check
Haredi Students | Diversity and Inclusion The Hebrew University

Haredi Students

Israel’s Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) population is extremely under-represented in higher education as well as in employment. Some 480 Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) students are currently studying in the full range of the University’s faculties and programs. About 40% of these are doing their first degree and the rest are doing graduate studies. The most popular disciplines are Social Work, the Humanities and the Social Sciences. Other students study Medicine and Law as well as Computer Science & Engineering.

In order to overcome the deficiencies in their educational background (all being graduates of the independent Haredi education system that does not teach the core curriculum or provide training in scientific analytical thinking), the Haredi students are provided with a comprehensive basket of support services by the Equal Opportunities Unit in the Office of the Dean of Students. The efficacy of this intensive support is reflected in the remarkably-low drop-out rate of under 10% for the University’s Haredi students, as opposed to the national drop-out rate of around 75% for Haredi men and 50% for Haredi women studying in Haredi colleges.

Most of the Haredi students that come to the Hebrew University have done their first step into the academic world in Haredi segregated campuses. Those students who are eager to get a good academic education, to deepen their knowledge, to improve their employment opportunities and to specialize in their profession attend the Hebrew University as graduate students (for MA degrees). Those are the best of the best of the Haredi community.  We also have over 30 doctoral Haredi students, hopefully starting the new academic leadership of Haredi academia.