Your 12 months entitlement to the Groeipakket as a school leaver starts:

  • the month after you turned 18, when you are no longer a pupil, student or trainee;
  • the month after you turned 21, when you were entitled to a care allowance (for specific support needs) and you are no longer studying;
  • on September 1st if you are leaving non-higher education and you are not continuing your studies after the summer holidays;
  • on October 1st if you are leaving higher education and you are not continuing your studies after the summer holidays;
  • the month following the date on which you prematurely discontinue a course of study, an apprenticeship or a training scheme;
  • the month in which you take too few hours or credits (higher education);
  • the month following the end of all activities required by your programme of study or the day following the end of your apprenticeship or training scheme;
  • the month following the submission of your final thesis in higher education (or the day after the interruption of your thesis preparations);
  • the month following the end of your traineeship in order to be appointed into a public office (or the month after the interruption of said traineeship).

Returning to school as a school leaver

Are you returning to school? No problem. Your entitlement to 12 months Groeipakket as a school leaver is paused. You are now entitled to a Groeipakket as an apprentice, student or trainee.

The months entitlement to the Groeipakket that you have not yet used up will be given to you when you leave school again.

Working as a school leaver without losing your entitlement to the Groeipakket

Are you going to work as a school leaver? You can keep your Groeipakket under these conditions:

  • You work no more than 600 hours per year on a student contract.
  • You work a maximum of 80 hours per month on a 'regular' contract (= all employment contracts that are not student contracts).
  • You engage in an independent activity for which no social security contributions are due when you are working in self-employed status as your primary occupation.
  • You are not on any social benefits. Being on guaranteed minimum income benefit or an allowance for voluntary work are allowed.

If you have exceeded the 600 hours per year on your student contract, the extra hours are factored in within the 80-hour limit you are allowed to work each month on a regular employment contract. You pay ordinary social security contributions from then on.

If you have exceeded the 80 hours a month on regular employment contract, you are not entitled to the Groeipakket for that particular month.

You are free to work under a student contract and under a regular employment contract at the same time. The requirements are verified separately. There is no income threshold

A young person with a specific support need who is over the age of 18 and entitled to income replacement benefit (inkomensvervangende tegemoetkoming or IVT) ) is not entitled to the Groeipakket as a school leaver. 

When should I register as a jobseeker with the VDAB?

As a school leaver it is best to register as a job-seeker with the VDAB as soon as possible.

When you leave school you do not immediately receive benefits. By registering as a jobseeker, you start your vocational integration period.