Departmental Guidelines – B.Sc. in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bar-Ilan University

עברית

Faculty of Life Sciences Bar-Ilan University – Undergraduate Program Guidelines (2025-26)

Dear Students,

We are delighted to welcome you to the Faculty of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University and wish you a successful, enriching, and enjoyable academic year.

On the faculty website, you’ll find detailed undergraduate study programs organized by year of study, academic tracks, and areas of specialization. The site also provides full course schedules and a breakdown of course clusters included in each program.

We encourage you to use the course schedules to identify appropriate course sections and plan your weekly timetable efficiently.

Below are some important guidelines to help ensure a smooth course registration process—especially for first-year students.

  • General Course Registration Guidelines: Essential Information for Undergraduate Students.

  • Course Registration Tutorial Video: A helpful instructional video (In Hebrew)  is available on the main page of the Inbar system (at the bottom of the page). We strongly recommend watching it before you begin the registration process.

  • Core Course Registration: You must register for all mandatory courses in each cluster as outlined by your department and program requirements.

  • Language Proficiency Levels: Check your Hebrew and English proficiency levels in the Inbar system: Inbar > Information for Applicants > Education > Hebrew Level / English Level.

Important: Students classified as "Pre-Exempt" in Hebrew are required to take the Hebrew proficiency exam, in accordance with university regulations.

  • Progressing from Year 1 to 2 or Year 2 to 3: You may only advance if you have no more than four unpassed courses (due to absence or failing grades). This status is assessed after the release of Semester B’s first exam period grades. Students in this situation must contact the academic advisor arrange their course registration.

  • Course Registration Periods: According to the Student Administration: Status Office guidelines, students may not register for the same course more than twice or take its exam more than four times. For exceptions, contact the Student Administration: Status Office.

  • Courses Involving Field Trips: These courses require an additional fee. Payment details and deadlines are available on the Faculty website.

 

  • Advanced Research Lab Course:

An elective course offered in the third year, providing hands-on research experience in one of the faculty labs. The course includes a minimum of 90 lab hours (to be arranged with the lab head in advance) and submission of a final report. It is part of the Year 3 elective cluster.

Highly recommended for students planning to pursue graduate studies.

Early Registration Option: Students interested in completing the course during Year 2 must register for it at the beginning of Year 3. Registration instructions are provided on the site.

Departmental Hours

“Departmental hours” are mandatory academic hours designated for each year of the undergraduate program. These hours may include quizzes, make-up classes, review sessions, or other academic activities as determined by the department and teaching staff.

Please note:

  • No other courses should be scheduled during these hours.

  • Departmental hours do not count toward the credit requirements for the degree.

  • Notifications regarding activities or assessments during departmental hours will be sent in advance.

Additional Degree Requirements

Each year, students must also register for university-wide required courses, including:

  • Jewish Studies Foundation Courses – 20 credit points

  • English as a Foreign Language – based on each student’s placement level

  • Hebrew Writing Proficiency – for students who are required to take it

We recommend completing your departmental course registration first, then adding university-wide required courses.

You may use the University’s Course Catalog to choose from the relevant options.

Course Exemption Guidelines

  • Students who scored 80 or above in the Israeli matriculation exam (5 units) in Physics are eligible for exemption from courses 80-111 and 80-113.

  • Students who have previously studied at a recognized academic institution may be eligible for additional course exemptions based on individual review of their academic background and completed coursework.

  • To apply for an exemption:
    Inbar > Main Page > Left Sidebar: Requests and authorizations > Submit a request > Subject: "Requests for Exemption or Acknowledgment of Previous  Studies.

Before submitting a request, we recommend consulting with  Dr. Loinger Ilana to determine eligibility and receive professional guidance.

A Final Note

We encourage you to verify during registration that you are enrolled in the required number of credit points to complete your degree on time. This will help you avoid extending your studies or requiring an additional academic year.

Students are solely responsible for keeping track of their accumulated and planned credit points according to their personal study plan.

 

Contact Information

 

The Faculty of Life Sciences team wishes you a successful, productive, and inspiring academic year!