Kindergarten and school registration in Ashkelon for 2026/2027: dates, documents, where to apply
Ashkelon municipality opens registration for state and state-religious kindergartens and first grade for the 2026/2027 school year from Monday, January 19, through Sunday, February 8, 2026. The application is submitted online, and registration itself is free for all city residents.
As in other Israeli cities, registration for kindergarten (gan) and first grade in Ashkelon happens once a year, through a single city-wide window. For the 2026/2027 school year, the municipality set the period from January 19 to February 8, 2026 — these dates apply to both state and state-religious institutions.
The application is submitted online — the municipality publishes a link to the registration system on its official website, under "Registration for Kindergartens and Schools." Supporting documents can be attached directly in the form or emailed separately to the registration department at bkrishum@ashkelon.muni.il.
Registration at municipal kindergartens is free: the law explicitly prohibits charging parents any prepayment, a "queue fee," or any other charge at the application stage. If kindergarten staff or a third party ask for money to "reserve a spot," that's a reason to contact the municipality's education department directly.
The specific list of kindergartens by neighborhood, district and track (regular, religious, integration) is published by the municipality as a separate PDF — "List of state and state-religious kindergartens for the 2026/2027 school year." It's updated before each registration cycle, so it's worth checking the latest version rather than a copy saved from last year.
What documents you need to register
- Parent's teudat zehut (or passport with an oleh visa)
- Child's birth certificate
- Proof of registered address
- For kindergarten — a vaccination form, if the kindergarten requests it
If the registration period has already ended and your child is still without a spot, don't wait for the next cycle: the municipality's registration department runs an expanded service during this time, including a dedicated support line and a WhatsApp channel for urgent questions. Open spots at specific kindergartens after the main period are allocated in the order requests come in.
FAQ
- When is kindergarten and first-grade registration in Ashkelon for 2026/2027?
- From Monday, January 19, through Sunday, February 8, 2026 — the dates announced by Ashkelon municipality for state and state-religious institutions.
- Do I have to pay to register at a municipal kindergarten?
- No. Registration is free, and charging parents a deposit or a "queue fee" is prohibited.
- What if I missed the registration deadline?
- Contact the municipality's registration department directly — after February 8, open spots are allocated as requests come in, not through a general waiting list.
- Where can I check which kindergarten covers my address?
- In the municipality's current PDF list of kindergartens by district — it's updated yearly, so always check the latest version rather than a saved copy.