Israel Pre-Departure Guide
Your complete checklist and guide for all essential preparations before traveling to Israel for your studies.
Upcoming Deadlines
Quick Access
Example plan. Your own dates depend on your course start date.
Getting Ready for Israel
Your main jobs before you fly: the visa, insurance, housing, money and packing.
Visa first
What to Prepare
- Passport and visa: Apply for the A/2 student visa (Israel's visa for students) with your acceptance letter.
- Papers: Birth certificate (with an apostille, a government stamp that proves it is real, if asked), study papers and bank statements.
- Health: Health insurance, and enough of your prescription medicine for your stay.
- Insurance: For the visa in India, you need both travel and health insurance.
- Housing: University housing, or a short stay while you look for a flat.
- Money: Some cash for your first days, and a plan to open a bank account in Israel.
Pre-Departure Timeline
First
Get your acceptance letter and pay your tuition (the fee for your course).
About 2 months before you arrive
Students in India: hand in your A/2 papers at the Israel Visa Application Centre (IVP) for your state.
Before you fly
Buy health insurance and book where you will stay.
Last weeks
Pack light, bring your papers in your hand luggage and keep the address of your stay.
Read your university's guide
Many universities send admitted students a pre-departure handbook. TAU's covers flights, visas, packing, arrival and housing.
Most steps, such as the visa and insurance, can only start after you are officially admitted.
Quick Checklist
The things to have with you when you land.
Essential Documents
Valid Passport
With your A/2 student visa.
Acceptance letter
Show it at passport control if asked.
Address of your stay
University housing, hotel or friend.
Health and Money
Health insurance
Active from the day you land.
Prescription medicine
Enough for your stay, with a typed prescription showing the medicine's chemical (generic) name.
Some cash
For your first days. ATMs are inside the airport.
Keep originals in your hand luggage
Life in Israel
A few things that shape daily life in Israel.
Social Etiquette & Cultural Norms
Dress
- Campus dress is casual.
- Some religious and historic sites ask you to cover your shoulders and knees.
- Bring a few smarter clothes for meetings and special events.
Regional Differences
Phone and Internet
You will want an Israeli phone number in your first days.
Mobile Phones & Internet
Mobile Phone Options
Choose a Mobile Provider
Some companies serve international visitors with English help, such as 019 Mobile and TalknSave. Others, such as Golan Telecom and HOT Mobile, are often cheaper.
Get a SIM card
At TAU, the international office gives new students a free 019 SIM card; you buy your own plan.
Know the costs
Incoming calls are free; you pay for outgoing calls.
Useful Communication Apps
Moovit
Bus and train routes, times and fares across Israel.
Rav-Kav Online
Top up your Rav-Kav card and buy bus and train tickets.
Messages and calls. Almost everyone in Israel uses it.
Important Contacts & Resources
Emergency Contacts in Israel
Police 100, ambulance 101, fire 102.
Save These Contacts Before Departure
Embassy of India in Tel Aviv
Emergency number for students from India: 035226748. Indian students should register on MADAD, the Indian government website where Indians abroad register.
University International Office
Your first stop for housing, student ID and visa renewals.
Before You Land
Check that your phone is network-unlocked, so it takes an Israeli SIM card.
Install WhatsApp and Moovit.
Save the emergency numbers 100, 101 and 102.
Tips Before You Fly
Apply for your A/2 visa as soon as you are admitted. You must have it before you travel.
Do not open an account at an Israeli bank's branch in your home country. Open it at a branch in Israel, which will not have your details.
Bring sheets, towels and a pillow, or plan to buy them. TAU dorms do not supply them.
Bring no more than two medium suitcases and one carry-on. Many Tel Aviv buildings have no lift.
Israel's sockets give 220 volts at 50 hertz. Most laptops need only a small plug adaptor.
Get Expert Help
Common Questions Before You Fly
Have More Questions?
Still unsure? Talk to a Qogent advisor.
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