New tool launched to help students find accommodation in France
University places are now being offered for the start of the academic year in September
Students have started to hear back about where they will be studying come September
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France’s end of secondary school ‘Bac’ exams fast approaching, with the philosophy exam traditionally kicking off the period due on June 16 this year.
In turn, the government’s housing agency Agence Nationale pour l’Information sur le Logement (ANIL) recently published its guides to help youngsters find university accommodation before the start of the academic year in September.
Would-be university students started to find out if they have been accepted – conditionally or fully – onto their desired university course through the Parcoursup website on June 2 (although students are gradually told up until July 10 when the main admission phase ends).
Each year the start of the university term is marked by stories of students who have not been able to find accommodation, and ANIL is trying to stave off similar problems in 2025.
The main publication is in the form of a checklist that can be found here, covering elements such as the necessary paperwork, budget calculations and accommodation types, and the rules around the sometimes-dreaded garant requirements.
As with many things in France, getting all the paperwork into a dossier is important.
The checklist starts with the basics; making sure you have a valid ID document, and then checks whether you have more specific paperwork, like a justificatif de situation professionnelle, which in this case is likely to be the school leaving certificate, or a student card.
There is a section on getting a garant who will cover you for any damage, and if your parents or someone else close is not able to do so, a prompt to get going on getting a state guarantee that is available for young people and some older non-French residents.
Help towards the cost of student housing is available in France from a number of sources, including departmental Cafs (Caisse allocations familales), and the Action Logement grants, and the checklist prompts future students to register for them.
It finally prompts them to make sure they are covered for things such as household insurance, changing address, having internet and electricity and gas.
The ANIL website will also have weekly videos put up till the end of July with experts explaining various parts of the process of getting student accommodation.
