The best accommodation options for students in France

When looking for a place to stay during your studies, there are many options. You can opt for public housing, in particular through student residences including those managed by the CROUS, or through the private sector by renting an apartment directly through an individual, or through a rental agency, alone or colocation.

Below is a small diagram to help you see more clearly the possibilities available to you :

CROUS university residences

University residences are managed by CROUS, a public institution providing student housing assistance under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education.
The objective for this type of accommodation is to help people in difficulty and / or far from their families to find accommodation close to their place of study.

In relation to the ever-increasing demand, the number of housing of this type remains low. It is becoming more and more difficult to find accommodation in a CROUS housing estate. Candidates are selected on the basis of certain social criteria (parents’ income, scholarship holder or not, etc.).

To find out if you are eligible, you must create a DES (Student Social File) in your CROUS student area on the messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr site, which will then be analyzed by the CROUS teams.

However, it has many advantages, offering students a low rent (for example 400 to 500 euros in Paris and 200 euros in the provinces of average) while allowing you to benefit from housing assistance from the CAF (allowance fund family).

What are the steps to follow to find accommodation in a CROUS residence?

• • STEP 1 : Check, on your “Mes Services Etudiants” account, that your identity, your postal address, your mobile phone and your e-mail address are correctly entered.

• • STEP 2 : Go through the platform trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr from July 9 for the start of the following September.

Private student residences

Private student residences are again an economically attractive solution for students. While prices are higher than in CROUS residences, they remain competitive on the housing market. They offer you various advantages on a daily basis, such as internet, furnished rooms, a gym and laundry, community living.

Several companies offer student rooms for rent. Here are some examples: Fac-Habitat, Nexity-Studea, Kley, Cap Etudes … By consulting their website, you will be able to better perceive the type of room offered.

Student and youth hostels

Student hostels

Student hostels offer a good accommodation option, at low cost and relatively flexible. It’s a good compromise between a studio at too high cost and a shared apartment. These hostels offer accommodation for young people between 18 and 25 years old.

There you will find common living spaces, equipped or not for working. Some of these homes may take charge of meals and the organization of outings or common activities outside.

These places allow you to live in community, spend times with other students and with a way of life that is close to a family. Most of the time, furnished rooms are available, making your moves easier. The amount of the deposit requested is quite low compared to the private real estate stock.

Then, some homes are reserved for girls and others for boys, or some are mixed. Managed by associations, sometimes religious, you will be required to respect the framework set by the internal regulations of the home. Some of them impose specific schedules, for example, while others let you make your comings and goings freely.

Homes for young workers

You can also apply in this type of home, but be aware that their access is not exclusively reserved for you. Indeed, the Foyers Jeunes Travailleurs (FJT) give priority, as their name suggests, to young workers or to vocational training trainees. However, if the home is not full, do not hesitate to apply, you have every chance of being accepted.

From bedroom to three-rooms apartment, you should find what suits you at the right prices. You will not have to advance a deposit, only an advance of your rent and charges included. You can also receive the APL (Housing Assistance).

Here are some links to websites that will be able to give you more information:

• • National Union for Youth Housing

• • National Union of Student Houses

The Private Real Estate Park

If the previous proposals are not conclusive and you have not found a place in a student residence or in a hostel, it is now necessary to look at the offer by the private real estate sector. So, two solutions are available to you, either to go through a real estate agency in the search for accommodation, or through an individual.

Private apartments

Live alone and at your own pace, without the constraints of living in community, this is what you can do if you choose to rent a studio on your own. The prices correspond to the real estate market: count minimum 800 euros in Paris, and 400 euros in the regions.

Here are some national real estate agencies: bienici ; century 21 ; orpi… Here is also the link to a web portal corresponding to an interface connecting the different actors involved in real estate: SeLoger

To rent directly through a private individual, here are two sites we recommend: leboncoin ; De Particulier à Particulier

It is important to specify that this option consisting of going through a rental agency or an individual seems more delicate, knowing that you will be asked for a large number of documents (income tax, electricity bill, rent receipt , your parents’ pay slips ..). These documents may need to be translated, and owners and agencies will probably prefer to rent to a French, for safety and simplicity.

House share

You also have the choice of opting for a larger apartment, shared with several tenants. This significantly reduces the price of your rent and charges (electricity, internet..).

Facebook is one of the main networks that works very well in finding a roommate. But you can also find out about the ads available on specialized sites such as LA CARTE des colocs or appartager.

We will give you more information about this on our “House share” page.