Eligibility: To register in the Pinkas, you must have completed at least a Master’s (MA) degree in psychology from a recognized academic institution abroad, and the Psychologist’s Registration Board has established that your degree is equivalent to an Israeli degree in scope, duration, and content of studies.

To understand this process better, please read the conditions for registration in the Psychologists Registry for students who studied abroad carefully!

Please note that there are 2 levels of authorization needed for some/most of the documents:

• Certain documents need to be signed by an Israeli notary as certified and verified identical copies of the original documents. This is called Ne’eman La’Makor – נאמן למקור – true copy of the original.
• Documents that are not in Hebrew or English must be translated into either language by an Israeli notary who speaks both the language of the document and Hebrew or English.

The notary must verify both the copy of the original document and the translation. Documents notarized for the translation but not certified Ne’eman LaMakor will delay the process and you may have to pay a notary twice.

When submitting these documents to the board, you need to submit the original notarial certificate with its red band and seal intact.

Personal Information Documents:

• Application Form: Complete the Ministry of Health’s Questionnaire for Professional Healthcare Providers/Psychologists (Note: the questionnaire is in Hebrew)
• Passport Photo: A recent passport-sized photograph
• Photocopy of Teudat Zehut and Sefach – ספח – addendum
• If you are an Oleh Chadash you need to add a photocopy of your Teudat Oleh. If you do not have your Teudat Oleh yet, you must add a photocopy of your foreign passport.
• Detailed Professional CV: A printed copy, in Hebrew or English, of your CV detailing your professional experience from the completion of your MA or PhD up to the date of application to the Psychologists’ Registry.

Supporting documents that verify your professional experience may be required.

Certificate of Professional Integrity/Certificate of Good Standing: If you practiced psychology or a therapeutic profession abroad, you need to present an official Certificate of Professional Integrity/Certificate of Good Standing from the country where you practiced. This document must state the absence of any disciplinary/criminal proceedings or convictions against you.

Academic Documents

Diplomas – copies (BA, MA, and PhD if applicable) of each diploma must be signed and certified as Ne’eman La’Makor and be notarized by an Israeli notary.

Transcripts – copies (BA, MA, and PhD if applicable) of each transcript must be signed and certified as Ne’eman La’Makor and be notarized by an Israeli notary.

Additionally, each transcript must include a breakdown of academic credits/hours studied for each course of the degree. If the MA or PhD transcripts do not include a breakdown of the number of hours studied for each course, an official document specifying the number of hours studied is required.

Course Syllabi for all Psychology Degrees – Syllabi must be translated into Hebrew or English (depending on the language of the transcript). You may submit the licensure application without the syllabi; however, during the eligibility review, you may be required to provide all or part of them during the first stage (registration in the Pinkas) or the second stage (application for specialty recognition)

Important notes:

• Do not send original certificates of BA, MA, PhD, or PsyD diplomas. Only verified copies, as required, should be submitted.
• Make sure to keep copies of all documents sent to the Ministry of Health. Submitted documents will not be returned, and no copies will be issued to the sender. This is especially important as some of the same documents will be required in the second stage when you apply for specialist status.
• Ensure you provide correct contact information (email and phone number especially!) as incorrect information will hinder the processing of your application.

Send the application and all the above documents by registered mail to:

The Medical Professions Licensure Division,
אגף לרישוי מקצועות רפואיים
39 Yirmiyahu St., POB 1176,
Jerusalem 9101002

Alternatively, you can submit your documents directly at the Misrad HaBri’ut’s main Jerusalem building, at the security desk on the ground floor. The documents must be sealed in an envelope and addressed to “Medical Professions Licensure Division (Psychology).” A receipt for the submission will be provided on-site – don’t leave without this receipt!.

Once the registration board receives your submitted documents, they will review them for the purpose of recognizing your foreign degree. During this review process, they may request additional clarifications or documents. If this happens, the length of the evaluation process may be extended. In general, if everything is in order, this stage can take around 3 months.

Additionally, the registration board may decide to send your degree(s) to be evaluated by the Misrad HaChinuch – משרד החינוך – Ministry of Education. If this is your case, please contact us for further instructions.

If your application is accepted, you will receive an SMS with a request to pay the licensing fee. Next, the Misrad HaBri’ut will send the license to your address (as it appears in your file) via registered mail. You should receive an SMS once the license has been sent to you.

If your application is denied, you will receive a letter explaining the basis for the denial. If your academic studies are found to have minor gaps in content or required hours, the Registration Board may ask you to complete supplementary courses or an additional study program as a condition for being registered.

Important note: If you apply for registration five or more years after completing your advanced degree, and have not practiced in the field during that time, you will be required to complete additional academic courses. The extent of these studies will depend on the time since receiving your degree.

Internship

After receiving your basic psychology license, most foreign-trained psychologists will need to complete a supervised internship in Israel. Therefore, your next step is to register for a Hitmachut – התמחות – supervised internship. This internship is a mandatory requirement for most psychologists to practice independently and to specialize in a specific field of psychology.

The internship process for training specialists is overseen by the Moetzet HaPsychologim – מועצת הפסיכולוגים – the Board of Psychologists within Misrad HaBri’ut, which sets specific requirements for the duration, content, and supervision of these internships.

The six specializations in Israel are:

• Clinical Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Medical Psychology
• Rehabilitation Psychology
• Social – Occupational – Organizational Psychology

You can find a list of recognized internship programs here, in Hebrew.

Some of the documents you submitted for the initial license registration process will also be needed when you submit an application to the Moetzet Psychologim for recognition of your internship status.

In addition, be advised that based on the evaluation of your foreign degree and training, the Misrad HaBri’ut may require you to complete supplementary academic studies or additional supervised practical training in Israel before granting full registration or allowing you to start an internship.

Mivchan Hitmachut – מבחן התמחות – Specialization Exam:

After completing the supervised internship, psychologists are generally required to pass a specialization exam in their chosen field to gain Ma’amad Psycholog Mumcheh – מעמד פסיכולוג מומחה – Expert Psychologist Status. This allows for independent practice within that specialty.

Hebrew Language Proficiency

While not an explicit requirement for initial license application, strong proficiency in Hebrew is essential for successful completion of the supervised internship, passing specialization exams, and critically, for effective and ethical professional practice.

Misrad HaKlita – משרד הקליטה – Absorption Ministry periodically offers advanced Hebrew courses for regulated professions, psychology being one of them. Based on demand, with a minimum number of registrants required, these courses are offered throughout the country.

Make sure to inform your personal Misrad HaKlita counselor that you wish to be added to the list of potential students, and you will be informed when a course opens.

You will need to present verification that you completed Ulpan Aleph or to prove knowledge of basic-level Hebrew to be placed in an appropriate class.

Internship Availability

The internship process is a lengthy process both for Olim and native Israelis. Sometimes the demand for internships is higher than the available supply and requires patience.

Reimbursement

Misrad HaKlita may reimburse for various expenses that new Olim incur while having documents translated or notarized. Always make sure to hold on to receipts from both before and after Aliyah, as there is a limited window of opportunity to submit them after you arrive. For further information, please speak with your personal Misrad HaKlita counselor.