As an international student, finding and securing accommodation in France is already a challenge—use our accommodation finder to help you find the right place—but one extra challenge many international students face is the cost of housing.
Luckily, France offers student housing aid that can significantly reduce your rent and make your time in France more affordable. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about student housing aid in France!
Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF)
The CAF is a French public agency dedicated to supporting residents in their everyday lives, playing a crucial role in national solidarity. One of its key functions is providing financial assistance to various groups, including families, low-income individuals, and students. Financial aid from the CAF ranges from student housing support to help with rent, to back-to-school allowances that assist families with school-related expenses, solidarity income allowances that ensure a minimum income for low-income individuals, and more!
To find your local CAF office, go to https://caf.fr/allocataires/caf-du-nord, enter your postal code or select your department, and you’ll see the contact information for your local CAF office.
Student housing aids
There are 3 main types of assistance offered by the CAF, that can help reduce the amount of rent you pay:
- Aide Personnalisée au Logement (APL): Personal accommodation assistance aimed at students and individuals renting specific types of housing.
- Allocation de Logement Sociale (ALS): Social housing assistance for students who may not qualify for APL based on their type of accommodation.
- Allocation de Logement Familial (ALF): Family accommodation assistance, typically granted to families or students with dependents.
To find out if you qualify for any of these housing aids, you can do a simulation on the CAF website here: https://wwwd.caf.fr/faireunesimulation/
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for student housing aid in France, you must meet certain criteria. These include:
- Legal residency: As an international student, you must have a valid long-term student visa or residency permit (titre de séjour). Read more about this visa here: https://stg-gogofrance-ggfstaging.kinsta.cloud/en/blog/student-visa-for-france/
- Rental contract: You need to have a signed rental agreement, whether you are staying in a university residence, private apartment, or shared housing (colocation). For those booking accommodation through our partners, you will receive an official prepaid accommodation certificate once your booking is confirmed.
- French bank account: It’s necessary to have a French bank account, as CAF will transfer the aid directly to this account. You can open a bank account and get a French IBAN and BIC through our partner Wise. You can apply for an account here: https://wise.prf.hn/l/eYm1G1n
- Qualifying accommodation: The accommodation must meet French standards for student housing, and be officially recognized as residential property.
How to apply
The application process can seem complex, but following the correct steps will ensure a smooth application. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Submit your application: Go to caf.fr and submit your housing benefit application. Complete the setup of your CAF account by providing the necessary details.
- Retrieve your provisional login: Once your application is submitted, you will receive a provisional login that starts with the letter “P” followed by 8 digits (PXXXXXXXX).
- Your application is being processed: CAF will process your application and issue you a provisional social security number. Keep this number safe, as it will become your new login for accessing your account.
- Submit required documents: Remember to forward an identity document (such as an ID card or passport) and a civil status document (such as your birth certificate) to allow the CAF to verify your identity.
- Track your application: You can track the status of your application using the provisional login provided by CAF.
If you encounter any issues, you can contact your local CAF office by calling 3230.
How much aid can you receive
The amount of student housing aid you receive depends on several factors:
- Location: Housing costs differ across France, and rent in cities like Paris is significantly higher than in smaller towns, so the aid varies accordingly.
- Rent amount: The aid you receive is proportional to your rent, though a cap limits the maximum assistance.
- Financial resources: CAF takes into account your financial resources when calculating aid.
On average, students can expect to receive between €100 and €200 per month in housing aid. The payment can be made either to the student or directly to the landlord, depending on the arrangement. If paid to the landlord, it reduces the student’s rent; if paid to the student, they receive the aid and are responsible for paying the full rent to the landlord.
Live and study in France with Go! Go! France
At Go! Go! France, we’re here not only to help you find the right school and secure a student visa if needed, but also to answer all your questions about life in France. We provide the best tools to ensure your transition into life in France is as smooth as possible. Contact us for more information!
