Nearly 68% of first-time examinees passed the Israel Bar Association’s licensing exam in the winter 2025 session, underscoring the widening divide between first-time candidates and repeat test-takers – as well as between graduates of universities and colleges.
The written exam was held on December 23 in Jerusalem, with 2,953 legal interns sitting the test. Of the 2,056 candidates taking the exam for the first time, 67.7% passed. The pass rate dropped sharply among repeat examinees: Just 28.96% of second-time test-takers passed, while only 10.21% of those sitting the exam for a third time or more were successful.
Overall, 1,545 candidates passed the exam, reflecting a general pass rate of 52.32% and an average score of 59.2.
The data, published on Sunday, once again revealed significant disparities tied to academic background. Graduates of Israeli universities recorded a combined pass rate of 87.48%, compared with 43.2% among graduates of colleges. Candidates who studied abroad fared markedly worse, with just over 10% passing.
Among universities, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem led the field, with nearly 95% of examinees passing and the highest average score. Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, Reichman University, and Tel Aviv University also posted pass rates above 80%.
Approved students come from multiple law schools
Results among colleges varied widely. The College of Management Academic Studies in Rishon Lezion recorded the strongest showing, with more than 82% of candidates passing overall and an 86% pass rate among first-time examinees – a result its law faculty said placed it “on par with Israel’s universities.”
“We are very proud of our graduates, who time and again position us alongside the country’s universities,” said Dr. Ruti Lavenstein-Lazar, dean of the College of Management’s law faculty. “The figures reflect meaningful success, and we will continue to support our graduates from the moment they enter the faculty through the beginning of their professional lives.”
Pass rates at several other colleges remained below 40%, including Ono Academic College, Netanya Academic College, and the Academic Center for Law and Business, located in Ramat Gan. The Carmel Academic Center in Haifa recorded the lowest overall pass rate, at under 5%.
First-time examinees consistently outperformed the broader cohort across institutions. Among those sitting the exam for the first time, pass rates exceeded 90% at the Hebrew University, Bar-Ilan University, and the University of Haifa, with Reichman and Tel Aviv universities also posting strong results.
The Bar also published figures for a shortened, special-format exam administered to reservists amid the war. Of the 42 reservists who took the adjusted exam, 54.76% passed, with an average score slightly above 60.
Additional breakdowns pointed to differences linked to internship placement. Interns trained at the State Attorney’s Office recorded an 85.14% pass rate, while those interning at private law firms passed at a rate of 46.64%.
The Bar did not announce any policy changes alongside the release of the data.