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Housing for international students in France (Paris)

Here are some tips and advice to find accommodations in France for your studies ! (from Protected content

1) FINDING AN ACCOMMODATION

Before starting looking up, it is necessary to determine, according to your financial means, the duration of your stay and the chosen type of studies, to which type of accommodation you wish to turn.

The cost of an accommodation is very variable, but foreign students in France can enjoy a housing financial support like French students. (students in University and not in a french school)

It is naturally more convenient to have a definitive accommodation booked before even your departure for France. It will be the case, if you can obtain a room in a hall of residence of the CROUS or if you are admitted in a school possessing its own residence. Hello Study France can help you with that. All our french language schools have their own accomodation offers and Hello Study is also in partnership with accommodation providers.

In other cases, the research for a remote accommodation can be difficult: you will have no possibility of visiting housing and thus deciding with full knowledge what you book. It will be also difficult for you to propose a " joint guarantee " or to sign a rental agreement. Hello Study can propose to help you in the choice of your accomodation and guide you in the different steps.

For these reasons, a lot of students opt for a temporary accommodation in the first weeks of their stay in France. This period can be used to look for a definitive accommodation if you intend to stay for a very long time in France (for exemple follow your french studies with a Higher degree at Uni)

2) UNIVERSITY RESIDENCES

Halls of residence (that we call up in France : Cités-U) are managed by public agencies.

In France, they are regional student services agencies like the CROUS which manage halls of residence. Residences can be situated on campus or in town, room is attributed according to a very strict social criteria.

The residences of the CROUS are by far the most economic option of accommodation: the monthly rent vary between Protected content for a simple room up to Protected content for a studio. This housing is in relatively limited number and attributed first to the scholarship holders of the French government.

Numerous universities have agreements with the CROUS allowing to reserve rooms for foreign students participating in exchange or cooperation programms. Some establishments also reserve rooms for international students registered in the second year of Master's degree or in Doctorate. If you are in one of these cases, please inquire with your establishment or with the organization that manage your scholarship.

In all other cases, your chances to obtain an accommodation in CROUS residence are limited. You can however apply with the CROUS after your arrival, withdrawals sometimes occure during of the year.

In halls of residence

Rent: Protected content a month according to the type of accommodation.
Bond: one month of rent.
Joint guarantee: compulsory guarantor living in the European Union.
Temporary or short-term accommodation: impossible, the contract is a compulsory rental agreement of 9 months for a room and of 12 months for a studio, except during the summer.
Remote reservation: no
Housing assistance (ALE): possible for international student but not assured of receiving benefits.

3) OTHER STUDENT RESIDENCY

Schools and private sector also propose housing for students

Residences of private institutions and "Grandes écoles"

Private institutions and "Grandes écoles" arrange their own residences, situated within their campus.

These establishments try hard to reserve housing for the international students that they welcome. Rents are generally between Protected content 350 euros a month.

The Web site of the school that you intend to join will inform you exactly about it. Book your room when your admission to the school is done.

The private student residences

Private residences for students exist in most of the university towns. They offer a high comfort level and can propose various services (reception, intercom, ward, cafeteria, self-service laundry, garage). These residences are often situated near campuses.

Rent: from Protected content 700 euros a month in Paris and from Protected content 700 euros a month in the other university towns.
Bond: one month of rent.
Joint guarantee: compulsory guarantor living on the French territory. If you do not have a guarantor, you can pay one year in advance
Temporary or short-term accommodation: possible, according to availability (but generally difficult between September and March).
Remote reservation: if you reserve from a foreign country, two months of rent are usually asked.
Housing assistance : (ALE): possible.

4) RENTING IN A PRIVATE HOUSING MARKET

It is the option which offers most independence and Housing flexibility.

This type of accommodation offers you the choice of the place and the type of housing and allows you, for example, to enjoy animations and activities of the city center.

It will be convenient for autonomous students and already socially well integrated.

The rent of an accommodation is made either directly with a private individual, or through professionals, real estate agencies.

If you rent through a real estate agency, you will have to pay fees of an equal amount of a month of rent. Housing can be rented empty or all-furnished. It will be generally difficult, even impossible, unless having a contact on the spot, to find a rent of this type before your arrival in France.

Once arrived, you can however benefit from a help in your search with the accommodation services department of your establishment or from us and enjoy our discounts with our partners by contacting us.

You will generally have to sign a rental agreement for a duration of one year. It is however possible to leave the accommodation before the term of the contract, to give an advance notice of three months for an empty rent or of a month for a furnished rent.

The obligation to find a joint guarantee is often problematic. In certain cities or regions, institutions or local authorities set up measures to replace this guarantee

Share-accommodation

This option in development offers a great alternative. The share accommodation consists in sharing an apartment or a house with other students. It is often more economic than an individual rent and can facilitate the encounter of French students or other foreign students.

Every roommate can receive a rent allowance, if their name appears on the lease.

Rent: Rents are very variable according to the quality of the accommodation, its situation and the services offered. In Paris, the monthly rents are at least around 20 euros per square meter on average; they are generally lower in other cities.
Bond: one month of rent.
Joint guarantee: compulsory guarantor living on the French territory. This type of rent requires the presentation of a bond which guarantees the payment of the rent. The monthly income has to reach generally 3 times the price of the rent. In certain cases (employees, French scholarship holders of the government), the government can help you with that.
Remote reservation: on the condition to get along well with the owner and paying a certain amount to guarantee the reservation. It is generally very difficult and not really recommended: there is a risk of losing the deposit in case of revocation.
Housing assistance (ALE): possible if the accommodation corresponds to required standards by the regulations (at least 9 m2 of the surface).

5) HOUSING FOR SHORT STAY IN FRANCE

You make a short stay in France to study french ? Here are some suggestions of accommodation.

The short-term accommodation

Among the different options of temporary accommodation, host family offers an excellent opportunity. Hall of residence CROUS sometimes has available rooms during the summer : you can inquire with the CROUS of the city of your destination. Also, the private student residences allow the short stays. Backpackers/Hostels like our partner the Generator Hostel are also very good for short stay and meeting international people. Contact us for more inquiries, and enjoy discounts on the booking.

Finally, if you intend to follow a French course before beginning the academic year, note that all our french language schools have a service of accommodation which will be capable of proposing you various options of accommodation during this period. Please have a look on the descriptions of our schools and schools accommodation offers on our blog : Protected content

The accommodation in host family

Adapted to short stays, this options allows you to rent a furnished room in a host family. It is frequently used by students following a course of French language for a short duration. It allows you to share the life of a family and to learn more quickly about the language and about the French culture, so it makes a good introduction in your stay offrench studies.

Contact us for any french courses enrolment and host family with our schools at better prices

The cost a week, in Paris, is about from Protected content (breakfast included) upto Protected content (including breakfast and the dinner). It is lower in provincial towns.

6) HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS

In France, students of any nationalities can enjoy specific assistance from the Government to find accommodation. France is the only country in Europe to offer such a services.

The "CLE", Student Renting Guarantee (Caution Locative Etudiante)

The CLE is a guarantee of the government which allows students devoid of personal guarantors to facilitate their access to an accommodation.

The CLE is managed by The Crous. It is from now on available in all regional education authorities.

The CLE can be available for students:

- Having income but without family, friendly or banking pledge

- Trying to find accommodation in France, to study there.

- Of less than 28 years old on September 1st of the year of signature of the lease;

- Of more than 28 years old on September 1st of the year of signature of the lease subject to being PhD students or post-foreign PhD students.

The participation of the beneficiaries is 1,5 % of the rent,of which the amount does not have to exceed Protected content / month in Ile-de-France and Protected content month in the other regions.

7) HOUSING SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

As the French students, the foreign students can also enjoy a housing support.

This help is calculated according to the amount of the rent and the resources of the student: it's attribution is not thus automatic and its amount is individually calculated.

To have access to this housing support, make sure to fill the following 4 conditions:

- Having your accommodation to be able to indicate your address and the amount of your rent
- Be actually registered on the compulsory student Social Security
- Be a banking account holder in France, because the help done every month directly to the beneficiary
- Make a declaration with the French tax authorities, even if you perceived no income during the past year

The tax declaration is essential for the CAF (FRENCH SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE) to calculate the right for the Rent allowance. That is why it is necessary that all the students declare their income even if they did not perceive it and do not have "nothing to declare". This declaration can be made on-line.

In the case of a share accommodation, the roommates can receive a rent allowance if their names appear on the lease. Each roomate make it's own request. However, couples make only a single request.

The request is to be directly made on the web site of the CAF (FRENCH SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE)), within three months following the arrival in the accommodation.

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