new ceilings, who will be able to benefit from them this year?

Each year, the back-to-school allowance allows nearly 3 million families to reduce the cost of school supplies for children aged 6 to 18. Paid by the Family Allowance Fund (Caf) and the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA), this essential aid could benefit more households in 2025, since the ceilings have been increased.

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

To touch back-to-school bonusparents must meet certain conditions:

• Have children in your care, aged between 6 and 18 years oldwho are schooled in a French public or private school, or apprentices or supported in a specialized reception establishment.
• Have income 2022 which do not exceed the resource ceilings in force.
• Complete the general conditions of the CAF or the MSA, depending on the fund you belong to.

What are the ceilings for receiving the back-to-school allowance in 2025?

To benefit from the back-to-school allowance, households must meet income criteria. Their resources must not exceed specific ceilings to be eligible for this aid. For the 2025-2026 school year, income for the year 2023, i.e. N-2, will serve as a reference. Here are the new resource ceilings in force from January 1 to December 31, 2025 :

What is the amount of the 2025 back-to-school allowance?

In 2024, the amount of the back-to-school allowance varied between 416.40 euros and 454.60 euros depending on the age of the children. The amount for the next school year will be revealed on April 1, 2025.

What are the steps to take to benefit from ARS?

Depending on the age of the child, certain steps must be taken to be able to benefit from the ARS. Here are the 3 scenarios:

If your child enters CP when he or she is not 6 years oldsimply send your Caf a schooling certificate. This document must be collected from the school.

For children aged 6 to 15 at the start of the school year (born between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019 inclusive), you do not need to do anything. The back-to-school allowance is paid automatically to families already receiving benefits who meet the conditions.

For children aged 16 to 18 at the start of the school year (born between September 16, 2007 and December 31, 2009 inclusive), you must provide a sworn declaration to the Caf indicating that he is still in school or in apprenticeship.

Up to what age is the back-to-school allowance paid?

The back-to-school allowance is paid to beneficiary parents until their child turns 18. If the child has not yet turned 18 before September 15 of the year of the start of the school year, the ARS can be paid one last time to the parents who are responsible for the child. Over the age of 18, student grants can be paid to cover tuition fees.

Who receives the back-to-school allowance in the event of divorce?

When parents separate, and in particular in the event of shared custody, the back-to-school allowance continues to be paid only to one parent. In fact, the amount is not shared between the two parents. It is then the person who requests it first who will receive this financial assistance. This is an exceptional case since other types of family allowances can be shared at the request of the parents. Therefore, the person receiving this aid is expected to take care of the expenses related to the child’s education. It is then up to parents to agree on back-to-school costs.

Please also note that in the event of placement of the child by a child welfare judge, this back-to-school allowance is then blocked in a savings account at the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations. When the child reaches the age of majority, he or she will be able to make a request to recover this amount.