Start in English, study social work in Hebrew, and graduate eligible to practice in Israel.

The Bachelor of Social Work: Academic Integration Track is a structured route into TAU's Hebrew-taught BSW. You begin with a preparatory year (Year 0) of four foundational psychology courses taught in English, taken while you build your Hebrew to the level the degree requires.

Pass Year 0 with the required grades and you move into the three-year Bachelor of Social Work at the Bob Shapell School of Social Work, learning to work with individuals, families, groups, and communities across Israel's social service systems.

What will you study?

Social work focuses on the relationship between people and the societies they live in. It matters most in situations involving crisis, inequality, social exclusion, health challenges, migration, family change, and community need.

The BSW is a single-major, three-year degree that combines theoretical and applied coursework. You build foundations across the social sciences and humanities — psychology, sociology, economics, law, philosophy of science, research methods, and statistics — study how individuals and families develop, examine the welfare state and its social services, and practice the intervention methods of social work on theoretical, empirical, and ethical grounds.

Every year of the degree includes supervised fieldwork in welfare services, under the personal supervision of a qualified social worker, building the professional judgment and practical skills the work requires.

Why study social work at TAU?

• Academic credit toward the BSW for the Year 0 courses you complete
• Fieldwork from year one, with supervised placements in real welfare settings
• A licensure-track degree that meets the requirements to practice social work in Israel
• Funding for eligible olim through Israeli Student Authority scholarships, with an additional housing scholarship for recent olim (conditions apply)

What can you do with a BSW from Israel?

Demand for qualified social workers in Israel is high.

Graduates work in settings that include municipal social services, hospitals and health clinics, mental health services, youth and adult probation services, residential and older-adult care, schools, prisons, immigration and absorption services, and community, social-change, and public-sector organizations.

The degree qualifies graduates for licensure in Israel, subject to registration in the Social Workers Registry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you study social work in Israel in English?

The Bachelor of Social Work is taught in Hebrew, because it qualifies graduates to practice in Israel. The integration track lets you begin in English: a preparatory year of foundational psychology courses taught in English, taken while you build your Hebrew, after which you continue into the Hebrew-taught degree.

Who is the program for?

This is an academic integration track designed for students who want to study social work in Israel and need a structured pathway into Hebrew-taught degree studies.

The track is especially relevant for new olim and eligible international applicants who meet the academic admission requirements and are working toward the Hebrew level required for full BSW studies.

What degree will I earn?

Students who complete the integration track requirements and then successfully complete the Hebrew-taught degree will earn a Bachelor of Social Work, also known as a BSW, from Tel Aviv University.

Can I continue automatically into the BSW?

Yes, if you meet the academic and Hebrew requirements by the end of Year 0.

Students must complete the four required courses, achieve an average grade of 82 in at least three of them, pass all four courses, and reach Hebrew Level Hey by the end of Year 0.

How long is the BSW at Tel Aviv University?

The degree itself is a three-year, single-major program. With the one-year preparatory year (Year 0), the full integration track runs about four years.

Is the degree recognized for licensure in Israel?

Yes. A Bachelor of Social Work qualifies graduates to practice social work in Israel, subject to registration in the national Social Workers Registry.