Tel Aviv is a fast, outward looking Mediterranean city with a small but well established cluster of international schools and a large English speaking community concentrated to the north. For a relocating family the central question is less about the quality of local education, which is strong, and more about matching curriculum continuity to how long you plan to stay and where in the metropolitan area you choose to live.
The school landscape in Tel Aviv
International provision in the Tel Aviv area is compact rather than sprawling, so most families end up considering the same handful of schools. The Walworth Barbour American International School, north of the city, teaches an American programme in English and has long served the diplomatic and corporate community. Tabeetha School in nearby Jaffa is one of the oldest international schools in the country and follows a British pathway through to international examinations. The Eastern Mediterranean International School, on a green campus just outside the city, offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma to an international student body. Alongside these, the mainstream Israeli state system is free, well regarded and taught in Hebrew, with dedicated language support for new arrivals.
How to move to Tel Aviv with children, step by step
Relocating with school aged children rewards early planning. These five steps mirror how the GlobalSchoolGuide relocation desk sequences a family move, so nothing critical slips through the gaps between the offer, the housing search and the first day of term.
- Set your relocation timeline. Fix your move date against the late August or early September school start and work backwards, allowing several months for shortlisting and applications in Tel Aviv.
- Shortlist and apply to schools. Match two or three schools in the metropolitan area to your child's age, curriculum and budget, then apply early because the international schools have limited capacity.
- Confirm fees and admissions. Request the current fee schedule and admissions requirements directly from each school, since published figures are reset every academic year.
- Choose a neighbourhood near school. Pick housing within a reasonable commute of your shortlisted school, since several international schools sit north of the city rather than in the centre.
- Settle the practical set up. Arrange visas, banking, health cover and the physical move, and time everything to the school calendar so your child starts with the year group.
Fees and budgeting
Fee paying international provision in the Tel Aviv area sits in the mid to upper range for a global city. The premium reflects small cohorts and specialist English medium teaching rather than the very top international tuition levels seen in some Gulf and Asian capitals. Because figures are reset each academic year and vary widely by school and year group, treat any single published number with caution and request the current schedule directly from each school. The mainstream Israeli state system, by contrast, carries no tuition, which is one reason some longer staying families move younger children into local schooling once the language settles.
Free Tel Aviv family relocation checklist
Download our step by step checklist covering the admissions timeline, documents, housing and the first month settling in. Browse the full library on our guides hub, or start with the Tel Aviv city guide for school listings.
Neighbourhoods and housing
Central Tel Aviv suits families who want to be inside the city and are comfortable with a commute to a northern school, while Ramat Aviv, close to the university, is popular with academics and longer term residents. Many international families settle in the northern suburbs of Herzliya and Raanana, both of which host large English speaking communities and sit within reach of the American and international schools. Housing is expensive by regional standards, particularly in the centre, so budgeting for accommodation early and weighing it against commute time is one of the most useful things a family can do before signing a lease.
Language and settling in
Hebrew is the national language and the medium of the state system, but English is very widely spoken and daily life is straightforward to manage in English, especially in the north of the metropolitan area. Children entering the state system receive structured Hebrew language support and integrate over time, while families on shorter postings usually stay in an English medium curriculum to keep their child's learning consistent. Arabic is also an official language and is taught in schools, and the city itself is comfortably international in feel.
Curriculum continuity
Curriculum choice is the decision that tends to matter most. A child part way through an American, British or IB pathway will find the transition smoothest by continuing in the same system, which in practice points towards one of the established international schools. A family committing to several years, particularly with younger children, can reasonably consider the Israeli state system and gain a strong, free education while the children absorb the language. As with any move, the closer a child is to a leaving examination, the more weight you should give to keeping the same curriculum rather than switching systems late. Our IB curriculum hub is a useful starting point if you are weighing an International Baccalaureate route.
Visas, healthcare and admin
Practically, confirm your visa and residency status early, since your category shapes your access to services and your children's school registration. Israel operates a universal health system for residents, and many relocating families arrange private cover for the settling in period before their status and registration are complete. Set up local banking soon after arrival, since school fees, deposits and daily life all run more smoothly once a domestic account is open. Sequencing status, housing and the school offer carefully makes the first month far less stressful than handling them all at once.
The admissions timeline
The international schools accept applications ahead of the late August or early September start, and because capacity is limited, individual year groups can fill well before the deadline. Applying early is the single most effective way to protect your first choice. State school places follow your registered home address, so securing housing in the right area effectively secures your local school option. Where a year group is already full, ask to join the waiting list and keep a realistic second option open in parallel.
Is Tel Aviv a good place to raise children?
Tel Aviv is an energetic, coastal and notably child friendly city, with a warm climate, an outdoor culture and long stretches of beach and parkland that shape family life. The pace is fast and the cost of living is high, but families tend to value the safety of everyday neighbourhood life, the emphasis on children in public spaces, and the ease of an English speaking social network in the north. As with any relocation, the experience is smoother for families who plan the school place and housing before they arrive.
Your first weeks: what to prioritise
In your first weeks, confirm the school place and start date in writing, then settle the essentials that everything else depends on: residency status, a local bank account, health cover and a domestic mobile and internet plan. With those handled, the wider routines of family life fall into place quickly, helped by how international the city already is. Many families also register early for after school activities and Hebrew language support, both of which help children build friendships and settle into the rhythm of the school year. Keeping a simple shared checklist of registrations, deadlines and documents is the most useful habit in a first term.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tel Aviv have English speaking schools?
Yes. The Walworth Barbour American International School north of the city teaches an American programme in English, Tabeetha School in Jaffa follows a British pathway, and the Eastern Mediterranean International School near the city offers the IB Diploma. Confirm current places and requirements with each school.
Are international schools in Tel Aviv expensive?
Fee paying international provision in the Tel Aviv area sits in the mid to upper range for a global city, and the mainstream Israeli state system is free. Fees vary by school and year group, so request the current schedule directly from each school rather than relying on published estimates.
Where do international families tend to live?
Central Tel Aviv, Ramat Aviv near the university, and the northern suburbs of Herzliya and Raanana are popular with international families, partly because several international schools and large English speaking communities sit north of the city.
Can expat children attend Israeli state schools?
Yes. State schools are free and teach in Hebrew, with language support for new arrivals. Families staying several years sometimes choose this route for younger children, while those on shorter postings usually keep an English medium curriculum for continuity.
When should we apply?
Apply well ahead of the late August start, and earlier for competitive year groups, because the international schools have limited capacity and popular years fill first.
Plan your move
Use these free tools and guides to turn this overview into a shortlist and a working plan for your family's move to Tel Aviv.