Registration Guidelines

Registration Guidelines for Undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Courses

Undergraduate students at Bar-Ilan University are placed into EFL courses according to their English score on either:

  • The English section of the National Psychometric Entrance Examination, or
  • The Amiranet English Placement Test.

Information about these examinations is available from the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation. 

 

EFL Study Requirements

  1. Students must attain exemption level in English by the end of their second year of study (calendar year).
  2. Students placed in Pre-Basic B or Basic are required to register for English courses during their first year of study.
  3. It is recommended to take an English course during the summer before beginning university studies.
  4. Students may register for the next level only after successfully completing the current level and receiving a passing final grade. 

 

Placement Levels

Exemption
  • Obtain a score of 134 or higher on the Psychometric or Amiranet exam, or
  • Successfully complete the Advanced B course. 
Advanced B

Placement score: 120–133, or successful completion of Advanced A.

  • Focuses on improving academic reading skills.
  • Aims to enable students to independently comprehend authentic academic texts.
  • A one-semester course consisting of 4 weekly academic hours.
  • Also offered as an intensive summer course.
  • Completion grants exemption from the undergraduate EFL requirement. 
Advanced A

Placement score: 100–119, or successful completion of the Basic course.

  • Focuses on developing English reading skills.
  • Aims to enable students to independently comprehend authentic academic texts.
  • A one-semester course consisting of 4 weekly academic hours.
  • Also offered as an intensive summer course.
  • Students must continue to Advanced B after successfully completing this level. 
Basic

Placement score: 85–99, or successful completion of Pre-Basic A & B or Pre-Basic B.

  • A medium-level course focusing on reading comprehension of texts from various fields.
  • Includes instruction in general language skills needed for reading comprehension.
  • Emphasizes academic vocabulary development and the grammatical and structural foundations of academic discourse.
  • Students are exposed to academic texts and commonly used academic vocabulary to help them develop independent ideas and language use.
  • Provides the foundation required for the advanced levels, where students are expected to comprehend and produce more complex language.
  • Offered as:
    • A year-long course of 3 weekly hours, or
    • A one-semester intensive course of 6 weekly hours.
  • Also available as an intensive summer course.
  • Students must continue to Advanced A after successfully completing this level. 
Pre-Basic B

Placement score: 70–84, available only in exceptional cases and with special approval.

  • Intended for students who need substantial improvement in general English language skills.
  • Includes review of grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary development.
  • A course consisting of 6 weekly academic hours, usually offered as a summer course.
  • Students progress from this level to the Basic course. 

 

Determining or Updating Placement Level

Students Without a Psychometric Score

Students who have not taken the Psychometric Examination must take the Amiranet placement test before beginning their first year of studies in order to determine their English level. The examination is administered by the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation. 

Updating Placement Following a Psychometric or Amiranet Exam

If the English level displayed in the university's student information system (Inbar) does not match the student's official test score:

  • Students must request that the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation send the score directly to Bar-Ilan University.
  • Score reports submitted by students themselves will not be accepted. 

Important Notes

  • Requests to change course registration following a level update will not be accepted after the official add/drop period.
  • Students must continue attending their registered course until the level change is officially processed. 
Recognition of EFL Courses Taken at Another Institution

Students who completed EFL courses as part of a degree program at another recognized higher-education institution may request recognition of those studies.

They must submit:

  • Proof of English placement score (Psychometric English score),
  • An official transcript,
  • A detailed course syllabus,
  • Confirmation that:
    1. The course was taught face-to-face.
    2. Attendance was mandatory.
    3. The final examination was conducted in person rather than online.

Each request is reviewed individually. Students may register for a subsequent course only after their level has been officially updated in the university system. 

 

Special Programs

Students in Special Programs

Students enrolled in special programs (such as Magen, Yanshufim, Yahalom, security-service programs, and others) register for the English courses designated for their program according to their English placement level. 

Management Program (ORT Track)

First-year students in the ORT track of the Department of Management must register only for the English courses designated specifically for their program and according to their placement level.