Universities in Palestine

In Palestine, a university is a higher education institution with at least three faculties that award a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Universities are the largest part of a young higher-education sector: the Ministry counts 49 higher education institutions in the West Bank and Gaza, attended by more than 221,000 students. Besides universities, the sector includes university colleges, polytechnics and community colleges.

Most Palestinian universities were founded from the 1970s onwards, under Israeli occupation, so that young Palestinians could study at home rather than abroad. Teaching is mainly in Arabic. For international students, the usual routes are an exchange semester, for example through Erasmus+, or Arabic courses for non-native speakers, rather than a full degree.

How universities work

Higher education is regulated by the Higher Education Law No. 6 of 2018. The Ministry lists 11 government, 17 public, 17 private and 4 UNRWA institutions across all types; most public universities are non-profit institutions owned by local charities and NGOs. Studies are counted in credit hours:

• Bachelor's degree: 4 years for most subjects, 5 years in pharmacy, dentistry and engineering, 6 years in medicine
• Master's degree: 36 credit hours plus a thesis or comprehensive exam, usually 2 years
• Doctorate: at least 48 credit hours plus a thesis, 3 years

All students take university requirements that include Arabic and English courses. The academic year has two semesters of 16 weeks: the first usually runs from mid-September to January, the second from February to June. At Hebron University, an optional summer semester lasts 8 weeks, a full-time load is normally 15 credit hours, and the minimum passing grade in a course is 60%.

Admission and recognition

Admission requires the Palestinian general secondary certificate (Tawjihi) or an equivalent. Foreign qualifications such as the IB, SAT, GCE or Abitur are accepted once the Ministry has made them equivalent. Each university sets a minimum grade for each programme, and some require an English proficiency test. At Hebron University, undergraduate applicants also pass the university's entrance exam and submit two recommendation letters from their secondary school.

The Ministry's certificate equivalency service issues equivalence documents for foreign secondary certificates, with offices in Ramallah, Nablus and Hebron. Students coming for an exchange semester should agree the recognition of their credits with their home university in advance.

Entry, costs and funding

There is no Palestinian student visa. Hebron University explains that the Palestinian Authority does not issue visas to foreigners and that the visa issued by Israel also applies to the Palestinian territories; the university cannot guarantee that the Israeli authorities will grant one. Travellers coming through Jordan cross at the King Hussein Bridge or the Sheikh Hussein Bridge.

Fees are set by each institution. At Hebron University, the administration determines the annual tuition fee at the beginning of every academic year. The Ministry fully funds government institutions and partly funds non-government ones, and runs a student loan fund. Exchange students should ask their host university which fees apply to them.

How to choose a university in Palestine

• Purpose: an exchange semester, Arabic language study or a full degree
• Language: most programmes are taught in Arabic
• Location: West Bank or Gaza, and how entry and daily travel work there
• Support: whether the university has an international relations office and Erasmus+ agreements
• Recognition of credits by your home university

Our directory lists one university in Palestine: Hebron University, which began in 1971 with the Islamic Shari'a College and describes itself as the first university in Palestine. In the first semester of 2024-2025 it had 9,579 students, including 6,533 undergraduates and 350 postgraduates, and offered 112 academic programmes. Its Center for Languages and Translation, established in 1995, is developing summer courses and a programme of Arabic for non-native speakers. The Ministry's list of universities also includes, among others, Birzeit University and An-Najah National University.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to study at a Palestinian university?

The Palestinian Authority does not issue visas. Entry depends on the Israeli authorities, whose visa also applies to the Palestinian territories.

Are courses taught in English?

Mostly not. Teaching is mainly in Arabic, although all students take English courses and some universities require an English proficiency test.

How long is a bachelor's degree in Palestine?

Four years for most subjects, five years in pharmacy, dentistry and engineering, and six years in medicine.

Can I enter with a foreign secondary school certificate?

Yes, once the Ministry of Education and Higher Education has made it equivalent to the Palestinian Tawjihi.