Conversion of a Foreign Teacher’s License

To work as a teacher, you must have certificates verifying your academic and professional qualifications:

• An academic degree recognized in Israel
• A teaching certificate or teaching license recognized in Israel

Upon entering the teaching profession in Israel, regardless of your teaching experience, you will also be required to complete an internship year that includes:

• An internship workshop
• Mentorship
• Hebrew language reinforcement
• Subject specific supplements as needed

District Counselors are your point of contact for any requests or questions. They will assist you throughout the process until you successfully integrate into the education system.

When meeting with your Madrich for the first time, it is recommended to bring the following documents:

• Teudat Zehut – תעודת זהות – ID or Teudat Oleh – תעודת עולה – new immigrant Aliyah booklet
• Documents verifying your academic and pedagogical education

The first meeting includes a personal interview, entering your personal details into the Ministry of Education system, guidance, and an explanation of the process. To contact your Madrich, refer to the list of District Counselors for Olim teachers below.

Head Office

National Instructor: Nitza Halevi Cohen
Reception Hours: By appointment
Office Location: 2 Devorah HaNeviah Street, Lev Ram Building, Jerusalem
Work Phone: ‎073-3936561
Mobile: ‎054-5550610
Email: nitzahc@education.gov.il

District Counselors

• Northern Region

Marina Kupershlak
Reception Hours: Thursdays, 10:00–12:00 (by appointment).
Office Address: Pisga Center, Shikma 3A, Nof HaGalil.
Mobile: 052-3229232, Email: marinakuper@gmail.com

• Haifa Region

Shani Goldstein
Reception Hours: Thursdays, 10:00–12:00 (by appointment).
Office Address: Government Complex, Binyan HaTil, Pal-Yam 15, Haifa, 5th floor.
Mobile: 052-2562996, Email: 1002001025@edu-haifa.org.il

• Central Region

Yael Yakir
Reception Hours: Mondays, 10:00–13:00 (by appointment).
Office Address: HaShlosha 4, Ministry of Education Building, 14th floor, Tel Aviv.
Work Phone: 073-3937421, Mobile: 054-5543496, Email: yaely.he24@gmail.com

• Tel Aviv Region

Yifat Biton Lotan
Reception Hours: Mondays, 10:00–12:00 (by appointment).
Office Address: HaShlosha 2, Moskowitz Building, 9th floor, Tel Aviv.
Mobile: 050-4324196, Email: yrimon2013@gmail.com

• Jerusalem Region

David Yesslezon
Reception Hours: Thursdays (by appointment).
Office Address: Devorah HaNeviah 2, Lev Ram Building, Jerusalem.
Work Phone: 073-3931303, Mobile: 052-2468519, Email: dayveed14@gmail.com

Dina Assor
Reception Hours: Thursdays (by appointment).
Office Address: Devorah HaNeviah 2, Lev Ram Building, Jerusalem.
Work Phone: 073-3931303, Mobile: 050-9605580, Email: dinaassor@gmail.com

• Southern Region

Galia Yonin
Reception Hours: Thursdays, 10:00–15:00.
Office Address: HaTikvah 4, 2nd floor, Be’er Sheva.
Work Phone: 073-3935537, Fax: 08-6263281, Mobile: 054-5886786, Email: galiay@education.gov.il

• Judea and Samaria Education Region

Yoel Gromback
Reception Hours: By appointment.
Office Address: HaShlosha 2, Moskowitz Building, Tel Aviv.
Work Phone: 054-2610003, Fax: 03-6898746, Mobile: 054-2610003, Email: yoelgr@mchp.gov.il

• National Religious Education Region

Bilu Ben Yitzhak
Reception Hours: By appointment.
Mobile: 050-5559611, Email: biluhazon@gmail.com

Recognition of Foreign Academic Degrees

Foreign academic degrees are evaluated by the Department for Degrees and Diplomas, and the teaching license will be reviewed by the Teacher Administration. More details can be found at the following link.

Document Translation

The evaluation of an academic degree will only be conducted after presenting original documents or certified copies, along with notarized translations of the documents into Hebrew. The Misrad HaKlita – משרד הקליטה – Ministry of Integration provides free translation assistance – check with your Madrich for more details.

Recognition of Academic Degrees Before Aliyah

Olim who want to evaluate their degrees before arriving in Israel can do so by:

• Translating documents through an Israeli consulate-approved translator.
• Registering and submitting the application online.
  For help in navigating the process see this explanatory page
• Contact for evaluations in Israel: Phone: +972-73-3934455 (Sun, Tue, Thu: 9:30–13:00).

Recognition of a Teaching License from Abroad

The Ministry of Education is responsible for evaluating teaching licenses obtained by foreign teachers, and comparing them to equivalent teaching licenses issued by Israeli institutions. Contact your Madrich from the list above for more information.

Translation of Teaching License Documents

The teaching license will be considered only after presenting the original documents or certified copies, as well as translations of the documents into Hebrew, notarized by an Israeli notary. Translation assistance is available free of charge through the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption.

Requirements for Recognizing a Teaching License

• The committee will recognize an Oleh’s teaching certificate if it is recognized in the country where the studies were completed.
• If the Oleh teacher does not have an academic degree and the committee recognizes their teaching certificate, they will be referred to complete an academic degree as required.
• If the committee does not recognize the Oleh’s teaching license, they will be directed to an appropriate teachers college to complete their studies for a license.
• A recognized academic degree, including a qualification in teaching a specific subject (e.g., a degree in teaching mathematics or English), is considered equivalent to an academic degree and a teaching certificate.

Required Documents

• Application form for certificate recognition
• Teudat Zehut (if relevant)
• Teudat Oleh or Toshav Chozer – תושב חוזר – returning resident certificate
• Teaching certificate and/or teaching license
• Official, signed transcript of teaching license studies
• Official documents reflecting how many years of teaching experience you have

For more information, contact the relevant Madrich from the list above

Olim during their first year of teaching, who are working at least one-third of a position, are considered a “beginner teacher”. The first year is regarded as an internship year, and a successful internship is one of the required criteria for receiving a teaching license.

The internship year includes the following:

• Mentorship: The Oleh teacher will be assigned a mentor teacher with the goal of easing their integration process.
• Internship Workshop: A requirement to participate in a peer workshop for developing personal and professional identity, totaling 30 hours.
• Performance Evaluations: An evaluation process including a formative assessment mid-year and a final evaluation at the end of the year.
• Hebrew Studies: A requirement to participate in a Hebrew language course totaling 120 hours.

Exemptions from Hebrew Studies:

You may be exempt if you meet one of the following criteria:

• Hold an Israeli Bagrut – בגרות – matriculation certificate
• Completed Hebrew language courses at recognized academic institutions abroad
• Completed Ulpan Level Daled
• Passed the Israeli Yael Hebrew Proficiency Test

Requests for exemption should be sent to your Madrich.

Once you complete all the above steps you will be eligible to receive a teaching license.

Upon obtaining a teaching license, Oleh teachers need to continue their professional development through:

• Hishtalmuyot – השתלמויות – Seminars in specific subject areas – according to a supervisor’s or the education system’s requirements.
• Cultural integration seminars which are designed to instill Jewish Identity and deepen the new teacher’s understanding of Israeli culture and its Jewish and Zionist heritage.
• Both types of training above are considered part of professional development and are not a condition for receiving a teaching license.
• Yemei Iyun Artziyim – ימי עיון ארציים – Nationwide continuing education days designed to help build the professional, social, and personal identity of the new teacher during their first years in the education system.

Eligibility for Sha’ot Tosaftiyot – שעות תוספתיות – Additional Incremental Hours

During their first few years of work, a new teacher is entitled to assistance from the Misrad HaChinuch in job placement through Sha’ot Tosaftiyot of teaching which will be allocated to the school or the employer who hires the new teacher.

For every teaching hour provided to an Oleh teacher by the school, Misrad HaChinuch allocates an additional matching hour. In elementary and middle schools, up to 8 additional hours are allocated, and in high schools, up to 6 additional hours.

Eligibility for Sha’ot Tosaftiyot hours is valid for up to six years from the date of Aliyah. In exceptional cases, hours will be approved for those who made Aliyah more than six years ago.

Instructional videos for Olim teachers are available in:
English – video
Spanish – video