Tel Aviv University Sees Record Enrollment Amid Surge in Healthcare Professions
Translated & summarized from Bizportal by baba
Tel Aviv University will open the academic year with a record 16,657 undergraduate students, a 6.3% increase from last year. A significant surge in demand for therapeutic professions like physiotherapy and social work is driving enrollment, with the university expanding capacity. This trend contrasts with the evolving job market influenced by AI, as therapeutic roles rely heavily on human interaction. The university also noted a recovery in humanities and social sciences enrollment and introduced a special admissions track for wounded IDF soldiers.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Tel Aviv University expects a record 16,657 undergraduate students for the 2026-2027 academic year, a 6.3% increase.
- New first-year student admissions are also at a record high, with approximately 5,120 students admitted.
- Demand for therapeutic professions, including physiotherapy and social work, has significantly increased.
- The university is expanding capacity in physiotherapy and social work to meet the growing demand.
- Enrollment in humanities and social sciences is also recovering after a decade of decline.
- A new admissions track for soldiers wounded in the Iron Swords War has been established.
Tel Aviv University is set to open the upcoming academic year with a record number of undergraduate students, expecting 16,657 students for the 2026-2027 academic year (תשפ"ז). This represents a 6.3% increase from the previous year's 15,673 students, surpassing the previous record of 16,375 set during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021-2022 (תשפ"ב).
The university also anticipates a record number of new first-year students, with approximately 5,120 students admitted, a 10% rise from last year's 4,652. This figure is significantly higher than the 4,427 admitted in 2024-2025 (תשפ"ה) and 4,377 in 2023-2024 (תשפ"ד).
A notable trend driving this growth is a surge in demand for therapeutic professions, attributed to increased rehabilitation needs in recent years. Interest in physiotherapy saw a 32.7% jump, from 456 to 605 applicants. Social work experienced an 18.6% increase, with applicants rising from 306 to 363, and communication disorders saw 407 applicants, up 17.6% from 346. Psychology also continued its upward trend with 1,110 applicants, compared to 1,036 last year, and occupational therapy grew by 5.9% to 518 applicants.
In response to this demand, the university is expanding capacity in fields like physiotherapy and social work. Approximately 120 students are expected to begin physiotherapy this year, up from under 100 previously, with expanded classrooms and new equipment. Social work will also see about 120 new students, an increase from 105 in the past year and a 45% rise over three years. This growth in therapeutic fields is occurring even as artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the job market, with these professions being less susceptible to automation due to their reliance on human interaction and judgment.
Concurrently, there's a recovery in fields that have seen declining enrollment over the past decade. Humanities are projected to start with 759 students, a 34% increase over three years, and social sciences are expected to enroll 1,457 new students, a 23% rise. This shift occurs as career path choices become more complex, with evolving job market demands including AI skills and a recent slowdown in computer science entry-level positions.
Tel Aviv University's academic year begins on October 18th. This year also marks the introduction of a special admissions track for IDF soldiers wounded in the Iron Swords War, with around 100 candidates undergoing the admissions process. The university views the rise in healthcare and welfare-related studies as aligning with the national need for more professionals in these sectors.
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