New Survey Reveals Gap Between Young Israelis' Academic Aspirations and Actions

A recent survey by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) indicates a significant gap between the academic aspirations of young Israelis and their actual pursuit of higher education. While 70.1% of young people aged 22 expect to earn at least one academic degree, only 15.4% of those born in 2004 had applied to university programs by the 2025-2024 academic year. Women expressed higher expectations for degrees (75%) compared to men (65.4%).

The survey also highlighted disparities in academic achievements and preferences. Among those born in 2004, 88% completed 12 years of schooling and 62.2% were eligible for a matriculation certificate, with women showing higher rates in both categories. However, men scored higher on the psychometric entrance exam, particularly in quantitative and English sections, while verbal scores were similar. Engineering and architecture were the most preferred fields among applicants, contrasting with lower interest in education and social sciences.

Family and social networks play a crucial role in shaping academic choices, with parents and relatives being the most frequent source of influence (35%), followed by the internet and social media (22.8%), and friends (21.6%). For those not intending to pursue higher education, common reasons included a general lack of interest in academia (53.3%), undefined future plans (20%), and a preference for shorter vocational programs.

Despite the high aspirations, only 15.4% of the 2004 cohort had applied for university by the 2025-2024 academic year, with two-thirds of these applicants being women. Of those who applied, 74.6% were accepted and enrolled. Gender differences persist in fields of study, with women dominating health, education, and social sciences, while men are more prevalent in mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, engineering, and architecture.