Accommodation

Finding a place to live in France is difficult even for French students because of the high cost and scarcity of residences located in university areas. Try to make housing arrangements in advance or at least have some hostel addresses to spend few nights before you settle in.

You can look for different types of accommodation:

UNIVERSITY RESIDENCES

They are located on campus or in the city and are administered by CROUS – the regional affiliates of the French national student-service agency, known as CNOUS.
The rooms are small – 10 to 12 sq.meters, the rent is low – between € 140 to 400; the facilities are shared, sheets are supplied and the cleaning chores are done.

WORTH KNOWING: It is difficult to secure a place in such a residence, particularly in Paris; students awarded French government scholarships have the priority.

PRIVATE STUDENT RESIDENCES

They can be found in the major cities. The rooms are furnished, they are rented for a 10 month-period, and monthly rent could range from € 300 to 500 per month outside Paris and € 500 to 600 in the Paris region. A warranty deposit equivalent to one month’s rent is required at the time of reservation. The purchase of a multi-risk housing insurance is required (around € 60).

HOME STAY

This option allows you to immerse completely into the French daily life. Specialized or language schools often offer this type of accommodation; the student has his/her private room, but shares the rest of the apartment with the host family, including the bathroom. Breakfast is included. Rates vary between € 700 to 900 per month, depending on location.

WORTH KNOWING: Look for available offers at the CROUS, the city hall (la mairie) or the Centres for International Youth in each city (CIDJ – Centre d’Information et de Documentation Jeunesse).

SHARING

More and more students are finding that shared flats are an economic accommodation solution. The rent could work around € 300 to 400 per month. Sharing is an excellent way to make friends; successful sharing means, however, a careful selection of your room mates.

PRIVATE-SECTOR RENTAL

Rooms or studios could be found through real estate agents or directly with owners; they are also advertised in the newspapers. CROUS offices maintain also a list of vacancies. The rental agreement requires that you pay a deposit of two months’ rent in advance. The deposit is refunded at the end of the contract period, provided that there is no damage.

WORTH KNOWING: If the rental advertising does not specify “CC” (charges comprises) or “TCC” (toutes charges comprises) you might expect to pay, in addition to the rent, some additional charges.

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

You might prefer to wait until you get to France to look for accommodation. In this case you will need at least a temporary accommodation – to get you through your first few days.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HOUSING

Two financial assistance sources (mutually exclusive) compensate for the high cost of accommodation. The amount of the monthly assistance varies according to the student's income, the type of housing, and the amount of the rent.

- ALS (Allocation de logement sociale) – offered to international students that meet specific criteria regarding their income, the type of visa, and the size and location of their room.

- APL (Aide personnalisée au logement) –better suited to international students; the student may be refunded up to 30% of his/her rent provided that the residence is under an APL agreement.

For more information, inquire to the local family assistance fund – CAF (Caisse d’allocation familiale).

*Word of Advice*

Coordinate directly with your school in France. Majority of schools have international welcome teams that help foreign students find accomodation in France.