This page has been automatically translated. Please refer to the page in French if needed.

Aid for schooling

How much is the back-to-school allowance in 2026?

Publié le 03 avril 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The back-to-school allowance (ARS) was upgraded on 1^er April. This assistance, the amount of which depends on the age of your child, allows you to finance the expenses related to the start of the school year (supplies, canteen, etc.). Public Service provides information on the amounts of the LRA paid for the 2026 school year and the resource ceilings that must not be exceeded to receive this allowance.

Image 1Crédits: Prostock-studio - stock.adobe.com

The back-to-school allowance (ARS) is paid on a means-tested basis to families with children aged 6 to 18 who are in school, apprenticeship or care in a special care facility.

The amount of the ARS paid for the 2026 school year

The amount paid to you depends on the age of your child. For ARS 2026, your child must be born between September 16, 2008 and December 31, 2020 (inclusive). The back-to-school allowance, upgraded on 1^er April 2026, amounts to:

€426.87 per child aged 6 to 10 years, compared to €423.48 previously;
€450.41 per child aged between 11 and 14 years, compared to €446.85 previously;
€466.02 per child aged 15 to 18 years, compared to €462.32 previously.

These amounts are given after the social debt repayment contribution (SDRC) has been counted.

Please note

The back-to-school allowance is yours paid in August, at a date to be specified later.

LRA 2026 resource ceilings

In order to receive the allowance, the family's resources must not exceed a certain ceiling set according to the number of dependent children. The categorical net income for year N-2 is taken into account. For the 2026 school year, it is therefore your 2024 income that serves as a reference.

Please note

Categorical net income: income of the same category (wages, property income, etc.) less tax charges and allowances (10% allowance for expenses, etc.).

An order of 22 December 2025 sets the resource ceiling at €22,274 for ARS 2026, compared to €21,880 for ARS 2025. This ceiling is also increased by €6,682 per dependent child, compared to €6,564 last year. Adding the cap and the increase per dependent child, the following are the resource levels that must not have been exceeded in 2024 to collect the LRA in 2026:

Tableau - 2024 resource ceilings for ARS 2026 (effective July 31, 2026)
Number of dependent children	Ceiling not to be exceeded
1	€28,956
2	€35,638
3	€42,320
4	€49,002

FYI

If your resources are just over these limits, you may be paid a differential allowance based on your income.

To find out the resource ceilings for Mayotte, you can consult the practical sheet Public Service devoted to the back-to-school allowance.

What steps can be taken to benefit from the ARS?

If your child is between 6 and 15 years old on December 31 following the start of school (he was born between 1^er January 2011 and December 31, 2020): you do not have to take any action; the SIA is paid to you automatically. If your child is enrolled in the CP when he is not yet 6 years old, you must send a school certificate to your Family Allowance Fund (Caf) or your Social Agricultural Mutuality (MSA) fund.
If your child is between 16 and 18 years old (he was born between September 16, 2008 and December 31, 2010): you must declare from mid-July that he will still be in school or apprenticeship at the beginning of the 2026 school year, in your “My account” area of the Caf website (or on the mobile application “My Account”) or in your private MSA space.

FYI

You are not a recipient of the Caf or the Mutualité sociale agricole? You must make a declaration of status of family benefits and housing and a declaration of resources, with the Caf or of the MSA.

Please note

Scholarships of college and high school may be combined with the back-to-school allowance. They are also allocated on a means-tested basis.