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Immigration & Aliyah

Do the children of foreign nationals living in Israel have the right to attend Israeli schools?

Yes. The Compulsory Education Law 5709-1949 applies to every child present in Israel between the ages of 3 and 18, and it does not condition the right to education on immigration status. The local authority where the family lives is responsible for registering the child and assigning a school, and tuition is free through the end of twelfth grade. Ministry of Education directives instruct schools to enroll the children of foreign workers, asylum seekers, and visa holders on the same terms as resident children. A school that refuses registration because a parent lacks status is acting outside the Law.

The duty in the Compulsory Education Law falls on the parent and on the local authority, and the statutory wording attaches to a child who is in Israel rather than to a citizen or a resident. The Students’ Rights Law 5761-2000 reinforces this by prohibiting an educational institution from discriminating in registration on grounds that include country of origin. Registration is handled by the municipal education department, usually in a defined winter window for the following school year, with late registration accepted for families who arrive mid-year. The school places the child by age and may assign additional Hebrew language support. Ministry of Education guidance treats enrollment as an education matter, separate from immigration enforcement.

The friction in practice comes from documents rather than from the legal right. Municipalities ask for the child’s passport, proof of address such as a lease or an arnona bill, vaccination records, and any prior school reports, and they register children whose parents hold a B/1, A/2, A/5, or tourist visa. Health cover is a separate question: children of foreign workers can be insured under a Ministry of Health arrangement operated through a health fund for a monthly premium, and the school does not provide it. A parent who is refused registration should complain to the Ministry of Education district office before considering court. Our guide on the status of a child born in Israel to foreign parents covers the related residency questions.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Section 2, Compulsory Education Law 5709-1949; Section 5, Students’ Rights Law 5761-2000
  • Competent authority: the local authority education department registers the child; the Ministry of Education (Misrad HaChinuch) district office handles registration complaints
  • Ages covered: free compulsory education from age 3 through the end of twelfth grade
  • Documents: child’s passport, proof of address (lease or arnona bill), vaccination record, prior school reports
  • Costs: tuition is free; parents still pay committee and enrichment fees of roughly NIS 300 to NIS 1,000 per year (2026) within Ministry-set ceilings
  • Health cover: children of foreign workers can join a Ministry of Health insurance arrangement through a health fund for approximately NIS 160 per month (2026)

From the full guide: Child Born in Israel to Foreign Parents: Status and Rights

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