Education in Palestine: school stages, Tawjihi and university admission

In short

Palestinian schools follow a national curriculum set by the Ministry of Education. School ends with the Tawjihi, the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination, which every student in the final grade sits at the same time. The Tawjihi average is the main number used by Palestinian universities when they offer places.

School stages

Basic education covers the first ten grades. Secondary education covers the last two grades, grades eleven and twelve. In secondary school students follow a stream. The main academic streams are scientific and literary, and there are also vocational streams such as industrial, commercial and agricultural.

The Tawjihi

• Scientific stream: mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, together with the compulsory subjects.
• Literary stream: subjects such as history, geography and the humanities, together with the compulsory subjects.
• Compulsory subjects: Arabic, English and religious education are taken by students in the academic streams.

The certificate is awarded on the results of the national exam, and the final average is used for university admission and for scholarships.

University admission

Palestinian universities such as Birzeit University, An-Najah National University and Al-Quds University mostly admit students on their Tawjihi average, in the stream a programme asks for. Competitive programmes such as medicine, engineering and nursing ask for higher averages, and some faculties add their own requirements or interviews. Check each university's admission page for the current rules, because they change from year to year.

Subjects and streams

Students in the scientific stream concentrate on mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. Students in the literary stream study subjects such as history, geography, sociology and the humanities. Every academic stream also covers Arabic, English and religious education. Vocational streams prepare students for work or for technical study, and have their own subject lists.

The exam period

The Tawjihi is held once a year, with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education announcing the timetable, the registration rules and the date results are published. Students sit the papers over several days, and the final average is calculated from the subjects of the student's stream. Students who want to improve their average can usually sit again under the ministry's rules, so check the current regulations.

Studying and living in Palestine

Palestinian students study across the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, and conditions for travel and for schooling are not the same everywhere. Many universities offer both full programmes and shorter diplomas, and some students go on to study abroad, where English is often required. Strong English helps with both university study and applications abroad.

Studying for the Tawjihi

Tawjihi preparation is a year-long task, and most students combine school lessons with private study. A steady routine works better than a late rush: divide each subject into its textbook units, give every unit a week and revisit older units on a rotation. In the scientific stream, daily problem solving in mathematics and physics matters more than rereading. In the literary stream, practise writing short structured answers and learn dates, names and definitions through repetition.

Timed practice builds the habit of finishing a paper in the allowed time. After each mock test, sort your wrong answers into three groups: facts you did not know, methods you did not remember, and slips caused by hurry. Each group needs a different cure, namely memorising, practising and slowing down. Repeat the same exam a few weeks later and compare topic by topic.

Teachers can use a mock test or a flashcard deck as class homework, and parents can follow progress through a family group. Both are free.

Preparing with GetMyMockTest

GetMyMockTest offers free practice in English for the exams below. Check the exact subjects and format with the Ministry of Education.

• Tawjihi, scientific stream: mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.
• Tawjihi, literary stream: practice for the humanities subjects.
• General knowledge: questions on Palestine's history, geography and culture.