Nefesh BNefesh - Aliyah: Live the Dream

Note: The amounts listed below are approximate and are subject to change. Please check with your local school district for exact tuition rates.

Tuition

Standard tuition fees are determined by Misrad Hachinuch (Ministry of Education), not by the individual school. This standard fee includes: accident insurance, dental insurance, and a certain number of cultural activities and school trips. Schools that offer additional hours, activities, trips and programming charge an additional fee. Examples of such are: semi-private elementary schools, Yeshivot, Ulpanot, specialized schools (democratic, science and art, etc.), and Talmud Torahs.

Pre-School

• Maon (government-supervised daycare): 18,000 NIS – 25,200 NIS per year
• Mishpachton (private daycare): 22,800 NIS – 28,800 NIS per year
• Trom-Trom Chova and Trom Chova (3 and 4 year old nursery): 8,000 NIS per year (in cities that are not included in the Mandatory Education Law)
• Trom-Trom Chova and Trom Chova (3 and 4 year old nursery): 250 NIS per year (in cities that are included in the Mandatory Education Law)
• Gan Chova (Kindergarten): 250 NIS per year. All Ganei Chova are included in the Mandatory Education Law.

Ganim (Trom-Trom through Gan Chova) generally end at 1:30pm. Some cities provide an extended school day to the students at no extra charge. In other cities, you may register for Tzaharon (an afternoon program until 4:00 or 4:30pm) at a cost of an additional 800-1,000 NIS per month.

Note:A new law will go into effect starting in September 2012  that enables parents to send their children to 3-4 yr. old preschool programs for free. It will take 3 years (9/2012 – 9/2015) for the law to take effect in all cities. Please contact your local board of education to check if it is applicable to your city.

Note: In some cities in which the new law has not gone into effect, an Oleh Chadash can receive up to a 90% discount on preschool tuition. Check with you local Iriyah (municipality) or Moetza (local council) for details.

Within the first two years of Aliyah, mothers are entitled to a subsidy for government-run childcare at a Maon or Peuton (day care program) such as Emunah, Naamat and WIZO. This subsidy also applies to mothers studying for a BA or MA degree. In the case of the MA degree, there is a 20 hour per week minimum work. To apply for the subsidy, please click here or here (both links are in Hebrew).

Mamlachti (Public), Mamlachti-Dati (Public-Religious), and Haredi (Beit Yaakov) Schools

• 1st-6th grade: 575-950 NIS per year
• 7th – 9th grade: 1,100 NIS per year
• 10th-12th grade: 1,200-1,400 NIS per year

Semi-Private Schools in all sectors

• 1st-6th grade: 2,000-6,000 NIS per year
• 7th- 9th grade: 3,000-6,000 NIS per year
• 10th-12th grade: 5,000-15,000 NIS per year

Transportation

If a family lives a certain distance from the district school, transportation expenses are covered by the Iriyah (city) or Moetza (municipality) and Misrad Hachinuch (2 kilometers for K-4th grade; 3 kilometers for 5th-12th grade). Depending on the location, the child will either receive a public bus ticket or transportation will be organized for the students. However, if a family decides to send their child to a non-district school, transportation expenses are not covered. It is important to contact the local Machleket Hachinuch (Department of Education) in order to find out which schools are considered to be district schools.

Children with severe physical or emotional disabilities are entitled to transportation regardless of the distance of the school from their house.

Books and School Supplies

Some schools lend books to the students. However, in most schools, parents need to purchase the books. Many of the bookstores also offer used schoolbooks for sale that can significantly reduce the total cost. Generally, the cost for books in the higher grades is greater than in the lower grades.

The approximate cost of new books ranges from 300-700 NIS depending on the grade level and the school.

School supplies cost approximately 100-200 NIS per child.

Due to a new law passed in the Knesset, starting in September 2012, some schools will offer a book-lending program for a nominal annual fee. Please check with your local school.

Chugim (After-School Activities)

Many children participate in at least one, if not several, after school group activities that include: sports, dance, art, Torah enrichment, martial arts, scouting, and many others.

The average monthly cost for a 1-hour weekly activity ranges between 80-150 NIS.

Private music lessons range between 75-120 NIS per hour.

Private Tutors

Fees range from 80-130 NIS per hour depending on the subject, grade level and professional qualifications of the tutor.