Israel's hottest degrees: medicine leads demand as AI expands, computer science declines
Some 350,900 students are expected at 57 institutions, a 2.1% increase; around 70,000 served in the military reserves last year, while women account for 58.6% of enrollment and 61% finish bachelor's degrees on time, versus 43% across the OECD
In the 2026-27 academic year, Israel's higher education system continues its growth trajectory, with 57 institutions preparing to welcome approximately 350,900 students. This represents a modest 2.1% increase, or 7,183 students, compared to the previous year. While undergraduate studies account for roughly 90% of the overall growth, technology-related fields like data science and AI show mixed trends, with enrollment in data science, AI, and data engineering reaching a record 2,259 students. However, enrollment in mathematics, statistics, and computer science has dropped by 7.4%.
Notably, medicine and dentistry, health professions, architecture, and engineering emerged as the hottest fields of study, with medicine alone seeing a 11% increase in first-year students and a forecast of 1,560 new medical students in 2026-27. The government has also allocated 490 million shekels to establish AI supercomputing infrastructure between 2026 and 2028.
Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing war, the higher education system has shown remarkable flexibility, with a significant portion of students serving in the military reserves and experiencing lower dropout rates due to nationwide support measures.
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