Tel Aviv University Hits a New Record: 25,500 Undergraduate and Graduate Students
The number of students choosing Tel Aviv University has grown consecutively over the recent years.
• Record high: 25,500 students at Tel Aviv University
• Growing intake: 5,120 new students expected this year
• Rising demand: Sharp increase in therapeutic and rehabilitation professions
• Broader growth: More students choosing social sciences, humanities, and labor studies
This year, in the 2026–27 academic year, 25,500 undergraduate and graduate students will study at Tel Aviv University – the highest number of undergraduate students ever registered at a university in Israel.
The number of new first-year students who will be admitted is also expected to reach 5,120, an increase of about 10% compared with last year, when 4,652 new students were admitted.
When society’s needs change – demand for studies changes too
The most notable changes this year were recorded in the therapeutic professions, but demand also grew in other fields.
Tel Aviv University notes that, against the backdrop of the ongoing war and the growing rehabilitation needs, there has been exceptional demand for studies in fields such as physiotherapy, social work, communication disorders, psychology and occupational therapy.
The largest increase in demand was recorded in physiotherapy (32.7%). Social work saw an increase of 18.6%, communication disorders 17.6%, and there were increases in psychology and occupational therapy as well.
Demand also grew outside the health professions. The number of undergraduate students rose by about 35% in humanities, about 26% in neuroscience, and about 13% in social sciences
From fewer than 100 to about 120 new physiotherapy students
The growing demand also leads to an expansion of training. In physiotherapy, for example, Tel Aviv University increased the number of admitted students by more than 20% – to about 120 new students, compared with fewer than 100 in the past. To make the growth possible, the university had to open and equip additional classrooms with dedicated equipment for the field.
A similar trend was recorded in social work: this year about 120 new students are expected to start their studies, compared with 105 in 2025–26, 87 in 2024–25 and 83 in 2023–24.
Humanities and social sciences too: more new students
A significant increase was also recorded this year in the number of new first-year students beginning their studies in the humanities and social sciences. In the humanities, 759 students are expected to start studying this year, compared with 566 in 2023–24. In the social sciences, 1,457 students are expected to start studying, compared with only 1,188 in 2023–24.
Academic excellence alongside social responsibility
Tel Aviv University Rector, Prof. Noga Kronfeld-Shor, says that the growth in the number of students is both an expression of trust in the university and a great responsibility toward the students and toward society:
“The choice of students to study at Tel Aviv University is an expression of trust in the quality of our teaching and research, and it places a great responsibility on us. Our role is to give them in-depth knowledge alongside the ability to ask questions, to think independently and critically, and to connect fields of knowledge in order to meet complex challenges. We seek to nurture graduates who will be able to lead, to innovate and to influence the society in which they live. Expanding training in the therapeutic professions in light of the rehabilitation needs that followed the war is a tangible expression of the connection between academic excellence and social responsibility – a connection that, in my view, lies at the heart of the university’s role and of shaping the future of Israeli society.”
Not only therapy: engineering, technology and medicine too
Alongside the growth in the therapeutic professions, demand for studies in engineering, technology and medicine also remains high, as every year; these are competitive professions in which the number of places is limited and admission is intended for the most outstanding candidates. Registration for some of these programs for the 2026–27 academic year even closed three to four months before the start of the year.
Tel Aviv University has for decades been the largest university in Israel by number of undergraduate and graduate students (about 30,000). According to the university’s data, this year shows a marked increase in demand compared with previous years.
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