Groeipakket

Students in higher education

Children in Flanders are unconditionally entitled to the Groeipakket up to and including the month they turn 18. There are no further requirements they need to meet.

Is your child between 18 and 25 years of age and in higher education? In that case, he/she may still be entitled to a Groeipakket subject to certain requirements.

When are you entitled to the Groeipakket whilst enrolled in higher education?

A student in higher education is entitled to the Groeipakket if:

  • he/she is enrolled for at least 27 credits in one or more Belgian recognised higher education institution(s);
  • he/she is enrolled at a foreign higher education institution whose programme is recognised by the foreign government or that is equivalent with a recognised programme;
  • he/she is enrolled in a state-recognised training programme for ministers of religion;
  • he/she is enrolled in the scientific course in preparation for enrolling at the Royal Military Academy or in engineering studies.

Special situations

  • For a doctoral study programme, the credits for writing the doctoral thesis do not count towards the required 27 credits.
  • The entitlement to the Groeipakket is limited to one year per programme cycle if the child is enrolled for less than 27 credits during a degree year.
  • If your child is combining secondary education with higher education, the credits are converted into teaching hours. One credit is 30 minutes. Your child is still entitled to the Groeipakket if he/she attends at least 17 teaching hours per week.
  • If your child is taking higher education classes that are not expressed in credits, the programme must correspond to a full programme of study and a full curriculum, or the programme put together by your child with the permission from the school, the university college or the university must include at least 13 teaching hours per week. If your child is in private education, for example, this education must be recognised by Flanders and include at least 13 teaching hours.
  • If your child is enrolled in an additional year for the GIP (integrated test) in education for social promotion (adult education) of less than 13 teaching hours, your child is entitled to the Groeipakket for one year.

When do you start receiving the Groeipakket as a student in higher education?

If your child is enrolled on 30 November for at least 27 credits and remains enrolled for the entire academic year, your child is entitled to the Groeipakket for the entire academic year.

If your child is enrolled on 30 November for less than 27 credits and manages to obtain at least 27 credits over the course of the academic year, your child is entitled to the Groeipakket for the entire academic year.

If your child's first or only enrolment does not occur until after 30 November, then your child is entitled to the Groeipakket from the date of the first or only enrolment if he/she is enrolled for at least 27 credits.

An example: Noura enrols for 20 credits on 8 December. On 6 January 6, a second enrolment adds another 10 credits. Noura is now enrolled for 30 credits. She is entitled to the Groeipakket starting in December (the month of her first enrolment).

If your child's credits fall below 27 credits over the course of the academic year or he or she drops out of his/her study programme, then your child is no longer entitled to the Groeipakket as a student.

A child that leaves education may still be entitled to the Groeipakket as a school leaver.

What happens to the Groeipakket when your child is absent due to illness?

Is your child sick for an extended period of time during the academic year?

In that case,  you must provide your Groeipakket payer (benefit disbursement organisation) with proof of illness. Your child is entitled to the Groeipakket until the end of the summer holidays of the next academic year if he/she is absent due to illness.

Is your child absent for more than six months due to illness?

In that case, a medical examination by a doctor of the Flemish Government is required to approve the absence. The result of this medical examination determines whether your child is still entitled to the Groeipakket.

You were unable to enrol your child at the start of a new academic year due to illness and your child was not ill during the previous academic year?

Contact your Groeipakket payer. Your child may still be entitled to the Groeipakket.

Is your child enrolled for less than 27 credits due to illness?

Then your child is still entitled to the Groeipakket if the attending physician issues a certificate that he/she is unable to  take more credits due to illness.

Please use the Student sickness certificate (Attest zieke student.docx) (871 kB) form.

If your child, after a period of illness, is enrolled for less than 27 credits during an academic year, then he/she is entitled to the Groeipakket for the current academic year. You will need a certificate from the attending physician that your child is unable to enrol for 27 credits due to late enrolment.

Please use the form Student sickness certificate (Attest zieke student.docx) (871 kB) form.

What happens to the Groeipakket if your child works during his/her studies?

Subject to certain requirements, your child is allowed to work during his/her studies whilst continuing to receive a Groeipakket.

Read more about the Groeipakket conditions if you work as a student.

 

Is your child entitled to the Groeipakket during the holidays?

Students in higher education retain their entitlement to the Groeipakket during the holiday periods (Christmas holidays, Easter holidays and summer holidays). The summer holidays between two academic years may not exceed four months.

If your child stops studying after the end of the school year, he/she is entitled to the Groeipakket until the end of the summer holidays (until 30 September).

What happens to the Groeipakket when your child stops studying?

If your child stops studying, he/she may still be entitled to the Groeipakket as a school leaver for another 12 months.

Read more about the Groeipakket for school leavers.