Back-to-School Bonus: How Much Parents Will Get Based on Child’s Age

The school start allowance (ARS) is distributed annually to nearly 3 million families by the Family Allowances Fund (Caf) and the Agricultural Social Mutual Fund (MSA) to help parents purchase school supplies for their children aged 6 to 18. In 2024, the back-to-school allowance will be disbursed on August 6 for Réunion and Mayotte, as their school year starts earlier than other students. Parents in mainland France, the Antilles, and French Guiana will have to wait until August 20 to receive this support.

What is the amount of the school start allowance for 2024?

For the 2024-2025 school year, the amount of the school start allowance ranges from 416.40 euros to 454.60 euros depending on the children’s ages:

Who is eligible for the school start allowance?

To receive the back-to-school allowance, parents must meet certain criteria:

• Have children between 6 and 18 years old under your care, who are enrolled in a public or private French school, or are apprentices or attended in a specialized institution.
• 2022 income must not exceed the applicable income caps.
• Meet the general conditions of the Caf or MSA, depending on your fund.

What are the income caps for the school start allowance?

To qualify for the back-to-school allowance, households must meet income restrictions. They must not exceed certain income caps to claim the aid. For the 2024-2025 school year, the income from two years prior (2022) is considered. Here are the current income caps until July 31, 2024:

What procedures are necessary to benefit from the ARS?

Depending on the child’s age, certain steps must be taken to be eligible for the ARS. Here are three scenarios:

If your child starts first grade but is not yet 6 years old, simply send a school attendance certificate to your Caf, which can be obtained from the school.

For children aged 6 to 15 at the start of the school year (born between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2018, inclusive), there is nothing you need to do. The school start allowance is automatically disbursed to already eligible families who meet the criteria.

For children aged 16 to 18 at the start of the school year (born between September 16, 2006, and December 31, 2008, inclusive), you must provide a sworn declaration to the Caf stating that they are still enrolled in school or an apprenticeship.

Until what age is the school start allowance disbursed?

The school start allowance is paid to eligible parents until their child turns 18. If the child has not yet turned 18 by September 15 of the school year, the ARS may be disbursed one last time to the parents who are responsible for the child. Beyond 18 years, student grants may be provided to cover educational expenses.

Who receives the school start allowance in case of divorce?

When parents separate, particularly in cases of joint custody, the school start allowance continues to be paid to only one parent. Indeed, the amount is not split between both parents. It is the parent who applies first who will receive this financial aid.

This is an exceptional case since other types of family allowances can be shared at the request of the parents. Consequently, the recipient is supposed to manage the expenses related to the child’s schooling. It’s up to the parents to agree on the back-to-school expenses. Note also that if a child is placed by a judge from the child welfare office, this school start allowance is then blocked in a savings account at the Deposits and Consignments Fund. When the child reaches majority, they can then request to access these funds.