National Insurance Institute Urges Eligible Parents to Claim Unreceived School Grants

The National Insurance Institute (Bituah Leumi) has disbursed the annual school grant of 1,204 shekels per eligible child to most families ahead of the new academic year. However, parents who believe they qualify but have not received the payment are encouraged to file a claim.

The grant is intended for children in single-parent households, or families with four or more children up to age 18 who receive specific subsistence benefits, such as disability, income support, alimony, survivors', or old-age pensions. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the grant amount remains 1,204 shekels per child. Most eligible recipients received the automatic payment to their bank accounts on August 11.

Certain groups, including single individuals (unmarried, widowed, divorced) applying for the first time, and new immigrants, are required to submit a claim. The application form is also for divorced parents, those separated from their partners, agunot (chained wives), and any parent who feels entitled but did not receive the grant.

Generally, the grant is for children born between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2020. The Institute notes, however, that children outside this age range may still be eligible if they are currently in first or twelfth grade, provided proof of enrollment is submitted. Claims can be filed online, by mail, fax, or at a service center. Divorced parents filing for the first time must also request a split of their child benefit and grant file.

The National Insurance Institute stated in August that it was distributing approximately 335 million shekels for these grants, benefiting around 197,000 children in single-parent families and 79,000 children in large families receiving subsistence benefits. Claims should ideally be filed within 18 months of eligibility, though later claims may still be processed for the 18 months preceding the submission date.