Israeli Youth Population Surges 12%, While Student Numbers Grow Slower
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
The number of young people in Israel grew 12.1% in six years, far outpacing the 4.3% increase in students, leading to fewer students per capita. Projections show 350,900 students in 2026/27, a 2.1% rise. Undergraduate enrollment in subsidized colleges dropped significantly, while private institutions and the Open University saw growth. The proportion of women in higher education remained stable, and computer science enrollment continued to decline.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's youth population grew 12.1% in six years, while student numbers rose only 4.3%.
- The ratio of students aged 20-24 decreased from 50.1 to 46.6 per 100 individuals.
- Undergraduate enrollment in subsidized colleges fell by 9% between 2022/23 and 2025/26.
- Growth in student numbers was concentrated in private colleges and the Open University.
- Women's share of students remained stagnant at 58.6% in 2025/26.
- Computer science enrollment continued to decline, while law and humanities saw increases.
The number of young people in Israel has grown significantly faster than the student population over the past six years, with a 12.1% increase in youth compared to a 4.3% rise in students. This disparity has led to a decrease in the ratio of students per 100 individuals aged 20-24, from 50.1 to 46.6. The total number of students in Israel is projected to reach 350,900 in the 2026/27 academic year, a 2.1% increase from the previous year, according to data from the Council for Higher Education (CHE) and the Central Bureau of Statistics.
Most of the student growth between 2024/25 and 2025/26, approximately 9,400 students, occurred in private colleges and the Open University, suggesting a preference for studies that can be combined with work. Worryingly, the number of undergraduate students in subsidized colleges dropped by 5,800, or 9%, from about 64,200 in 2022/23 to 58,400 in 2025/26. This trend aligns with a perceived preference by Education Minister Yoav Kisch for more expensive private institutions.
The proportion of women in higher education remained stagnant at 58.6% in 2025/26, indicating a continued trend of men leaving academia, where they constitute 41.4% of students. There has been some success in integrating women into high-tech fields, with their share in mathematics, statistics, and computer science rising from 33.8% in 2020/21 to 37% in 2025/26, though this coincided with a decline in demand for computer science.
Enrollment in computer science programs has continued to fall, decreasing by 1,632 students in 2025/26 alone, returning to 2021/22 levels. Conversely, undergraduate enrollment in law surged by 8.5% to 18,400 in 2025/26, a significant increase from a low point in 2019/20. The number of students in education also rose by 7.5% to 32,800 in 2025/26, and surprisingly, humanities enrollment increased by 10.9% to 10,400, marking the second consecutive year of growth.
While the proportion of Haredi students is slowly increasing, their growth rate lags behind their demographic increase. Haredi students numbered 20,000 in 2025/26, making up 5.8% of the total student body, compared to their 17.5% share of the 20-24 population. The proportion of Arab students has stabilized around 19% for the third consecutive year, despite a slight decrease in their share of the 20-24 age group.
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