Virtually all of the basic research in the country and most of the research in the humanities and social sciences are performed in the humanities and social sciences are performed in the universities. The Open University of Israel offers undergraduate courses in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and is based on distance teaching. The duration of studies for a bachelor's degree in universities is three years in most cases. However in certain fields such as engineering the duration of study extends to up to four years and in the case of architecture, five years. Higher Education in Israel usually follows 12 years of primary and secondary education.
Some fields of study require creating minimum grades in matriculation examinations.
Most institutions require candidates to submit psychometric entrance examination scores. The only requirement of the Open University is that applicants are capable of academic study. Students Most Israeli students are over age 21 when they begin their studies, due to three years compulsory military service for men and almost two years for women. Since its inception, Hebrew University scientists have been actively involved in every phase of Israel's national development, and its Jewish studies departments rank among the most comprehensive in the world. Today it is Israel's largest university, offering a wide spectrum of disciplines and placing considerable emphasis on both basic and applied research.