The reform of the student self-employed status, driven by the Minister for SMEs, the Self-employed and the Middle Classes Eléonore SIMONET, comes into force on 1st October. The aim: to make the status more flexible and more attractive.
To encourage self-employed entrepreneurship among young people, the “student self-employed” status was created in 2017. This status allows student entrepreneurs to benefit from an advantageous social contribution scheme, provided their income remains below a certain threshold.
Eléonore SIMONET: “The status is attractive, since more than 10,000 students currently benefit from it, but it needed to be dusted off and made more flexible and accessible. Certain administrative procedures were cumbersome and unnecessary. Student entrepreneurs are tomorrow's business leaders, and we must make it easier for them to access this status and remove administrative obstacles. The age limit of 25 was penalising certain students.”
In line with what was planned in her SME Plan announced last January, the Minister has decided on the following relaxations:
- The age limit of 25 is abolished. Students will be able to complete their studies while keeping the student self-employed status, even if they are older than 25.
- The abolition of the obligation to submit a sworn statement regarding course attendance at the start of the school or academic year.
- The possibility for interested students to keep the student self-employed status during the quarter in which they graduate. This facility applies to students who obtain their diploma outside the usual June-to-September period. From now on, these students will be able to keep the student self-employed status during the quarter in which they graduate, even if they do not meet the study condition for the entire quarter.
- The situation of students enrolled for fewer than 27 credits (or 17 hours of classes) but who are preparing a dissertation is clarified. They will be able to keep the status during this dissertation period (for a maximum of one year).
- The removal of the option to provide alternative proof of regular course attendance in the case of support for an entrepreneurial project. An enrolment certificate available on the institution's student portal will be sufficient.
The changes will come into force on 1 October 2026.