For the back-to-school, some aid are provided to parents to support their child’s entry into a new grade, as throughout their schooling, if they struggle to cover the costs. In addition to theback-to-school allowance, scholarships may be awarded to students in middle school and high school, depending on their parents’ resources. You can apply starting from the first day of school and up to October 15, 2026. In the meantime, there is a simulator to check whether you’re eligible.
The middle-school bursary is for parents of students enrolled in a public school or a private school under contract with the state. It is awarded according to a national scale that takes into account the number of dependent children and household income. Payments are made in three installments, at the end of each term.
The annual amount is divided into three tiers according to the family's financial situation:
When a student moves into upper secondary education (general, technological or vocational tracks), the lycée grant steps in with a broader sliding scale to better match family needs. As with middle school, the amount depends on household resources and is available to students in both public and state-contracted private schools.
It unfolds in six installments, paid out quarterly:
Additional bonuses may be added depending on the pathway, such as an equipment allowance for certain vocational tracks or a merit bonus for scholarship students who earned a Very Good grade on the brevet exam.
Good news for easing parents’ lives: recently, the application for a school grant has been largely automated when enrolling or re-enrolling your child in school. In the public sector (and in private schools if the headteacher opts in), by consenting to the automatic assessment of your eligibility for a bursary during the back-to-school procedures, your tax data are automatically retrieved and allocated, without the need to compile a complex paper file.
If you do not want to give your consent for the automatic assessment of your eligibility for a grant, you must submit your grant application online or via a paper form between September 1 and October 15, 2026.
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Official website
www.info.gouv.fr
