In an apparatus for controlling a starting clutch of a vehicle having a function of stopping engine idling so that an engine is automatically stopped, the starting clutch being provided in a transmission of the vehicle in series with a belt type continuously variable transmission mechanism, a load is applied to the transmission mechanism before a rise in a side pressure of the drive pulley and the driven pulley at the time of vehicle start-up from the state of engine stopping, resulting in a slipping of the belt. To avoid such a slipping, at the time of vehicle start-up from the state of engine stopping, the engaging force of the starting clutch is prevented from increasing above the creeping force which gives rise to the creeping of the vehicle until after a lapse of a predetermined time. In the course of increasing the engaging force of the starting clutch above the creeping force, the speed of rise in the engaging force of the starting clutch is limited to a relatively low speed until after the lapse of the predetermined time. The occurrence of belt slipping due to a delay in the increase in the pulley side-pressure is thus prevented.