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The essentials
- CROUS rooms are the cheapest option — €200-450/month — but allocated by social criteria and very competitive ;
- Private student residences run €600-1,200/month with services included ;
- Flatshares average €500-900 outside Paris, €700-1,200 in Paris ;
- Without a French guarantor, the public Visale scheme is free and accepted by most landlords ;
- All students can claim APL housing benefit through CAF — €100-260/month back.
CROUS: subsidised university accommodation
CROUS (Centre Régional des Œuvres Universitaires et Scolaires) runs around 175,000 student rooms and studios across France, with rents heavily subsidised by the state. There are 26 regional CROUS centres, each managing the residences in their area. Rooms range from a 9 m² shared-bathroom chambre traditionnelle at ~€200/month to a furnished studio with private kitchen at ~€450/month.
Who can apply
CROUS rooms are open to all enrolled students, French or international. Allocation is by social criteria — bursary recipients (boursiers) get top priority, followed by Erasmus+ students with allocation agreements. Non-bursary students can apply but typically end up on a waiting list.
How to apply
Apply through the Dossier Social Étudiant (DSE) on messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr — opens January 15 and closes May 31 for the following academic year. International students through Études en France can apply through the same portal.
For last-minute applications (after May 31), check the Trouver un logement portal at trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr from late August — leftover places are released here, allocated first-come, first-served.
Private student residences
Private operators run furnished student residences with services included (Wi-Fi, gym, common areas, sometimes meals). They are a step up in comfort and price from CROUS — and easier to book without bursary status. Major networks in 2026:
- Studea (Nexity), Les Estudines, Studélites — large national networks ;
- Cardinal Campus — particularly active in Lyon, Lille and Bordeaux ;
- The Babel Community, Twenty Campus, Hosho — newer co-living-style residences ;
- Studapart — booking platform for student rooms across France, partnered with many universities.
Typical rent in 2026: €600-900 in provincial cities, €800-1,200 in Paris, with everything included. Most accept international students with simpler paperwork than private landlords (Visale or international bank guarantee usually accepted).
Flatshares (colocation) and private rentals
Where to look
- La Carte des Colocs (lacartedescolocs.fr) — the largest student-focused flatshare site, free for tenants ;
- Appartager, Roomlala, Locservice — generalist flatshare platforms ;
- Facebook groups like "Bons Plans Coloc Paris", "Coloc Lyon", "Plan Coloc Bordeaux" — most major cities have one or several ;
- SeLoger, LeBonCoin, PAP for full studios and one-bedrooms (filter by "colocation" or "studio").
Typical prices in 2026
| City | Studio (€/month) | Flatshare room (€/month) |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | 800-1,300 | 600-900 |
| Lyon | 550-800 | 400-600 |
| Bordeaux | 500-750 | 380-550 |
| Toulouse | 450-700 | 350-500 |
| Marseille | 450-700 | 350-500 |
| Lille | 450-650 | 350-500 |
| Nantes / Rennes | 450-650 | 350-500 |
| Strasbourg | 450-650 | 350-500 |
| Smaller cities | 350-550 | 280-450 |
Most flatshares and rentals require the same dossier as a regular tenant — see our housing in France hub for the full document checklist.
The guarantor problem (and how to solve it)
Almost every French landlord asks for a garant — a third party who will pay your rent if you don't. The guarantor must usually:
- Be a French tax resident with stable income ;
- Earn at least 3 to 4 times the rent ;
- Provide payslips, tax notice and ID.
For an international student arriving without family in France, this is often the biggest blocker. Three solutions:
Visale (free public guarantor)
Visale is a free guarantee scheme run by the public agency Action Logement. It's open to:
- Students of any nationality, aged 18-30 ;
- Apprentices and alternants ;
- Workers under 30 ;
- Workers over 30 in mobility (new job, internship, geographic move).
Apply at visale.fr — you receive a guarantor certificate (Visa Visale) within 2-5 days, then provide it to your landlord. Most major landlords, agencies and student residences accept it. Coverage: up to €1,500/month rent in Île-de-France, €1,300/month elsewhere.
Garantme and other private services
If you exceed Visale's limits or don't qualify, private services like Garantme, Smartgarant or Cautioneo act as guarantors for a fee — typically 3-4% of annual rent. Accepted by many private landlords and agencies catering to international students.
Cash deposit alternative
A few landlords accept a substantial blocked bank deposit (typically 6-12 months' rent) instead of a guarantor. Practical for shorter stays or specific cases ; ask the landlord directly before applying.
APL: housing benefit for students
All students renting in France — French or international — can apply for APL (or one of its variants ALS/ALF), a means-tested housing benefit paid by CAF. Typical APL for a student paying €600-700/month:
- Paris and Île-de-France: €180-260/month back ;
- Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and similar: €140-200/month ;
- Smaller cities: €100-160/month.
Apply on caf.fr as soon as your lease is signed — entitlement starts the month after submission, first payment 1-2 months later. For the full process, see our APL guide.
Documents needed for any rental
Have these ready in PDF before contacting landlords — most rejections happen because the dossier is incomplete:
- Passport or ID card (front and back) ;
- Visa or residence permit (non-EU students) ;
- Student certificate (certificat de scolarité) or admission letter ;
- Proof of resources: bursary attestation, parents' last 3 payslips, savings account, scholarship letter ;
- Guarantor's documents: ID, last 3 payslips, last 2 tax notices, employment contract — OR your Visale certificate ;
- Last rental receipts if you've rented before ;
- RIB (French bank account details) — usually obtained after arrival.
Bundle them as a single PDF named with your full name and "Dossier Location" — small thing, but it gets your application taken seriously.
After you sign the lease
- Read the bail carefully — note the duration, rent, deposit, charges, notice period (usually 1 month for students in furnished accommodation) ;
- Complete the état des lieux d'entrée (move-in inventory) thoroughly — photograph everything, note every defect. This document determines your deposit refund at move-out. See our état des lieux guide ;
- Set up home insurance (assurance habitation) — legally required for tenants. Banks and insurers offer student-targeted plans from ~€5/month ;
- Set up utilities if not included — electricity, broadband (most student residences include them). See our utilities guide ;
- Apply for APL on caf.fr ;
- To leave, send a registered letter (lettre recommandée) one month before your move-out date.