Hebrew Proficiency Requirements for Undergraduate Programs
Students enrolled in Undergraduate Programs conducted in English during the first academic year and in Hebrew thereafter are required to take a Hebrew placement test.
There are two ways to assess your Hebrew proficiency:
1. YAEL Exam
- More information can be found here.
- When registering for the exam, select Bar-Ilan University as the recipient to ensure your results are sent directly.
- YAEL Proficiency Levels:
- Level A (Score: 50-59)
- Level B (Score: 60-83)
- Level C (Score: 84-95)
- Level D (Score: 96-104)
- Level E (Score: 105-119)
- Level F (Score: 120-131)
2. Bar-Ilan University’s Internal Hebrew Proficiency Exam
- Administered at the university and may not be recognized outside BIU.
- Eligible applicants will receive an email with exam details.
- Results, including the assigned proficiency level, will be sent via email.
Hebrew Course Schedule by Proficiency Level
Level | Semester | Days | Hours |
A | Summer semester (before the academic year starts) | Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
B | Winter semester (semester A) | Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
C | Winter semester (semester A) | Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
C | Spring semester (semester B) | Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
D | Spring semester (semester B) | Tuesday | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
D | Summer semester | Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
H | Winter/Spring semester (semester A/B) | Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
F | Winter/Spring semester (semester A/B) | Online (asynchronous) | — |
- Level A is a frontal (in-person) course, and the summer semester will run from August 6, 2025 – September 19, 2025.
- Studies are conditional on completing Level A before the start of the academic year and reaching at least Level B.
Note: Not all days for Level H courses are available every semester.
Important Notes
✅ Attendance and active participation in all Hebrew courses are mandatory.
✅ Hebrew courses are scheduled to avoid conflicts with your degree program.
✅ Students must pass the final proficiency exam to continue their studies.
✅ All students must complete the first year at Level D or higher.
✅ Course registration for levels A-D will be done through the department. Levels H-F are self-registration.
