Tel Aviv Youth University
Tel Aviv Youth University is one of Israel's largest and most innovative centers, working to nurture academic excellence among youth. The Center operates a multitude of activities, including science workshops, summer courses, year-long courses and even multi-year programs that enable high school students to pursue academic studies parallel to their regular studies. 20,000 young students are admitted each year.
Nearly half of the participants come from outside of the Tel Aviv area, including Israel's social and geographic periphery. We welcome these talented youth across the country to Tel Aviv University campus where they are given the opportunity to venture beyond what is taught in their regular school curriculum and develop their intellectual skills. This, in turn, may encourage them to pursue a higher education in the future.
All our programs are based on the belief that creating an early connection with the University significantly increases their chances of being accepted to higher education institutions a few years later.
Tel Aviv Youth University bridges social gaps by making higher education accessible for all sectors of society. The programs promote tolerance and acceptance between Jews and Arabs, both secular and religious, and serves as a model for multiculturalism and social cohesion in Israel.
To learn about additional programs and initiatives, please contact the Tel Aviv Youth University’s team.
Aiming to present the Tel Aviv University campus as a familiar and friendly site, we invite high school students to fascinating introductory days where we give them a first glimpse into hot issues that are at the forefront of today's scientific research.
Academic Program for Outstanding Youth from Israel’s Periphery - This program aims to show students from the disadvantaged social and geographic periphery of Israel that university studies are within their reach. We believe that getting to know the university will contribute to social mobility, reduce gaps among different groups in the population, and raise the level of aspirations and trust of the youngsters in their ability to be part of the academic world.
Each summer, around 60 excellent graduates of 10th and 11th grades from Israel's social and geographic periphery, attend our summer semester studies for a formative experience. All the students share the fact that they are ‘First Generation students of Higher Education’ and have been detected, with the assistance of their high school principals, as students with particularly high potential for excellence in studies.
These students who join a community of about 1,200 graduates from the program, will receive academic credits that will serve them in their future academic studies as well as grant them with recognition of matriculation exams in some courses.
A significant aspect of the program is the exceptionally heterogeneous group of students, including new and veteran immigrants, Jews, Arabs, religious and secular. The shared life experience of these young people of different backgrounds and their common goal of succeeding in their studies, lead to the creation of a close-knit group of friends who overcome prejudice and hostilities, and instead create meaningful relationships across all sectors of the population.
While young people living in the center of the country can be integrated into various in-person programs, the Tel Aviv Youth University wishes to integrate other students as well. To this end, we offer different models of remote learning.
Tel Aviv Youth University has been running a virtual campus for about 15 years, which expanded drastically during the Covid-19 pandemic. The virtual campus implements programs designed for various population sectors, such as virtual schools for gifted and excellent students from Jewish and from Arab sectors, with the cooperation of The Center for Educational Technology and the Department of Gifted and Excellent Students in the Education Ministry. The program includes courses in a wide range of fields including law, social psychology and more. In addition, the Tel Aviv Youth University opened several online courses for students from around the world.
"First Steps in Science" is the only scientific academic program in Israel for young students of the Arab sector. The program was created for those who find it difficult to integrate into other academic programs offered for youth because of the language barrier and the academic entry level.
The program addresses both the academic aspect and the Hebrew language skills required for studying in an academic setting.
"First Steps in Science" paves the way for young students to enter the fields of exact sciences, engineering and technology, and for future integration in Israeli industry.
The Tel Aviv Youth University holds several competitions in a variety of academic fields such as writing, general science, neuroscience, and biology. Each year thousands of young students apply to these competitions to challenge themselves in their field of interest. Some of the competitions have international parallels, and the winners of the national competitions go on and represent Israel in international competitions.
In particular, the Tel Aviv Youth University holds the National Biology Olympiad, a competition for outstanding high-school students managed by the Future Scientists Center and the Israeli Ministry of Education. At the end of the training period, they compete in a final round to represent Israel at the International Olympiad. In 2022, the Israeli delegation won a silver medal and two bronze medals.
During summers the Tel Aviv Youth University, in collaboration with its partners in Asia, create an unforgettable experience for high-school students through an innovative summer camp. Israeli youngsters meet international friends and spend time together exploring different fields of science while learning about each other’s cultures and creating memories for life.
Odyssey: Academic Study Program in the Sciences
The Odyssey program aims to nurture Israel's next generation of inventors and scientists, develop their leadership skills, and increase their sense of social responsibility.
The four-year program, which targets budding tech and science whizzes while they are still in high school, features theoretical study in diverse fields combined with hands-on work in research laboratories. Participants acquire knowledge, skills and experience in coping with complex problems, as well as academic credits that they can redeem in their future degree studies.
The Odyssey Program has three tracks:
- Physics
- Cyber – Combining Mathematics and Computer Science
- Chemistry and Materials Engineering
Alpha and Idea: Research Programs in the Sciences and Humanities
An innovative program targeting gifted high school students, Alpha and Idea exposes the participants to new and innovative fields of academic knowledge and to high quality research. The program equips them with the skills required to formulate their own independent research, and then conduct it according to the highest academic standards.
In addition to offering intriguing intellectual challenges and a meaningful academic experience, the programs also organize social activities to connect gifted youth with peers from across Israel.
The Check Point building has been a strategic partner to the Tel Aviv Youth University for many years.
In May 2019, the Tel Aviv Youth University moved to the beautiful Check Point Building, located on campus, where they until this day enjoy modern labs, classrooms, and unique study environments. The unit was able to expand its impact while also create a welcoming safe place for its young students.
Tel Aviv Youth University is led by two bodies:
The Academic Committee, which includes all disciplines and faculties, is chaired by Prof. Joseph Klafter, former President of Tel Aviv University, and a recipient of the Israel Prize in Chemistry. The Committee includes deans and senior academic staff from all TAU's faculties, and assist with planning the vast array of academic programs.
The Board of Directors is chaired by Mr. Gil Shwed, co-founder, and CEO of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. The board includes industry leaders, public figures, and top educators, who all put the future of society on their highest priority and invest in our youth.
