The Authority for Research Students  is the highest academic body dealing with research students at the Hebrew University. The Authority is responsible to the Senate and the Rector for the standard of doctoral dissertations, and it is responsible for monitoring the level of instruction required for the research students. 
The Authority shall strive for the nurturing of excellence in doctoral studies, and shall initiate steps to attract excellent students from among the students of The Hebrew University and other universities in Israel and abroad.

The Authority for Research Students is divided into two Committees and each one has its own Chairperson.

The Committee for Humanities and Social Sciences deals with topics in the fields of Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Education, Social Work, Business Administration and Public Policy.

The Committee for Experimental Sciences deals with topics in the fields of Natural Sciences (including Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Sciences), Brain Sciences, Agriculture (including Animal Science) and the Medical Sciences (including Dental Medicine Sciences, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics, Public Health and Occupational Therapy).

The number of the Authority Committees’ members and their terms of office shall be determined by the Standing Committee of the Senate, which shall appoint the Chairpersons for both Committees and their members. The Chairpersons of the two Committees shall serve alternately in the position of chairperson of the Authority.

In the Hebrew University, about 2300 students study towards the Ph.D. degree and about 310 complete their studies each year.  About 1000 of them are students of the Humanities an Social sciences and about 1300 - of the experimental sciences. About 90 of those who graduate each year are students of the Humanities and Social sciences, and about 220 - of the experimental sciences.