Financial assistance related to childcare

The “freedom of choice” for childcare assistance

The “freedom of choice” for childcare assistance, is financial assistance for parents that have their child(ren) under 6 years old cared for by:

• a certified childcare provider

• or in-house caretaker, hired directly by the parent(s), association or an authorized company

• or by a micro-childcare facility.

The amount allocated for the “freedom of choice” for child care assistance:

• household income;

• the number of children and their age.

It is paid by the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (Family Allowance Fund) or the Mutualité Sociale Agricole. You can estimate its amount on the CAF website.

Rates for collective childcare

Parents who use the services of a “crèche familiale”, a municipally or parentally run organization, benefit from preferential rates, calculated according to a scale that is identical throughout the territory. You can simulate the amount of your financial participation on the CAF website.

Employer's financial assistance

Companies can also give their employees up to a maximum of 1,830 € per year and within the limits of actual costs incurred for in-home childcare support. You should check with your employer, about this.

Chèques emploi service universel

Employers, works councils, mutual benefit societies or pension funds may issue universal service employment checks (commonly known under the name of Cesu - Chèques emploi service universel) intended to cover all or part of childcare expenses.

Tax credit

Finally, all parents, working or not, can benefit from a tax credit for their out-of-home childcare expenses equal to 50% of their expenses capped at 2,300 € per child, consequently a maximum tax credit of 1,150 €.

Financial assistance related to schooling

There is a wide variety of financial support available to students and their families at different stages of their schooling.

Back-to-school assistance

Back-to-school assistance is granted, subject to financial resources, at the end of August to the parents of children from 6 to 16 (for 16-18-year olds, the payment comes after sending proof of the child's schooling). It makes it easier to face expenses linked with going back to school. This financial assistance oscillates between 364 € and 397 €.

Middle school/year 6 to 9 assistance

Middle school/year 6 to 9 assistance is designed to help families pay for tuition. They are awarded for one year, subject to financial resources and subject to the actual schooling of the student. To determine if you are eligible and to get a personalized estimate of its amount, use the simulator.

High school/year 10 to 12 assistance

High school assistance is intended to promote the schooling of high school students whose families can’t afford the cost of their children's schooling. It depends on the resources of the person(s) in charge of the student and the number of their dependent children. For the 2017-2018 school year, the annual amount of the assistance varied between 432 € and 918 €. To determine if you are eligible and to get a personalized estimate of its amount, use the simulator.

Merit Scholarships

Merit Scholarships comes in addition to high school assistance, for deserving students. This scholarship is granted throughout schooling until the baccalaureate year 12, to help deserving students continue their studies. These scholarships are paid directly to high school students who have received honorable or very honorable distinction on the “Brevet”, an exam that students take Freshman year/year 9.

Bonus financial assistance, for 16-18 year olds who are returning to school

This bonus targets young adults aged 16 to 18 who have dropped out of school and are returning to vocational studies (under student status). Amounting to 600 €, they can benefit from it in addition to the high school/ year 10 to 12 assistance. In total, the annual amount paid is at least 1,000 € per year.

The middle school/year 6 to 9 or high school/year 10 to 12 student social fund

In public middle school/year 6 to 9 and high school/year 10 to 12, a social fund provides exceptional assistance to a student to cope with expenses of school life and schooling. This assistance, granted by the school superintendent after considering the school board of directors, is in cash or in kind.

Social fund for school cafeteria

This fund must allow students from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend school cafeterias. During the school school year, the superintendent allocates the cafeteria funds to the students, taking into consideration the board of directors’ decision on the criteria and the modalities to be used.

Additional support for students already receiving financial support

• Boarding school bonus : the boarding school bonus comes in an annual lump sum of 258 € and is strictly linked to the status of a student. Families do not have to fill out a request as this bonus is automatically attributed to students in boarding school and is automatically deducted from of school boarding fees.

• School equipment allowance : amounting to 341.71 €, is paid in one installment with the first term financial assistance, to first-year students in certain “CAP” (trade schools) specialties, “professional baccalaureate” (Professional High school/year 10 to12 education), “technological bac” (technological high school/year 10 to 12 school) or “technician's certificate” (technical certification school). This allowance is automatically allocated depending on the chosen training specialty.