Student scholarship: request, social criteria and amount

The student scholarship is aimed at students in financial difficulties. His payment depends on the student’s age, his career and his income. What are the conditions for awarding the higher education scholarship on social criteria (BCS)? What is its amount in 2025? What are the documents to provide to his student social file? When should you apply for the university year 2025-2026? Explanations.

Capital video: Student scholarship: request, social criteria and amount

• 
  

  To safeguard
  

  
  
  

  Saved
  

What are the conditions for the award of the student scholarship?

Benefiting from a student scholarship requires fulfilling different conditions related to studies, resources, age, diplomas and nationality.

Diploma

This financial assistance is granted to students registered in initial trainingeither in France or in another member country of the European Union, within a public or private education establishment authorized to receive scholarship holders.

Note : The student must have a French baccalaureate in his pocket to be able to register in the first year of higher education. At university, studies must be followed full time.

Age -related condition

The higher education scholarship on social criteria (BCS) is reserved for students under 28 years old On the day of their first scholarship request. This age limit can vary depending on certain situations, it is:

• 29 years for students who carry out a volunteer service in the armies.
• Until the end of the civic service for students who carry out a civic service.
• Stepped by one year per high child when the student raises children.
• Without any age limit for students recognized as disabled.

Nationality condition

Additional conditions are required for students who are not French. Thus, the citizens of a country of the European Economic Area, Swiss or Andorrans must fulfill one of the following two conditions:

• have a salaried job or not in France, full or partial time;
• Justify that one of their parents has received income in France.

For foreign students from other countries, they mustt have a residence permitbe domiciled in France for at least two years and justify a tax household in France for minimum two years.

Note : Students, who wish to do an internship or their studies abroad, can benefit from international mobility aid.

What is the income ceiling not to be exceeded to be entitled to a scholarship on social criteria for the 2025-2026 school year?

Income ceiling

Student’s income must not exceed a certain ceiling. The income selected are those appearing on the tax notice of the previous year (income for year N-2). This is the global gross income. Example: for the 2025-2026 school year, the income taken into account are those appearing on the 2024 tax notice (2023 income).

CROUS simulator to calculate your rights to the BCS

The CROUS does not provide precise ceilings of resources not to be exceeded. An online simulator allows students to know if they can benefit from a scholarship depending on their income. Before starting the simulation, you have to get:

• global gross income (RBG) appearing on the tax notice established in 2024 (on income 2023),
• or that of each parents,
• or that of the student if he is married, PACS or a child

The following information must then be completed:

• family situation
• disability
• helping people with disabilities
• RBG amount
• Family housing location
• Municipality of the place of study

At the end of the simulation, the student obtains his level and the amount of his purse.

What is the amount of the CROUS scholarship for the academic year 2025-2026?

The amount varies according to the student level

The student scholarship is made up of Eight levels which depends on the situation of the student. The student’s level is communicated to him in the scholarship award decision. For the university year 2025/2026, the amount of the scholarship of a student in higher studies is:

Students living overseas benefit from the annual amounts indicated increased by 300 euros.

Stock market date

The stock market payments are carried out in ten monthly payments, except for students who benefit from this financial assistance during the summer holidays. It can only be touched for a maximum duration of seven years. And its maintenance depends on the progression in studies, attendance at the courses and the presence at exams.

Note : Student students do not have to pay the contribution of student life and campus (Cvec).

When to apply for BCS for the university year 2024-2025?

The request for a student scholarship is made before the start of the September academic year. The student must first create his student social file. For the 2025-2026 school year, he must do it between March 1 and May 31, 2025.

How to apply for a university scholarship?

Complete your student social file (DSE)

Whatever his nationality, the student must first constitute his student social file directly online.

Must be attached to the request:

• The student’s tax opinion from the previous year and that of his parents.
• School supporting documents and those of brothers and sisters if they are also students.
• The copy of the extract from the divorce judgment for students with divorced parents. If no alimony is paid to the parent who has custody of the student, it is necessary to provide the tax notice of the parent who does not have custody.

Certain additional documents must be provided according to the student’s situation:

• A certificate from the organization for students supported by social assistance to childhood.
• A certificate of Pôle Emploi for students enrolled in Pôle Emploi who do not receive compensation.
• A certificate on the honor of the parents of the student informing whether or not they receive income abroad and their amount.

Filing of the request on my services.etudiant.gouv.fr

The request is by electronic means, with the student social file, on the site messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr. Once the request has been completed, a deposit confirmation email is sent to the student.

Decision notification period

At the latest in July, A conditional notification of grant agreement or refusal is sent by email. The final decision comes after registering at university. In the event of reasoned refusal, the decision must indicate the deadlines and remedies.

Note : The scholarship on social criteria can be combined with specific punctual help of the Crous, but also with merit aid.

How to apply for housing Crous?

Student students can apply for Crous accommodation. It is carried out online on findrunlogement.lescrous.fr. They can consult the accommodation sheets available. There is the area, the type of cohabitation, the rent and the equipment. After sending their request, they receive an immediate response. Depending on the case, supporting documents may be required. It is possible to deposit your wishes from May 6 for the university year 2025-2026.

How to contact the CROUS scholarship service in the event of a change of situation?

The student must inform the Crous in the event of a lasting change in his situation or that of his family. For example, a marriage, a death, a divorce … It is possible to contact the CROUS via the Scholarships and Financial Aid Service (DSE) by phone 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 09 72 59 65 00. Or make an appointment online on the Crous platform.