FRA9 · 02/09/2026 · Higher education
France school bursaries 2026–27: amounts, application and deadline
France’s national application window opened on 1 September 2026. Families that did not choose automatic assessment can apply for a collège or lycée bursary through 15 October inclusive; CNED pupils have until 31 October.
France’s national application window opened on 1 September 2026. Families that did not choose automatic assessment can apply for a collège or lycée bursary through 15 October inclusive; CNED pupils have until 31 October.
The 2026–27 application window closes on 15 October
Families that did not choose automatic assessment during enrolment or re-enrolment can apply for a French national collège or lycée bursary from 1 September through 15 October 2026 inclusive. The deadline for a CNED distance-learning pupil is 31 October. Do not wait for a later school reminder: prepare the file now and ask the school office which route applies to that institution.
Collège and lycée use different amounts and bands
The collège bursary has three annual bands: €120, €336 and €525. The lycée bursary has six: €504, €621, €732, €843, €957 and €1,071. These are totals for the 2026–27 school year, not monthly payments. The band depends on reference taxable income and the number of dependent children, so use the official simulator for the correct school level instead of an undated table.
Which income and household details are assessed?
The administration uses the 2026 income-tax notice covering 2025 income, particularly reference taxable income and dependent children. For an unmarried couple living together, both adults’ resources and dependants are counted. With shared residence, the applicant’s income or that of the reconstituted household is used. The person applying must bear the child’s tax responsibility and actual living costs.
Automatic assessment: when no new annual form is needed
When valid consent to automatic assessment has been recorded, the administration retrieves the necessary tax data each year and reassesses entitlement without a fresh application. From the 2026 school year this option covers public collèges and lycées, secondary classes in EREA institutions and participating private schools under contract. Families should still confirm that consent is recorded and household details are correct.
Online application, paper form, private school or CNED
For a public school, an annual application can be made through Scolarité-Services using ÉduConnect or FranceConnect. The online journey can retrieve tax data, issue a receipt and provide an estimate. A paper form remains available and is submitted with evidence to the school office. Private schools without automatic assessment use the form, while CNED has its own forms and academic bursary services with the separate 31 October deadline.
When is the bursary paid?
Both collège and lycée bursaries are paid in three instalments, normally at the end of each school term: around late December, late March and late June. Boarding or half-board charges can be deducted before the family receives the balance. An annual award therefore does not mean a full payment in September or three identical bank transfers; read the award notice and the statement supplied by the institution.
Boarding, equipment, return-to-study and merit supplements
The boarding supplement is automatic for a bursary recipient living at school: €327–€465 at collège and €327–€672 at lycée depending on the band. Lycée students in the first year of certain CAP, vocational, technological or technician programmes may receive a one-off €341.71 equipment grant. Returning to vocational study after at least five months can attract €600, while the lycée merit supplement ranges from €402 to €1,002 by band.
Bursary, back-to-school allowance and hardship fund are different
The national collège or lycée bursary is not the back-to-school allowance paid by CAF or MSA. A household may qualify for both, and the schemes do not use exactly the same income year or ceilings. When canteen, transport, supplies, healthcare or specialist equipment remain unaffordable, ask the institution about its social fund and check additional support offered by the municipality, department or region.
Track the file, correct an error and protect the deadline
Keep the application receipt and track the case in Scolarité-Services where available. France’s right-to-error principle can allow an inaccurate declaration to be corrected, but it does not turn a late submission into an on-time application. Report separation, cohabitation, dependant or tax-data changes promptly to the school office and, where relevant, the tax or benefits authority. National assistance is available on 0 809 54 06 06, weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00.
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