Children’s Allowance - Special Student Allowance (DSS)

Overview

This benefit is aimed to help parents and foster parents or legal guardians who have children between sixteen (16) and twenty (20) years of age but have not yet turned twenty-one (21) at the beginning of their scholastic year and who continue with their post-secondary education, regardless of whether they receive a stipend from the Department of Education or not. In case of students living alone, or those who are living in an Institution, the benefit is issued in their respective name. Meanwhile, if the student turns twenty (20) years old during the scholastic year, the allowance will still be given and the student will also benefit from the maximum of three (3) payments of five hundred euros (€500) per year until they remain in a post-secondary education. This benefit also applies to eligible foster parents.

What you'll get

The Special Student Allowance payment is of five-hundred euro (€500) per year payable for a maximum period of three (3) years, starting once the first year of post-secondary education is completed:

To parents and foster parents, or legal guardians as long as the eligible child/children continue to live with their custodial parents or legal guardians and continue with their post-secondary education; or
To students who qualify for this benefit and are living alone or an Institution.

Please click here for a schedule of Benefits Rates.

Eligibility

For parents and foster parents and legal guardians who have been ordinary Maltese residents for at least the past five (5) years, of children who are between sixteen (16) and twenty (20) years but have not reached twenty one (21) years at the start of the scholastic year and continue with their full-time education in Malta, whether receiving a stipend or not.
For students who are fostered by an Institution, who have been ordinary Maltese residents for at least the last five (5) years, are between sixteen (16) and twenty (20) years but have not reached twenty-one (21) years at the start of the scholastic year, and continue with their full-time education in Malta, whether receiving a stipend or not.
For students who are ordinary Maltese residents for the last five (5) years, living on their own, and are between sixteen (16) and twenty (20) years but have not reached twenty-one (21) years at the start of the scholastic year, and continue with their full-time education in Malta, whether receiving a stipend or not.
The student must be attending a higher educational institution that is recognised by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA).
This benefit is not means-tested, hence the student may have a part-time employment while still being a full-time student.
The parents of children who are already in receipt of the Children’s Allowance for children aged between sixteen (16) and twenty (20) years may still be eligible.

Documentation required

There are no documents required to qualify for this allowance for statal higher education institutions. However, students attending a Post-Secondary Private Education Institution licensed by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) need to attach a declaration by the Head of the Institution with the application. To download this declaration click here.

How to apply

The Department of Social Security shall collect the necessary information related to post-secondary students from the Department of Education. Thus no application is required if eliġible students are attending a post-secondary course in a statal higher-educational institution.

Apply

Timeline

1 day

Application submitted
5 days

Application being processed

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