The cost of education in private schools primarily depends on the status of the institution. A private school under contract with the State opens access to most public aids (scholarships, back-to-school allowance, social funds). A school outside the contract, on the other hand, excludes a large part of these aids. Therefore, before seeking funding, the first question concerns this contractual status, which conditions almost everything else.
Under contract or outside contract: the impact on accessible aids
The distinction is not limited to an administrative label. It concretely determines which programs a family can mobilize. National middle and high school scholarships, provided by the State, only concern students enrolled in a private school under contract. Families who choose a school outside the contract lose access to these scholarships, regardless of their income level.
The back-to-school allowance (ARS), provided by the CAF, is an exception: it is granted based on income conditions, regardless of the type of institution. It therefore also benefits families whose child attends a school outside the contract.
For families wishing to finance a private school with Maman du Net, this prior verification of the contractual status helps to frame the actual budget and identify available levers.
| Program | Private under contract | Private outside contract |
|---|---|---|
| Middle school scholarship | Yes (subject to income conditions) | No |
| High school scholarship | Yes (subject to income conditions) | No |
| Back-to-school allowance (ARS) | Yes | Yes |
| Social funds (middle/high school) | Yes | No |
| Boarding allowance | Yes (scholarship holders only) | No |
| Local aids (transport, canteen) | Variable by community | Variable by community |
ARS and school scholarships: conditions and possible accumulation
The ARS is automatically paid by the CAF to eligible families for each child enrolled aged 6 to 18 years. Its amount varies according to the child’s age group. For the 2026-2027 school year, it amounts to 426.87 euros for a child aged 6 to 10 years, 450.41 euros for those aged 11-14, and 466.02 euros for those aged 15-18.
The middle and high school scholarships work differently: they are awarded upon request, subject to income conditions, and paid in three installments during the school year. Their amount depends on the household income and the number of dependent children.
These aids are cumulative with each other. A family can receive the ARS and a middle school scholarship for the same child, provided they meet the criteria for each program. The boarding allowance, reserved for scholarship holders housed in boarding schools, can also be added.
Social funds: a safety net often overlooked
Private schools under contract have social funds intended to cover expenses related to schooling: canteen, supplies, educational outings. These funds are allocated by the head of the institution, on a case-by-case basis, based on the family’s financial situation.
The application is made directly to the institution. There is no national standard form, and the criteria vary from one institution to another. Social funds complement scholarships without replacing them.
Local aids for private schooling: an underutilized territorial level
National programs only cover part of the actual cost. Some local authorities offer complementary aids that families are not always aware of:
- School transport aids, sometimes available to students in private under contract when the closest institution is located outside their municipality
- Subsidies for school meals, in the form of social pricing or partial exemption, granted by certain municipalities or intercommunalities
- Aids for supplies or equipment, provided by departments or regions, according to their own scales
The existence of these aids, their amounts, and their schedules vary greatly from one territory to another. No single window lists all local aids for private schooling. The process goes through the website of the relevant local authority (town hall, departmental council, regional council) or through the social service of the institution.
Student loan and apprenticeship: financing private higher education
For private higher education, the levers change. The social criteria scholarship from CROUS remains accessible to students enrolled in an institution recognized by the State, through the Student Social File (DSE). Merit-based aid can be added for high school graduates who obtained the Highest Honors.
State-guaranteed student loan
This program allows borrowing without parental guarantee, with partial public backing. It is aimed at students under 28 years old, enrolled in an institution entitled to student social security. Repayment can be deferred until the end of studies, which eases the financial burden during training.
Apprenticeship: financing conditioned by the type of training
Apprenticeship (apprenticeship or professionalization contract) eliminates tuition fees, as these are covered by the host company through its skills operator. The student also receives a salary in parallel.
However, not all private training programs are eligible for apprenticeship. The accreditation of the training, the age of the candidate, and the effective conclusion of a contract with an employer condition access to this mechanism. A non-accredited private training program does not allow for the conclusion of an apprenticeship contract.
- Check the accreditation of the training on the national directory of professional certifications (RNCP) or on the institution’s website
- Ensure that the host company agrees to conclude a contract before the start of the school year
- Anticipate the search for a company several months before the start of the training, as spots are limited in certain sectors
Financing private schooling rarely relies on a single program. The combination of national aids, local aids, and, where applicable, loans or apprenticeships depends on the level of education, the status of the institution, and the territory of residence. Identifying the contractual status of the school remains the first reflex, the one that determines the actual extent of the available options.
