Back to school allowance (ARS) 2025: conditions, amount and payment date

The back-to-school allowance (ARS) is paid to families dependent on Caf or MSA (agricultural professions). It allows households, with at least one child in school aged 6 to 18, to finance a fraction of the expenses linked to the start of the school year (supplies, materials, clothing, etc.). Conditions, amount, payment date… focus on the ARS for the 2025-2026 school year.

Capital Video: Back-to-school allowance: conditions, amount and payment

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What is the back-to-school allowance in France?

The back-to-school allowance (ARS) is assistance intended for families with modest incomes. It helps finance the purchase of school supplies for their children. According to the Public Service website, nearly three million families and five million children receive it each year in France. It is aimed at students aged six to 18, in school, in apprenticeship or studying in a specialized reception establishment.

Who is entitled to the back-to-school bonus?

To benefit from ARS, the child must be between six and 18 years old on December 31 of the school year and be enrolled in a public or private establishment. Thus, for the start of the 2025 school year, the child must be born between September 16, 2007 and December 31, 2019 included. If the child was born after this date, he must already be registered in CP. If he is schooled at home, the allowance is not paid. Registration in a distance learning organization, such as the CNED, on the other hand, allows you to benefit from the back-to-school allowance.

Please note: Since the start of the 2016 school year, the allowance for children in the care of child welfare is no longer paid to parents. It is the Caisse des Dépôts et des Consignations which is responsible for keeping the blocked amount and paying it back to the young person when they come of age.

What are the conditions for receiving the back-to-school bonus?

Conditions linked to the child’s age and parents’ income

The ARS is paid for children in school or registered with the CNED and aged 6 to 18 or in apprenticeship. A child under 18 years of age in apprenticeship cannot benefit from the back-to-school allowance if their remuneration is greater than 55% of the minimum wage. Payment of the allowance also depends on the family’s income taken into account each year by the Caf.

Simulator to find out your rights to the ARS

The government provides parents with an online simulator to find out their rights to the back-to-school allowance. All they need to do is indicate:

• the number of dependent children,
• the date of birth of the child(ren),
• the amount of annual household income.

At the end of the simulation, they obtain the amount of the ARS after deduction of the CRDS, depending on their situation.

What is the resource ceiling that must not be exceeded to receive the back-to-school allowance in 2025?

This CAF allowance is subject to a resource ceiling, which varies depending on the number of dependent children. The income taken into account is that of year N-2. For the 2025 school year, it is therefore the categorical net income of 2023 which serves as a reference. Here are the resource ceilings based on the number of children.

If the ceiling is exceeded

If the family’s income slightly exceeds this ceiling, a decreasing allowance may be paid. We then speak of differential allocation.

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What are the amounts of the 2024 back-to-school allowance?

A different amount depending on the age of the child

In 2024, the back-to-school allowance was increased by 4.6%. Here are the amounts for the 2024-2025 school year depending on the age of the child:

The amounts quoted are after deduction of social security contributions (CRDS).

To note : the amounts for the 2025-2026 school year will only be known from April.

When will the back-to-school allowance be paid?

Date of payment of the 2024 back-to-school allowance by Caf

The official payment date for the ARS in 2024 is set for Wednesday August 20 in mainland France and in the departments of Guadeloupe, Guyana and Martinique. In 2023, the back-to-school allowance was paid a few days earlier, on August 16.

To note : the payment date for the 2025 school year should be communicated at the beginning of July.

2024 payment date for ARS in Mayotte and Reunion

In Mayotte and Reunion, the ARS payment date is set for August 6, 2024. In 2023, it was paid on Tuesday August 1.

Special case of Mayotte

Resource ceilings not to be exceeded

In Mayotte, the conditions for granting the allowance are more favorable. Children aged 6 to 20 are entitled to this allowance. For the start of the 2024 school year, household resources had to be less than:

• 33,400 euros for 1 child,
• 36,436 euros for 2 children,
• 39,472 for 3 children,
• 42,508 euros for 5 children,

Amount of ARS in Mayotte in 2024

The amount of the ARS 2024 in Mayotte is:

• 418.49 euros for primary school students,
• 441.58 euros for middle school students,
• 456.88 euros for high school students.

How to obtain the ARS?

The procedures are different depending on whether or not the family has already received the back-to-school allowance in the past and depending on the age of the child.

Create an account on Caf.fr

If the family is not yet a beneficiary and the child is under 16 years old, they must make a declaration of their family and housing benefits to Caf.fr (or the MSA). To do this, all they need to do is create an account on the Caf website. There she will find a form to download, print and return completed. The 2023 income tax return must also be communicated.

To note : if the child enrolled in CP is under six years old, his parents must provide the Caf with a school certificate.

Declare on your honor that your child is still in school

If the young person is between six and 15 years old and the family is already a beneficiary, no action is required. She will automatically receive the ARS. For children aged 16 to 18, parents must make a sworn declaration certifying that the young person will still be in school or in apprenticeship at the start of the 2025 school year.

Important : This declaration must be made from mid-July 2025 on Caf.fr (or the MSA) on which the beneficiary depends.

How long can you receive ARS?

A child in school can benefit from ARS until the age of 18. After this date, aid will no longer be paid to his family. In Mayotte only, the age limit is raised to 20 years. Please note that the ARS does not have to be declared for taxes.

Can we combine the back-to-school allowance with other aid?

It is possible to combine the ARS with the college or high school scholarship. This aid helps finance the tuition fees of middle and high school students. They are allocated subject to means testing.