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This article examines the impact of remittances on the growth and the development of human capital in the country of origin. An empirical study carried out on a group of 19 countries during the period of 1999-2009 using the generalised method of moments system shows that the transfers speed-up the accumulation of human capital and stimulate growth in the countries in question. The impact of the remittances on human capital and growth is more important in countries where the level of public expenditure on education is high, which suggests that remittances complement policies aiming to develop human capital. The results also reveal that the impact of remittances is more important in countries where the revenue per person is weak. Remittances thus make up an alternative source of finance for education expenditure among low-income households.