Bituach Leumi (National Insurance) for PhD and Postdoc Researchers
As of May 2026, Tel Aviv University started a pilot with the Israeli National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) offering eligible PhD and Postdoc students the opportunity to gain access to Israel’s public healthcare system.
This program offers significant advantages, including:
- Low monthly cost (starting at just 171 NIS), replacing the need for independently purchased health insurance
- Full access to public healthcare through Kupat Holim, without exclusion of pre-existing medical conditions
- Eligibility for additional social benefits (such as health insurance coverage for children and partners, maternity-related benefits where applicable)
Eligibility Criteria
You may be eligible if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You, or your partner, are a PhD student enrolled for at least 4 years, or a Postdoctoral fellow enrolled for at least 2 years.
- You have at least 1 year (or more) to complete your studies.
- You hold a A2 student visa or A4 companion visa, valid for at least 3 months in advance.
- You have been physically present in Israel for at least 183 days during the past 12 months (for new students: if you plan to remain in Israel for at least 183 days of the following 12 months).
Important notes:
- Students who hold an A2 visa with permission to work – at this time we unfortunately cannot process Bituach Leumi requests for this type of visa. Once the bureaucratic issues are resolved we will be happy to assist. You are welcome to submit the form, so we have your details on file for when this is resolved.
- This opportunity is available for holders of A2 or A4 visas only. Any other type (including B1) is not eligible.
- Please note that to apply you must be physically present in Israel. New researchers who are interested in this option, but are not in Israel yet, should purchase independent insurance for the first 3 months in Israel and submit their Bituach Leumi application upon arrival.
- For A4 dependents – in order to apply for Bituach Leumi for your spouse or child, you must submit an application for each of them separately.
The documents you will need to submit the application:
- Picture of your passport
- Picture of your visa
- Passport-style face photo
- Israeli bank account ownership confirmation
- Official acceptance letter
- Housing contract
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Bituach Leumi’s Form number 1050 – to be completed via DocuSign here
In order to start the application process, you are required to submit this form with all the above-mentioned documents. Please note that processing time is up to a month.
For any questions, please contact Diana at insintl@tauex.tau.ac.il.
