Commuting Costs for Work-Study Students in 2026: What Your Employer Must Pay

"I live 45 minutes from the company and 1 hour 10 from the training centre, and nobody ever mentioned reimbursement to me." Every September, thousands of work-study students pay the full price of a travel pass their employer should be co-financing — simply because they don't know they're entitled to it.

In short: a work-study student is a fully-fledged employee (Article L. 6222-23 of the French Labour Code for apprentices). As such, their employer has a legal obligation to cover at least 50% of the cost of their travel pass for public transport or a public bike-hire scheme, based on a 2nd-class fare and the shortest route (Articles L. 3261-2 and R. 3261-1 et seq. of the Labour Code). This obligation applies regardless of the number of hours worked and also covers days spent at the CFA, since training time counts as effective working time. Alongside this, the employer may — without being required to — pay a sustainable mobility allowance (bike, carpooling, scooter, etc.), tax-exempt up to €900 per year in 2026 when combined with a transport pass, or contribute to fuel costs. On top of that come the €500 driving licence aid reserved for apprentices, regional youth fares and, for those who file a tax return, the deduction of actual expenses. Stacked properly, these schemes easily add up to €600 to €1,200 a year.

Does an employer have to reimburse a work-study student's travel pass?

Yes — and it isn't a goodwill gesture: it's an obligation.

Article L. 3261-2 of the Labour Code states that the employer "shall cover, in a proportion and under conditions determined by regulation, the price of season tickets taken out by its employees for travel between their usual residence and their place of work." The minimum rate, set by Article R. 3261-1, is 50%.

Three points that many employers — especially very small businesses — are unaware of:

• No length of service is required. Reimbursement is due from the first month of the contract, including during the trial period (the first 45 days in the company for an apprentice).
• Part-time work doesn't remove the right. An employee working less than half-time has their coverage prorated, but a work-study student is full-time under their contract: they get the full 50%.
• Only season tickets are covered. Single tickets or carnets are not reimbursable under this obligation. A monthly or annual pass, however, is — hence the value of switching to a season ticket as soon as the contract is signed.

Covered schemes include: SNCF passes (TER, Transilien), RATP, Île-de-France Mobilités (Navigo), urban networks (TCL, RTM, Tisséo, TAN, etc.), intercity coaches operated under public service delegation, and public bike-hire services such as Vélib', Vélo'v or V3.

"Coverage of public transport costs applies to all employees, including apprentices and employees on professionalisation contracts." — Ministère du Travail, factsheet "Frais de transport domicile-travail"

How do you actually get reimbursed?

The process is simple, but it does require you to take the first step: the employer will not reimburse you automatically.

1. Take out a pass in your own name (a card in a parent's name will not be covered).
2. Send HR or payroll the supporting document: an annual pass certificate, a monthly invoice or a screenshot of your customer account. For an annual pass, one document is generally enough for the whole year.
3. Check the dedicated line on your payslip: it appears under a heading such as "Remboursement transport 50 %". This amount is exempt from social contributions and is not taxable.
4. If it has been overlooked, the limitation period is 3 years: you can claim unpaid amounts for the last 36 months.

A practical tip from experience: keep everything in a physical file. An expanding document wallet or a simple flap folder saves you chasing an invoice six months later, when HR asks for proof to settle arrears.

Are days at the training centre (CFA) covered?

This is the most frequently asked question, and the answer is a clear yes.

The reasoning is as follows: for an apprentice, hours spent at the training centre count as effective working time (Article L. 6222-24 of the Labour Code: "The time devoted by the apprentice to training provided in apprentice training centres is included in working hours"). During those weeks, the CFA is therefore a place where the contract is performed.

In practice, there are two situations:

On that last point, the funding levels (NPEC) include a lump sum for apprentices' accommodation and catering, paid to the CFA by the skills operator. This money doesn't land in your account, but it reduces what the centre can charge you. If your CFA is asking for high boarding fees, request a breakdown: the issue is directly linked to the developments described in our article on apprenticeship funding and the moratorium requested by CFAs.

When the CFA is far away and the journey becomes a weekly one, the real saving lies elsewhere: in youth fares. An SNCF Avantage Jeune card (for under-27s) pays for itself in two return trips and can be combined with employer coverage if you take out an annual TER pass.

Bike, car, carpooling: the sustainable mobility allowance

Not everyone lives within reach of a public transport network. For those situations, Article L. 3261-3-1 of the Labour Code created the sustainable mobility allowance (forfait mobilités durables, FMD).

Watch out for the legal nuance: the FMD is optional. The employer introduces it through a collective agreement or a unilateral decision; they are under no obligation. But the tax incentive is strong, since the sums are exempt from social contributions and income tax up to:

• €800 per year per employee for the FMD alone;
• €900 per year when the FMD is combined with coverage of a public transport pass;
• up to €700 (including €400 for fuel) for optional coverage of fuel costs or electric vehicle charging.

The travel modes eligible for the FMD are broad: bicycles and electric bikes (personal or hired), carpooling as driver or passenger, personal motorised mobility devices (scooters), low-emission car-sharing, and public transport outside season tickets.

So how do you apply for it? Write to your HR department citing Article L. 3261-3-1 and stating your mode of travel. Proof usually requires an annual sworn statement, and sometimes evidence of carpooling (a platform statement) or a bike purchase invoice.

If you switch to cycling, two investments will stop you giving up by November: a certified U-shaped bike lock — insurers and the Fédération française des usagers de la bicyclette (FUB) recommend an approved model, and many companies make access to their bike storage room conditional on this type of equipment — and decent high-visibility gear. Wearing a retroreflective vest is in fact compulsory outside built-up areas at night (Article R. 431-1-1 of the French Highway Code).

The €500 driving licence aid: who can get it?

This is the least well-known form of support, and it is exclusively reserved for apprentices.

Created by the law of 5 September 2018 and codified in Article D. 6222-39 of the Labour Code, it provides a flat-rate €500 grant, paid by the CFA, to help fund preparation for the category B driving licence.

The conditions are deliberately flexible:

• being an apprentice (with an apprenticeship contract currently in force);
• being at least 18 years old;
• being enrolled in the process of obtaining a category B licence (registered with a driving school or as an independent candidate).

What it does not require, contrary to a persistent belief: no means testing, no nationality condition beyond the general rules, and it can be combined with other forms of support (regional aid, the State's "€1 a day licence" scheme, the personal training account for certain categories).

The procedure: submit a signed application to your CFA, together with a copy of your national identity card, your registered apprenticeship contract, and a quote or invoice from the driving school. The CFA then pays the €500 directly — either to the apprentice or to the driving school, depending on the case.

For the exam itself, an up-to-date 2026 Highway Code book remains, according to driving schools, the most effective support for revision outside group sessions, alongside online question sets. Allow 3 to 6 months between registration and the practical test, depending on the waiting times in your department.

Can you deduct travel costs from your taxes?

Yes — and it's the forgotten lever for better-paid work-study students.

There are two options when filing your return:

• The flat-rate 10% allowance, applied automatically to taxable salaries.
• Actual expenses, to be chosen if your professional costs exceed that allowance. The mileage scale published each year by the tax authorities lets you value home-to-work journeys up to a limit of 40 km each way (beyond that, you must justify special circumstances: a spouse's job, health reasons, lack of available housing).

An essential reminder: an apprentice's salary is exempt from income tax up to the annual minimum wage (SMIC) (Article 81 bis of the French General Tax Code). Many apprentices are therefore not taxable at all, which makes the question of actual expenses irrelevant. A work-study student on a professionalisation contract, however, does not benefit from this exemption: for them, choosing between the 10% allowance and actual expenses can be worth several hundred euros. Our salary simulator gives you the taxable net figure to start from so you can decide.

Regional and local support you shouldn't forget

The State isn't the only player. Since the 2018 law, regions have retained responsibility for funding support schemes for apprentices, particularly around mobility and accommodation. The amounts and names vary from one region to another, but the following recur regularly:

• reduced-fare travel cards for apprentices and under-26s (completely free in several regions for school pupils and apprentices);
• first-equipment grants (professional equipment, tools) paid via the CFA;
• accommodation support for apprentices who have to rent near the CFA;
• emergency support funds accessible through the CFA in the event of temporary hardship.

The right reflex: ask your CFA's mobility officer or social services department as soon as term starts, and check your regional council's website. Our financial support pages list the national schemes that can be combined.

For those juggling long journeys and packed days, two details genuinely change daily life: noise-cancelling headphones make 40 minutes of daily train travel usable for revision, and a portable phone charger stops you arriving at the CFA without a digital travel pass — a reason for a fine that inspectors won't excuse.

What to do if your employer refuses to reimburse you

A refusal is illegal, but it's rarely malicious: in very small businesses, it usually stems from a lack of awareness.

The steps to follow, in escalating order:

1. A written request (an email is enough) to the HR manager or company director, citing Articles L. 3261-2 and R. 3261-1 of the Labour Code, with proof of your pass attached.
2. Alert the CFA: your apprenticeship mediator — every chamber of commerce or trade body (CCI, CMA, chamber of agriculture) has one — can intervene free of charge with the employer, as provided for by Article L. 6222-39.
3. Report to the labour inspectorate (your department's DREETS), which can remind the employer of their obligations.
4. The employment tribunal (conseil de prud'hommes) as a last resort, to recover the amounts owed over three years.

In 90% of cases, step 1 is enough. Word your request factually, without aggression: you're asking for a rule to be applied, not for a favour. And if your relationship with the company deteriorates more broadly, read up on our guidance on terminating an apprenticeship contract before making any decision.

Key takeaways before the new term

• Your employer must reimburse at least 50% of your public transport or bike-share pass — including for CFA days.
• Reimbursement is not automatic: submit your proof as soon as you sign the contract.
• The sustainable mobility allowance (up to €900 tax-exempt when combined) is optional: you have to ask for it and negotiate it.
• The €500 category B licence aid is a right open to any apprentice of legal age, with no means testing, to be requested from the CFA.
• The limitation period is 3 years: months left unreimbursed since the previous academic year can still be recovered.

Do the maths properly, once, before October. Between 50% of a travel pass, an SNCF youth card and the driving licence aid, a work-study student in the Paris region or Lyon commonly recovers more than €900 over a year's contract. That's rarely a minor detail in a work-study budget. And if you're still looking for a contract for this term, our work-study job offers are updated daily.