Is Ulpan Free for Olim? What New Immigrants Get

Yes, ulpan is free for olim. New immigrants aged 17 and over are entitled, one time, to a free place at a state ulpan, an intensive Hebrew course of about five months run by the Ministry of Education together with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.

That is the short answer to "is ulpan free". The rules also cover how long you have to use the entitlement, what happens if you work, what money you get while you study, and what the private ulpan voucher covers. This post sets out what new immigrants are entitled to, based on the ministry's own pages as of November 2026.

The free state ulpan

The free ulpan for olim is a state course, often called Ulpan Aleph. According to the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration:

• Who: new immigrants aged 17 and above.
• How often: one time only.
• Cost: olim are exempt from tuition.
• Length: generally five months, approximately 420 to 450 hours.
• Where: ulpanim run all year across the country. Classes open according to how many eligible olim need one in a given place and time. If there is no class near you, you are referred to another location.

Morning or evening ulpan

The most popular format is the morning ulpan, which generally runs five days a week. That suits people in their first months, before they start work.

Other state ulpanim run in the evening. Kol Zchut, the Israeli rights information site, describes the evening ulpan as lasting up to 10 months, about three days a week. If you work full time, ask your absorption counsellor which evening classes are near you.

How long do you have to use it?

This is where sources disagree. The ministry's current page on gov.il (updated October 2026) says new immigrants are eligible for tuition assistance for up to 10 years after aliyah. Older sources, including the ministry's ulpan procedure from 1993 and some guides written since, give 18 months from aliyah.

Follow the ministry's current page, and confirm your own case with your absorption counsellor at the local branch. If you are close to either limit, ask early.

Money while you study

Studying full time is hard if you have no income, so the state helps in your first year. According to the ministry:

• During the first half year after aliyah, olim studying at ulpan receive absorption basket payments (sal klita).
• During the second half year, they receive income support payments while they study.
• Olim who start ulpan after their first year in Israel get the tuition exemption only, and should check any other eligibility with the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi).

If your ulpan is extended for reasons beyond your control, such as a strike, a delayed opening, illness or a family situation, your income support can be extended by up to two months. This applies if you started ulpan within two months of receiving oleh status, and no more than one year after.

For many olim, this is a good reason to start ulpan soon after arrival.

The private ulpan voucher

Besides the state ulpan, the ministry funds study at approved private ulpanim through a voucher (shovar). Private ulpanim teach in small groups at flexible hours, which helps people who work or have young children.

According to the ministry's voucher page and the current directive:

• Amount: up to 5,000 NIS, or the actual cost of the course if that is lower.
• Courses: 200 hours at level Aleph or Bet in groups of up to 12, in person or on Zoom, or 150 hours at level Bet in groups of up to 8, in person only. Courses last up to eight months.
• Where: only at institutions on the ministry's approved list.
• Who: olim who completed a state ulpan, who were at least 17 on the day of aliyah, and for whom fewer than 10 years have passed since receiving oleh status (15 years for olim from Ethiopia and Yemen and for Bnei Menashe).
• Exceptions: in your first two years, you can ask for a voucher without first studying at a state ulpan if no state ulpan is available, for a health reason, if you are the parent of children aged 0 to 3, or if work, higher education or an internship prevents full attendance.
• In Israel only: the ministry does not support studies by olim who are abroad for all or part of the course.

Two practical points. First, get the ministry's approval before you register with a private ulpan, because the ministry does not reimburse a course you registered for before approval. Second, the voucher is paid in two parts: half after you register, and half after the ministry's final exam, provided you attended at least 80% of the course.

The current voucher rules come from a ministry directive valid until 26 December 2026. Check for updates after that date.

How to register

1. Have your Teudat Oleh ready. This is your immigrant certificate, and every ulpan step depends on it.
2. Contact the ulpan coordinator at your local branch of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. You can also apply for a referral in your personal area on gov.il.
3. Get your referral. The coordinator explains which ulpanim are near you and refers you to the most suitable one. If there are several options, you can visit them before you choose.
4. Bring the referral to the ulpan. Some ulpanim call this referral a "voucher", which can be confusing. It is your state ulpan place, separate from the private ulpan voucher.

To compare options near you, see our guide to every ulpan in Israel, with state, private, kibbutz and university ulpanim by city.

Make the most of the five months

Ulpan gives you structure, a teacher and a class. The fastest learners also read and listen to Hebrew every day outside class. Dvash helps with that: it publishes today's Israeli news and Israeli songs in easy Hebrew at four levels, with tap-to-translate on every word, nikud on or off, audio, and My Words flashcards that bring back words just before you forget them. The app interface is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian and Arabic. See how Dvash supports olim.

Quick answers

Is ulpan free for olim? Yes. Olim aged 17 and over get one free place at a state ulpan.

Can I go to ulpan if I work? Yes. Ask for an evening ulpan, or ask about a private ulpan voucher with flexible hours.

Can I study at a state ulpan and a private ulpan at the same time? No. Using a voucher later does not affect your right to a state ulpan.

Who decides my eligibility? Your absorption counsellor at the local branch of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. The ministry's own page asks olim to confirm their personal eligibility there.