Town halls, ministries, hospitals, regional councils: the public sector is one of the biggest recruiters of work-study students in France, and far too often overlooked by applicants. Yet its contracts are sometimes better paid than in the private sector.
In short: you can prepare your qualification through work-study in all three branches of the public sector (central government, local authorities, hospitals). The contract remains a private-law contract with the same rights as in a company. Pay starts from the same base as in the private sector — a percentage of the SMIC based on age and year — but it is increased by 10 points for a bac-level qualification and by 20 points for a qualification at bac+2 level and above. You apply without a competitive exam, mainly through the choisirleservicepublic.gouv.fr portal.
Which public employers recruit work-study students?
The public sector is split into three branches, all of which recruit apprentices:
- Central government (fonction publique d'État): ministries, education authorities and schools, prefectures, decentralised services, national public bodies.
- Local authorities (fonction publique territoriale): municipalities, inter-municipal bodies, departmental and regional councils, CCAS social action centres. This is the largest provider of contracts.
- Hospitals (fonction publique hospitalière): public hospitals, EHPAD care homes, regional health agencies (ARS), medico-social establishments.
The jobs go well beyond admin work: IT, human resources, communication, green spaces, early childhood, care, technical roles, accounting, legal… This diversity is one of the sector's great strengths.
How much does a public sector apprentice earn?
This is the least-known advantage. The calculation base is identical to the private sector: a percentage of the SMIC that depends on your age and your contract year. But the public sector adds a boost set out in the Labour Code:
| Qualification prepared | Boost applied |
|---|---|
| Bac level (bac pro, BP…) | +10 points |
| Bac+2 level and above (BTS, BUT, bachelor's, master's…) | +20 points |
In practice, an apprentice aged 18-20 in their first year preparing a BTS earns around 43% of the SMIC in the private sector; in the public sector, their pay climbs to 63% of the SMIC thanks to the 20-point boost. To estimate your future salary precisely, use our pay calculator.
Preparing a higher-education qualification through work-study in a town hall or hospital often means a few dozen euros more each month than in a private company, for the same qualification.
How do you apply for a public sector apprenticeship?
Good news: no competitive exam is required to become an apprentice. Recruitment is by application, just like in the private sector. Here's where to look:
- The choisirleservicepublic.gouv.fr portal (formerly Place de l'emploi public), which centralises offers from all three branches.
- Employers' own websites: the "recruitment" sections of town halls, departments, regions, ministries, hospitals and ARS.
- Job aggregators: browse the work-study offers and filter by sector or location.
On timing, the logic is the same everywhere: the May-July period is the richest in offers for a September start, and you can sign up to three months after your training begins. Plan ahead, because local authorities often schedule their recruitment several months in advance.
Apprenticeship or professionalisation contract in the public sector?
In the public sector, the apprenticeship contract dominates: the professionalisation contract is rarely used there. If you're still hesitating between the two, our comparison of apprenticeship vs professionalisation sets things out. And to understand every component of your payslip, read understanding your work-study pay.
One last point to remember: the hiring grant paid to employers who recruit an apprentice is reserved for the private sector. This changes nothing for you, the apprentice — your pay and the funding of your training are guaranteed — but it's useful to know if a public recruiter brings it up. Don't forget the financial aids (housing, mobility, equipment) that top up your salary, whoever your employer is.
The public sector combines useful missions, varied jobs and often advantageous pay: a path well worth exploring seriously for your 2026 apprenticeship.