In Cyprus, the subsidy for a schoolchild’s laptop can reach €300, but the circular for the new school year has not yet been issued

Families in Cyprus receiving child benefit can claim back up to €300 for a laptop for a student in the second year of gymnasium and up to €100 for a tablet for a third-grade primary school student. However, as of 26 August, the Ministry of Education’s circular for the 2026–2027 school year had not been published, and without it, applications cannot be submitted and compensation cannot be received.

The subsidy is provided under the digital transformation of schools project במסגרת the Recovery Plan. The money is not paid simply on the basis of a purchase: first, an application is submitted through the school, then it is approved, and only after that can the family go to a shop. Equipment bought in advance “in anticipation of future compensation” is not covered by the scheme.

For now, families have to use the previous cycle as a guide. The circular, signed by Education Ministry Director General Yorgos Panteli, was issued on 10 November 2025: schools collected applications and sent the lists to the ministry by 17 November, while parents had to submit the device compatibility certificate and the original receipt by 16 February 2026, and collect the cheque issued by the Schools Administration by 3 April.

The subsidy works as a ceiling rather than a fixed payment: a €249 laptop is covered in full, while a €479 laptop means €300 from the state and €179 out of the family’s own pocket. Delivery, accessories, additional software and warranty extensions were not covered, and private schools and other grades were not included in the previous cycle.

The mandatory condition is that the family receives child benefit. The annual income threshold is €49,000 for a family with one child and €59,000 for a family with two children, plus €5,000 for each additional child. Those who received the benefit in 2025 do not need to apply again; everyone else must apply online through CY Login on the gov.cy portal by 31 December 2026.

There is no single fixed date for the programme: in 2024, the ministry’s guidance was issued in September, while in 2025 the main circular appeared only on 10 November. So the start of the school year without open applications does not yet mean that the opportunity has been missed: families should monitor announcements from the Ministry of Education and messages from the school.