Bar-Ilan University: A Thriving Student Community

Bar-Ilan University is a public research university in Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, it is the country's second-largest academic university institution and fastest-growing higher education institution. The university has a diverse student population of around 20,000 students, with a further 6,200 enrolled in enrichment courses, certificate studies, and other programmes.

Bar-Ilan University has around 20,000 students

Bar-Ilan University, established in 1955, is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. With around 20,000 students, it is the country's second-largest academic university institution and has been recognised as the fastest-growing higher education institution in Israel.

The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programmes, including international degrees taught in English. Its diverse student population includes both Jewish and non-Jewish students. The university's mission is to blend Jewish tradition with modern scholarship, and all students are required to take at least five courses in Jewish studies (non-Jewish students can opt for general courses instead).

Bar-Ilan University has ten faculties: Engineering, Humanities, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Exact Sciences, Law, Education, Jewish Studies, Medicine, and the Interdisciplinary Studies Unit. The university is also home to numerous research institutes, with a focus on fields like energy, sustainability, medical and life sciences, cyber, nanotechnology, and natural language processing.

The university's campus, recognised as one of the most beautiful in the country, features well-maintained gardens, ecological pools, and an experimental green wall. It offers a range of amenities and services to support its students, including academic and financial assistance, social activities, and special events.

It is Israel's second-largest academic university

Bar-Ilan University is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, it is Israel's second-largest academic university institution. It has approximately 20,000 students and 1,350 faculty members, although some sources state that the student body is over 33,000. The university's mission is to blend Jewish tradition, modern technologies, and scholarship, and it is considered among the best in the Middle East for computer science, engineering, engineering physics, and applied physics. The university was founded by Professor Pinkhos Churgin, an American Orthodox rabbi and educator, and named for Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan, a Religious Zionist leader. The university has Jewish-American roots and was conceived in Atlanta at a meeting of the American Mizrahi organization in 1950. It gained formal recognition from the Israel Council for Higher Education in 1969.

Bar-Ilan University's diverse student population includes both Jewish and non-Jewish students. The university requires at least five courses in Jewish studies for graduation, which are available as academic courses or through traditional Torah study. The university also offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, including international degrees taught entirely in English. It is the first university in Israel to offer a full undergraduate program taught in English. The campus is easily accessible, located just 20 minutes from Tel Aviv and 45 minutes from Jerusalem, with ample parking and public transportation options. The campus has been recognised for its beauty and awarded the title of “Most Beautiful Academic Campus” by the Council for a Beautiful Israel. It has also been recognised as a "Green Campus" by Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The university has undergone significant expansion and introduced new science programs, including a multidisciplinary brain research centre and a centre for nanotechnology. Archaeology has become a priority, with excavations such as the Tell es-Safi/Gath archaeological project and the Bar-Ilan University/Weizmann Institute of Science joint program in Archaeological Sciences. The university's Faculty of Law achieved the highest average Israeli bar exam grade of 81.9 in 2008. In 2024, the university received a $260 million donation, one of the largest bequests in Israeli university history, to recruit researchers, build laboratories, and create partnerships.

The student body is diverse, including Jewish and non-Jewish students

Bar-Ilan University is a diverse academic community, with a student body of around 20,000 to 20,500 students. The university welcomes both Jewish and non-Jewish students, reflecting its mission to blend Jewish tradition with modern scholarship.

The university's roots lie in the Jewish-American community, with its inception in 1955 being influenced by a meeting of the American Mizrahi organisation in Atlanta in 1950. The university was founded by Rabbi Pinkhos Churgin, an American Orthodox rabbi and educator, who served as its first president.

Bar-Ilan University's commitment to Jewish studies is evident in its curriculum. All students, regardless of their religious background, are required to take at least five courses in Jewish studies to graduate. Non-Jewish students can opt for general courses instead, and both Jewish and non-Jewish students can choose from academic Jewish studies courses or more traditional Torah study methods. The university's Machon HaGavoah LeTorah, established in the 1970s, offers separate programmes for men (Kollel) and women (Midrasha), providing traditional yeshiva studies and courses in the Bible, Jewish law, and Jewish philosophy. These programmes are open to all students free of charge.

The university's diverse student body is spread across its award-winning Tel Aviv campus and six regional colleges. With its accessible location, beautiful campus, and emphasis on teaching excellence, Bar-Ilan University provides a rich academic and cultural experience for its students.

The university has 10 faculties

Bar-Ilan University is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, it is the second-largest academic university in Israel and has since become the country's fastest-growing higher education institution. The university has around 20,000 students and 1,350 faculty members, with approximately 130,000 alumni.

Engineering

The Faculty of Engineering offers courses in chemical, electrical and electronic, mechanical and aerospace, and biomedical engineering, as well as computer and IT engineering.

Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities covers a range of subjects, including religion and theology, language and cultural studies, history, philosophy, and theology.

Social Sciences

The Faculty of Social Sciences includes departments such as sociology, psychology, economics, business, and management. It also offers courses in communication and media studies, political and international studies, and social policy.

Life Sciences

The Life Sciences faculty offers courses in biology, biochemistry, and microbiology. It also covers areas like botany, agriculture, and forestry.

Exact Sciences

The Exact Sciences faculty includes subjects such as mathematics, statistics, physics, astronomy, and computer science.

Law

The Faculty of Law at Bar-Ilan University is renowned for achieving the highest average Israeli bar exam grade of 81.9 by its graduates in 2008.

Education

The Education faculty at Bar-Ilan University offers a wide range of programs, including early childhood pedagogy, special education, and educational technology.

Jewish Studies

The Jewish Studies faculty is the largest of its kind in the world and is integral to the university's mission of blending Jewish tradition with modern scholarship.

Medicine

The Faculty of Medicine is the only faculty with its own campus, located in Safed. It is at the forefront of medical research and offers specialisations such as ophthalmology, natural and alternative medicine, and speech therapy.

Interdisciplinary Studies Unit (Mechina Program)

The Interdisciplinary Studies Unit provides a unique learning experience by combining multiple disciplines and encouraging an integrative approach to knowledge.

It offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs

Bar-Ilan University offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The university has ten faculties: Engineering, Humanities, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Exact Sciences, Law, Education, Jewish Studies, Medicine, and the Interdisciplinary Studies Unit.

The Faculty of Jewish Studies is the largest of its kind in the world and offers a wide variety of events, conferences, and seminars that expose students and the general public to the entire Jewish spectrum. The university also cultivates a vibrant Jewish identity on campus, marking special occasions and holidays in the Jewish tradition.

The university offers international degrees taught entirely in English, including a B.A. in interdisciplinary social sciences, where students can choose between a macro track in economics, political sciences, and sociology, or a micro track in criminology, psychology, and sociology. Students can also major in communications, with a minor in English literature or political science. These degrees are open to students from all over the world and are internationally recognized.

In addition to its undergraduate programs, Bar-Ilan University offers a preparatory program for new immigrants to Israel, readying them for Israeli colleges. The university also runs a one-year overseas program, the Torah Im Derech Eretz Program, which combines traditional Kollel Torah studies in the morning, separate for men and women, as well as co-ed general university studies and Jewish history classes in the afternoon.

At the graduate level, Bar-Ilan University has a diverse range of programs, including master's and doctoral degrees. The university is also home to several research institutions, such as the Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, which focuses on neuroscience.

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