Can an Academic Degree be Completed in High School?

The choice of study track, pace of studies (the number of courses taken each semester/year), and success in courses determine what portion of their degree students will have completed at the end of high school. Students are advised to determine the pace of their studies each semester on the basis of experience in previous semesters, the demands of their high school studies, expected free time, and their grades in previous courses. It is important to keep in mind that the Bachelor's degree grade determines the student's chances of being accepted to graduate studies.

Hundreds of high school students have studied at the Open University in recent years. A small number of students have completed their degree during their high school studies; a few dozen students each year completed fifty percent or more of their degree requirements, then requested and received military service deferment and completed their degree during the deferment period. Most of the students completed about one-third of the degree while in high school and completed their Open University degree during their compulsory military service or National Service. There are also students who continued and completed their undergraduate studies at the Open University or other universities following their military service.

Experience shows that even if students do not complete their undergraduate studies while still in high school, many of the courses studied at the Open University are accredited by other universities, thus shortening the study period required to obtain an academic degree.

  The IDF permits only Open University students to pursue academic studies during compulsory military service.

  Inter-university accreditation is not automatic and each request is subject to the decision of the admitting university (except for special agreements specified here).