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Am I entitled to an allowance for travelling to and from work?

This is quite possible.

An employer may pay his/her workers an allowance for travelling to and from work, or for using their private vehicle for professional purposes. He/she may also refund, wholly or partially, your travel expenses by public transport.

Commuting allowances are not obligatory, but may be provided for in the collective labour agreements concluded between various enterprises and sectors. (A collective labour agreement is an agreement between employer and employee, relating to the rights and obligations of both parties.)

As a student, you are normally entitled to the same benefits that a regular employee also receives. You will need to check whether and on which conditions regular employees receive such an allowance. No social contributions are owed on the commuting allowance up to a maximum amount of 0.3363 euro/km (the amount starting from 1 July 2016) if you are travelling by means of your own car, or on the refund of the real expenses if you are using public transport.

If you are not sure whether in your situation you are entitled to an allowance, you can always get in touch with the Directorate-General for Control of the Social Laws (in French)(new window) of the Federal Public Service (FPS) Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue. They may assist you further.