Approx. 47,000 students register yearly for at least one course at the Open University.
A diverse student body is composed of a cross section of Israeli society, including individuals who work full time and support families, gifted high school students, professionals seeking advanced degrees, ultra-Orthodox men and women, Israeli Arabs, students with disabilities, and residents from all over the country, including Israel's geographic and socioeconomic periphery.
The OUI is the only institution of higher education at which soldiers on active duty in the IDF are authorized to study while serving.
Over 50,000 students have graduated from the OUI – approximately 45,000 with bachelor's degrees and approximately 5,000 with master's degrees.
More than 600 courses are offered by the OUI, ranging from from Judaic Studies and Economics to Computer Science and Industrial Engineering. Tutors and students communicate through interactive course websites. All courses are in Hebrew, with selected courses also available in Russian and Arabic.
Over 60 study centers located throughout Israel allow students to attend tutoring sessions at convenient locations, and also offer academic counseling and learning resources.