Non-higher/Secondary education

Young persons pursuing secondary education are entitled to Child Benefit up until their 25th birthday, providing they satisfy the following conditions:

• The young person attends secondary education, social promotion education, evening classes or private tuition for at least 17 teaching hours a week and works no more than 240 hours per quarter.
• The young person completes at least 17 teaching hours per week in one or more educational institutions that practise a system of work-linked training or entrepreneurial training. As part of this training: when the 17 hours of classes per week are not reached, a compulsory internship to obtain the diploma also allows you to continue to receive Child Benefit.
• The young person pursues special needs education.

Important: The conditions for maximum income or hours worked do not apply in the 3rd quarter (the summer months of July, August and September), provided that the young person resumes classes from the start of the next school or academic year. (even if this concerns a year that doesn’t satisfy the conditions)

Pursuing FOREM training courses or obtaining certificates or diplomas for the Examination Board (formerly known as the Central Jury) does not entitle you to Child Benefit.

Students with an unjustified school absence are not entitled to Child Benefit for the days of that absence.

KidsLife requests the school certificate which serves as proof of the studies pursued on an annual basis. Document P7B must be completed by the parents and the school or educational institution.

Is the youngster no longer in school? Then there may still be a right to Child Benefit as a school leaver. 

Higher education

Young persons pursuing higher education are entitled to Child Benefit up until their 25th birthday, providing they satisfy the following conditions:

• The student is enrolled for at least 27 credits for the entire year and works no more than 240 hours per quarter.

The young person must be enrolled for at least 27 credits prior to 30 November in order to receive Child Benefit throughout the academic year. If the student enrols for at least 27 credits after 30 November, then they’re entitled to Child Benefit from the month following their enrolment.

If the number of credits drops below 27 from a certain month onwards, then Child Benefit entitlement ceases at the end of that month.

If the student was enrolled by the deadline but for fewer than 27 credits and the number of credits increases to 27 or more during the academic year, then we’re able to make a retrospective Child Benefit payment for the entire school year.

Not every type of higher education is expressed in credits. In that case, the student must attend at least 13 hours of lessons per week.

Important: The conditions for maximum income or hours worked do not apply in the 3rd quarter (the summer months of July, August and September), provided that the young person resumes classes from the start of the next academic year. (even if this concerns a year that doesn’t satisfy the conditions)

KidsLife requests the school certificate which serves as proof of the studies pursued on an annual basis. Document P7B must be completed by the parents and the school or educational institution. However, most universities and colleges have their own standard certificate, which contains all the necessary information. This can be submitted to KidsLife in place of the P7B form.

Is the youngster no longer in school? Then there may still be a right to Child Benefit as a school leaver. 

Thesis or final dissertation

In some cases, the young person might still be entitled to Child Benefit even if they’re enrolled for fewer than 27 credits:

• If the school confirms that it concerns a year in which the student must submit a thesis, final dissertation or internship report in order to graduate.

The student may be able to retain their entitlement until the end of the summer holidays or the submission of their thesis or internship report with a maximum period of 1 year.

You’re only entitled to Child Benefit on the basis of a thesis year once per specialisation.

Apprenticeship contract

An apprenticeship contract affords young persons the opportunity to learn a profession by pursuing practical training in the trainer's company. In addition to practical training, the apprentice pursues theoretical training one day a week.

For Child Benefit entitlement, the apprenticeship contract must be recognised and approved by IFAMPE, the Walloon Institute for work-linked training, the self-employed and small businesses.

KidsLife requests the school certificate which serves as proof of the studies pursued. Document P9BIS must be completed by the parents, the trainer and the school or educational institution.

Contact KidsLife if:

• the apprenticeship contract is terminated, is no longer recognised or recognition of the apprenticeship contract is refused.
• the apprentice falls sick or has an accident during the apprenticeship contract.

There’s no holiday period at the end of the apprenticeship contract. This means that an apprenticeship contract entitles you to Child Benefit up to 30 June or until termination of the apprenticeship contract.

Please note: The apprenticeship contract must have commenced prior to 1 September 2015, otherwise it concerns a work-linked training agreement to which part-time education conditions apply.