Guide

Ulpan in Israel: the complete guide for olim

An ulpan is an intensive Hebrew school for adults. Almost every new immigrant to Israel studies in one, and new olim are entitled to a free place in a state ulpan. This guide explains the kinds of ulpan, what you are entitled to, how to register, and where to find an ulpan in your city.

Last checked: 3 November 2026

What you are entitled to

Free state ulpan
Once, from age 17, about 420 to 450 hours over five months.
How long you can wait
New olim are eligible for tuition assistance for up to 10 years after aliyah.
Morning or evening
Morning classes usually run five days a week. Evening classes take up to 10 months, about three evenings a week.
Money while you study
Sal klita covers the first half year and income support the second. If you start after your first year, ulpan is free but without a living allowance.
Private ulpan voucher
The ministry pays up to 5,000 NIS for 150 or 200 hours at an approved private ulpan, usually after a state ulpan.

The kinds of ulpan

State ulpan (Ulpan Aleph)

Run by the Ministry of Education with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, often through the municipality. Free for olim, in about 84 places around the country, and where most people start. You need a referral from the ministry.

Ulpan Etzion and Jewish Agency programmes

Residential ulpanim for university graduates aged 22 to 35 without children: five months, five hours a day, with housing and help finding work. Campuses in Jerusalem, Haifa, Ra'anana, Ramla, Be'er Sheva and Kibbutz Tzuba, about 6,200 to 7,400 NIS. The Jewish Agency also runs programmes for younger olim planning the army or studies.

Kibbutz ulpan

Five months of half study, half volunteer work on a kibbutz, for ages 18 to about 30. About 6,200 NIS through the Jewish Agency.

University ulpan

Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, Haifa, the Technion and others run summer and winter intensives and semester courses, mostly for students. Universities usually require level Gimel to start a degree.

Private ulpan

Small groups at flexible hours, in person or on Zoom. Olim can get up to 5,000 NIS back through the ministry voucher if the ulpan is on the approved list.

Online ulpan

Subsidised options such as Hebrewbyte and live online groups such as Hebrew Connect from Nefesh B'Nefesh. Useful before aliyah and alongside work.

Professional ulpan

Free advanced Hebrew courses from the ministry for doctors, paramedical staff and nurses, needed for a licence. From June 2027 all doctors need proof of Hebrew. There are also courses for engineers and teachers.

Religious frameworks

Ulpanim within a Torah framework, such as Machon Meir in Jerusalem, and programmes that combine Torah study with Hebrew.

For specific groups

Ten-month ulpanim for retirees, longer programmes for olim from Ethiopia, and programmes for people with disabilities.

The levels

Ulpanim name their levels after the Hebrew letters: Aleph, Bet, Gimel, Dalet, Heh and Vav. Aleph starts from the alphabet. After Bet you can hold a simple conversation. Gimel and Dalet take you to the newspaper and the workplace. Heh and Vav are for academic and professional Hebrew. If you already know some Hebrew, the ulpan gives you a placement test.

How to register for a state ulpan

  1. Make sure you have your Teudat Oleh.

  2. Contact the ulpan coordinator at your local Ministry of Aliyah and Integration branch, or apply in your personal area on gov.il. The ministry's phone number is *2994.

  3. The coordinator tells you which ulpanim are near you and gives you a referral. You can visit ulpanim before choosing.

  4. If you know some Hebrew, take the placement test.

  5. Hand the referral to the ulpan. You can start only after that.

If something goes wrong

There is a waiting list

In 2023 about 3,700 olim were waiting for a state ulpan, half of them in Tel Aviv and the Center, for about six months on average. Ask to be referred to an ulpan in a nearby town, or ask whether you qualify for a private ulpan voucher: it is allowed without a state ulpan first when none is available.

You work full time

Ask for an evening ulpan, or a voucher for a private ulpan with flexible hours. Work hours are an accepted reason for a voucher in your first two years.

Your class is the wrong level

You may switch ulpan once within 14 days of your referral, and after moving home.

You finished ulpan and still struggle

Five months is a start. Continue with a Bet or Gimel class or a private voucher course, and keep reading and listening every day so the Hebrew from class becomes the Hebrew you use.

After ulpan: read real Hebrew every day

Dvash is a daily Hebrew reader made for life after ulpan. Every weekday it brings a short Israeli news story in easy Hebrew at your level, with translation, audio and nikud on every word. Ten minutes a day keeps the Hebrew from ulpan alive.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

See how it works for olim

Find an ulpan

88 ulpanim in 40 cities and online, checked against their own pages and official listings.

Type

Frequently asked questions

  • Is ulpan free for olim?

    Yes. New olim aged 17 and over are entitled once to a free state ulpan of about 420 to 450 hours. The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration also reimburses up to 5,000 NIS for an approved private ulpan, usually after a state ulpan.

  • How many hours of ulpan do olim get?

    The state ulpan is about 420 to 450 hours, usually over five months of morning classes or up to ten months of evening classes. The private ulpan voucher covers a further 150 or 200 hours.

  • How long after aliyah can I start ulpan?

    According to the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, new olim are eligible for tuition assistance for up to 10 years after aliyah. The living allowance during ulpan is tied to your first year, so starting early pays.

  • Can I study ulpan online?

    Yes. There are subsidised online options and live online groups, and voucher courses may be taken on Zoom. Online study from abroad does not count for the voucher.

  • Can I go to ulpan if I work?

    Yes. State ulpanim run evening classes, and work hours are an accepted reason to get a private ulpan voucher with flexible hours in your first two years.

  • Can I start ulpan before aliyah?

    The free state ulpan starts after aliyah. Before aliyah you can take an online course such as Hebrew Connect, which does not affect your voucher, or read easy Hebrew every day to arrive with a head start.

  • Which ulpan level do I need for university?

    Most Israeli universities require level Gimel to start a degree and an exemption exam at level Heh or Vav to finish the Hebrew requirement.

  • Is there an ulpan for doctors?

    Yes. The ministry runs free advanced Hebrew courses for doctors, paramedical staff and nurses, in person in Tel Aviv and online. From June 2027 all doctors need proof of Hebrew for an Israeli licence.

Rules and schedules change. Confirm the details with your absorption counsellor at the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration or with the ulpan itself.