts and by the International School for stays of up to six months, at 2,450 to 3,700 NIS per person per month.
Location
Ramat Gan is part of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, and Bar-Ilan's campus is about 20 minutes from Tel Aviv and 45 minutes from Jerusalem, with good public transport links. Students can live on campus or rent in Ramat Gan or Tel Aviv. The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine is on a separate campus in Safed in the Galilee.
Nearest airport: Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)
Notable alumni
- TL Tzipi LivniFormer Israeli minister of justice and opposition leader; law graduate of Bar-Ilan's Faculty of Law (1984)
- AA Ami AyalonFormer head of the Shin Bet and Labor Knesset member; BA (1980) and Master of Studies in Law (2010)
- AD Avi DichterFormer Shin Bet director and government minister; BA in social science (1986)
- AG Anat GuettaChair of the Israel Securities Authority; BA in political science and economics (1993)
- JK Joseph KlafterChemical physicist and eighth president of Tel Aviv University; BSc and MSc in physics
- GM Gadeer MreehJournalist and first Druze woman elected to the Knesset; degree in social science and medical imaging
- EF Esther FarbsteinHistorian and leading Haredi scholar of the Holocaust; undergraduate studies at Bar-Ilan
- NL Norman LebrechtBritish music journalist and novelist; studied at Bar-Ilan 1966-1968 (non-degree)
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at Bar-Ilan University in English?
Yes. Several BA programmes, including Communication and Political Science, English Literature, Linguistics and Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies, are taught entirely in English. Law, Psychology and Life Sciences are taught in English only in the first year, with Hebrew afterwards.
What SAT score do I need for Bar-Ilan?
It depends on the programme: from 1010 for Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies and 1200 for Communication and Political Science to 1320 for Law and Psychology and 1380 for Computer Science. The ACT and Israel's Psychometric exam are accepted as alternatives.
How much is tuition at Bar-Ilan for international students?
For 2026-27, foreign students pay 25% above the Israeli undergraduate base tuition of 12,203 NIS, which works out to about 15,254 NIS for a full-time year, plus 1,099 NIS in supplemental fees. Tuition is linked to Israel's consumer price index.
When is the Bar-Ilan application deadline?
Undergraduate applications usually open around mid-January and close around the end of July for studies starting in October; some programmes have accepted applications until September. Check the International School site for the 2027-28 dates.
What English score does Bar-Ilan require?
TOEFL iBT 90 or IELTS 6.5 for bachelor's applicants, unless you graduated from high school in Australia, the UK, the USA, New Zealand, Ireland or Ontario, Canada.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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