Last Updated on November 16, 2021
Hebrew to English translation of municipal school fees and expenses
Hebrew – אגרת חינוך
Primary and secondary school fees are set out by your local Department of Education except in the case of private schools. School fees differ for different sectors of the population.
There are:
- Mamlachti (State) and Mamlachti-Dati (religious-State) elementary, junior high and high schools
- Torani schools, Yeshiva Tichonit, Ulpana and specialized curriculum
- Schools for the ultra-orthodox Haredi sector
- Private schools (and schools for expats).
School fees, according to grades, can be anything from 500NIS/year – 10,000NIS/year depending on the curriculum and other services. Private school fees could be anywhere between 1,500NIS/month – 3,500NIS/month.
In addition to the regular fees, state schools will require payment for added service. Each school has a set of mandatory, special and voluntary payments that need to be made during the year; school trips, heating, class parties etc.
Most school fees payment can be made online via your local municipal’s or regional council’s website however if you are not connected digitally, you still need to understand the hard-copy. Here is the Hebrew to English translation.
- Israel’s education system
- The very first day of school
- Free Hebrew word sheet with English & transliterations
Some useful terminology
- Mandatory payment (תשלום חובה / tashlum chova)
- Special payment (תשלום מיוחד / tashlum meyuchad)
- Voluntary payments (תשלומי רשות / tashlumei reshut)
- Voluntary purchases of services (רכישת שירותים מרצון / rechishat sherutim meratzon)
- Voluntary supplemental learning program
Again, there is no flat rate. Each school determines its own fees.
School books are included in some schools but not in all.
If you are unsure about what you are being asked to pay for, you have the right to request a written description of the costs, from the school, including which are mandatory and which are voluntary.
Additional Information
- For more information or explanations about school fees, contact your municipal Department of Education.
- Fees that remain unpaid at the due date are subject to interest and other fees as laid out by the law.
- Fees can be paid at your municipal office, the post-office or online
- If the account has been paid after the due date, you must then present the receipt to the school in order to get school books (if applicable).
Paying school fees
You have a few options when paying school fees:
- Pay at the post office or municipal office with the voucher as above.
- By secure credit card payment over the internet via your municipality’s website
- You can pay on installment, however you will have to pay interest on the outstanding amount.
- By phone there are two options
-
- via a computerized automated answering machine (you have to know Hebrew for this)
- via a customer service representative at your municipal office – you need Hebrew for this too.