Date source: 2026-07-19
Close This topic interests you?
Receive an email as soon as an article is published by the editorial team on: Education, Social, health (benefits and allowances, disabled person, caregivers and mediators, patient, medications, etc.)
Close This topic has been added to your alerts
You will receive an email as soon as an article is published by the editorial team on: Education, Social, health (benefits and allowances, disabled person, caregivers and mediators, patient, medications, etc.) .
You can unsubscribe at any time in my account > my alerts.
Back-to-School Allowance
When Will You Receive the Back-to-School Allowance (ARS)? Published on July 20, 2026 - Service Public / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
The payment dates for the back-to-school allowance (ARS) for the 2026 school year are now known. This aid, given to nearly 3 million families to help cover back-to-school expenses, is distributed on different dates depending on the place of residence. Find on Service Public the amounts, the conditions for receiving it, and the payment schedule.
Image 1 Credits: Drazen - stock.adobe.com
School supplies, equipment, clothing... The costs associated with the start of the school year are significant for families each year. The back-to-school allowance (ARS) is an aid intended for families to help cover these expenses.
Subject to the family's income, the ARS is intended for parents with children aged 6 to 18 who are enrolled in a public or private school, in apprenticeship, or in a specialized care facility.
Parents who wish to educate their child at home cannot receive the ARS unless the child is enrolled in correspondence courses (such as the Cned).
Payment Dates for the 2026 School Year
For the 2026 school year, the back-to-school allowance (ARS) will be paid on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in metropolitan France, as well as in Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique. In Réunion and Mayotte, the payment of the ARS is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2026. This is according to the Ministry of National Education.
Income Conditions for the 2026 School Year
To benefit from the back-to-school allowance, the income from two years prior is taken into account, that is, the income from 2024 for the ARS of the 2026 school year.
The allowance is paid directly by the family allowances agencies (Caf) or by the Social Security Mutual Fund (MSA) if you are under the agricultural regime. It is possible to benefit from the allowance for several consecutive years, as the family situation is reassessed each year.
The ceilings not to be exceeded depend on the number of children you have to support:
-
€28,956 for 1 child to support;
-
€35,638 for 2 children to support;
-
€42,320 for 3 children to support;
-
€49,002 for 4 children to support;
-
then €6,682 per additional child.
If the family income exceeds these ceilings by a small margin, you may be eligible for a differential back-to-school allowance, also calculated based on your income. Check with your Caf or MSA.
Scale of Amounts for 2026
The child must be between 6 and 18 years old at the time of the start of the school year.
To receive the back-to-school allowance 2026, your child must have been born between September 16, 2008, and December 31, 2020, inclusive.
The amounts have been revised as of April 1, 2026.
Table - Amount of the ARS for the 2026 school year according to the age of the child Age of the child
What actions should you take to obtain the ARS?
You are a recipient of the Caf
-
Your child is aged 6 to 15 years old at the start of the school year: the ARS is paid automatically without any action required on your part.
-
Your child is under 6 years old and starting CP: you will need to obtain a school enrollment certificate (from their school) and send it to your Caf or deposit it in your My Account section on the Caf website or via the Caf - My Account app.
-
Your child is between 16 and 18 years old: you must declare that they are still enrolled in school or in apprenticeship from your My Account section on the Caf website or via the My Account app.
You are not a recipient of the Caf
You must create a personal space on the Caf website, then download a form in the section My Actions > Personal Life > Parental Leave, print it and return it completed to your Caf to declare your situation.
If your child is placed by the court with the child welfare service (ASE), their back-to-school allowance will not be paid to you. The amount is kept in a blocked account with the Deposit and Consignment Office. Your child can retrieve the amount at their majority and at their sole request.
Online Services and Forms
See also
-
Back-to-School Allowance (ARS) Service Public
-
Discover the new amount of the back-to-school allowance Service Public
-
Family and social benefits: new amounts as of April 1 Service Public
-
Education Centralizes all school actions Service Public
-
Payment schedule for the back-to-school allowance Social Security
-
The back-to-school allowance Ministry in charge of education
-
Everything to know about the back-to-school allowance National Family Allowance Fund (Cnaf)
-
The back-to-school allowance Central Mutual Agricultural Society (MSA)
-
Education services: a single access point for all school actions Ministry in charge of education
Agenda
-
Until July 28, 2026 Sales Extended Exceptionally: What are the dates for the summer sales of 2026? Published on July 6, 2026
-
From July 15, 2026 Higher Education How to benefit from the Parcoursup mobility aid? Published on June 17, 2026
Source: Service-Public / CAF