Structural Racism and Other Barriers to Higher Education Access: A Study of Palestinian Citizens in Israel

Palestinian citizens of Israel, a historically racialised minority, face systemic discrimination affecting their access to higher education. This study assesses how institutional mechanisms — including subpar elementary and secondary education, higher education admissions criteria, and standardised testing — affect enrolment patterns and academic field selection in Israeli universities. Palestinian undergraduate and postgraduate enrolment and graduation rates in Israeli and international universities are examined. Additionally, their lived experience in the higher education system and the intensified restrictions on freedom of speech and expression are discussed. Strategies for dismantling systemic racism against Palestinians in education and in broader Israeli society are explored.