Education & Training

In Tel Aviv  

• The Community Education Center (CEC) offers English and Hebrew classes at many levels. Call or visit CEC during reception hours for more information about the schedule and cost. 

• The African Refugee Development Center(ARDC) offers English and Hebrew classes at many levels.
  Call or text +972 54-440-0149 on WhatsApp or email [email protected] for more information about Hebrew and English courses.

In Jerusalem  

• The Jerusalem African Community Center offers some Hebrew classes. Call or visit during reception hours for more information about the schedule and cost. 

In Haifa

• ALEF offers English and Hebrew classes for adults and children.
  Text or call +972 50-877-5124 on WhatsApp or visit during reception hours for more information about language courses for children and adults in Haifa. 

You have many options to study and practice new skills, either with non-formal institutions or formal vocational schools. 

Tel Aviv  

• The African Refugee Development Center (ARDC) offers a variety of workshops on professional skills, career guidance, technology, and soft skills, such as public speaking, CV writing and interviewing practice, office skills, financial literacy, and more. ARDC also assists with the enrollment of asylum seekers into vocational training and higher education opportunities. Call or text +972 54-929-8892 on WhatsApp or email [email protected] for more information about workshops.
• The Schoolhouse, the education program of ARDC, offers a variety of courses to learn English and Hebrew language, computer skills, as well as technology and job training courses in video editing, customer support, web design, and more. There are also courses and assistance to earn a high school diploma equivalency. Text or call +972 54-440-0149 on WhatsApp or email [email protected] for more information. 

• Community Education Center (CEC) offers classes in various subjects such as sewing and design, Hebrew and English language, and computer skills. Visit CEC during reception hours for more information about the schedule and cost. 

Beer-Sheva  

• NRC (Negev Refugee Center) helps asylum-seekers find classes and schools for English and Hebrew classes. Call or visit during reception hours for more information about the schedule and cost. 

Haifa

• ALEF offers workshops in a variety of subjects on professional skills and career guidance, technology, soft skills, parenting, financial literacy, and other personal development. ALEF also assists with the enrollment of asylum seekers into vocational training and higher education opportunities. Text or call +972 50-877-5124 on WhatsApp, or visit AELF during reception hours for more information about workshops.

Yes! There are scholarships offered specifically for refugees, including for those interested in studying in other countries. 

Visit the UNHCR’s Opportunities site to: 

• Find accredited higher education academic or scholarship programs verified by UNHCR. 

• Filter information to pursue advanced study, skills, and professional development in and outside Israel. 

• Learn more about re-occurring programs. 

• Identify new opportunities as they become available.  

The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI) provides scholarships for refugee students to access higher education programs in their country of asylum. 

For registration for academic studies please contact ARDC – the African Refugee Development Center  or ASO – the African Student Organization in Israel

YES! Children have a universal human right to education. This means that all children of asylum-seekers and refugees in Israel are eligible for state education, regardless of legal status.

As Israeli law requires all children to attend school, regardless of their parents’ migration status, all children aged 6-18 must be registered for school and attend on a regular basis.

Placement is done by the municipality. The placement for first grade is according to the registration which is determined by the child’s residential address.

The registration areas change every year, depending on the expected number of children entering first grade. You are required to register for the local school to which you are assigned to, according to the updated residential address at the Ministry of the Interior.

If you are interested in applying for placement at another school, you must complete the registration process for the local assigned school – and at the end of the process submit a transfer application. This can only be done during the registration period, which is normally from January-February for the coming school year.

It is important to speak with your child’s teachers to understand how they will organize classroom policies on snacks, vaad (classroom dues), and other related school expenses.

For example, some classes will collect a small sum of money to buy each child a birthday present on their birthday.  Other classes may have traditions to bring snacks on your child’s birthday but not allow sweet snacks.  As each school and class will be different, talk to your child’s teacher to understand what will be required for your child’s participation in the class that year.

Ask your child’s teacher to add you to the parents’ Whatsapp group, where you will get important updates and information. If you do not read Hebrew or some parents in the class do not read Hebrew, ask the teacher to start a separate group for you and record voice memos whenever possible.

Placement is done by the municipality. The placement for first grade is according to the registration which is determined by the child’s residential address. 

The registration areas change every year, depending on the expected number of children entering first grade. You are required to register for the local school to which you are assigned to, according to the updated residential address at the Ministry of the Interior. 

If you are interested in applying for placement at another school, you must complete the registration process for the local assigned school – and at the end of the process submit a transfer application. This can only be done during the registration period, which is normally from January-February for the coming school year. 

Organizations that can help with kindergarten registration 

• Eilat: Visit the CIMI  community centre for more information. 

• Tel Aviv: Visit  Tel Aviv municipality education center. If you are having trouble registering your child, reach out to Mesila during reception hours. 

• Haifa: Visit ALEF for more information. 

• Visit your local municipality during reception hours. 

If your child attends school, you may reach out to the school counselor for further guidance regarding diagnosis tests that are required and the appropriate educational placement for you child. If your child is over the age of 3 years old and attends compulsory kindergarten, you may reach out to the kindergarten counselor or teacher. In addition, if you live in Tel Aviv, you can also reach out to  Mesila. If you do not live in Tel Aviv, you can reach out the welfare or education department at your local municipality.

You may need to advocate for your child to ensure they are getting the correct support, as resources in public schools can be tight.

There are some after school activities which are available through community structures, civil society organizations, schools and local municipalities. Please contact the relevant organizations in your city or ask one of the following organizations:  ASSAF / CIMI / Elifelet / MESILA