Did you know that foreign students studying in France are eligible for housing benefits ? In French, they are called Aide personnalisée au logement or APL. This service is provided through the Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF). Eligibility as well as, if applicable, the amount of the subsidy depends on your resources. You should send your application as soon as you move in, as the first payment usually comes through 2 months after the application is submitted. Here is how to apply to get those benefits and save money on rent ASAP!
You should apply for CAF as soon as you get your social security number!
How to apply for CAF as an international student? A step-by-step guide
Step 1: Check if you are eligible
To know if you might be eligible to APL, you have to check if :
- The apartment you’re renting is eligible to APL. Most public & private student residences are eligible. If you’re unsure, ask your landlord.
- Your name is on the lease (“contrat de location“). If you’re sub-renting, you cannot claim housing benefits.
- You are not related to your landlord.
- You have a long-term student visa (VLS-TS visa).
- You have no/little of income (scholarships do not count)
☑️ You check all those boxes ? Great ! Now let’s apply.
Step 2: Gather the documents needed
Make sure you have the following documents with you
- A student visa valid for more than four months
- Your income information
- A French bank identifier code (relevé d’identité bancaire, or RIB)
- Your landlord information (name, email, the SIRET if it’s a company, etc.)
- A French social security number (Numéro de sécurité sociale). You don’t have one ? Check this site to apply and get one, it’s free !
Step 3 : Fill the simulation
Before filling the real application, you should fill the simulation first to make sure you can actually claim housing benefits and to have an estimation of how much money you can get. The whole process is quite quick : if you have all the documents, you should be done in 10 minutes.
Sadly, the CAF website is not available in English, but do not worry, we’re here to guide you !
Let’s begin !
1) Go on caf.fr
2) Click on Menu → Mes services en ligne → Faire une simulation
3) As a foreign student, you more than likely have never received benefits from the CAF before. That means that you have to scroll down to the “Vous n’êtes pas allocataire” section of the page (it means that you are not receiving benefits) and then click on “Le logement”.
4) You will then be redirected to a page explaining the process. You’ll find a translation of the sections relevant for foreign students on the screenshot below. The most important thing you should note is that the actual amount you’ll receive may be different from the amount the estimation will give you.
5) You will then begin to fill out the actual pre-application. Contrary to what one might think, it’s pretty easy to fill. Here are the different information you’ll be asked to give :
- Code postal du logement = the postal code of your flat
- Your situation : If you’re renting, click on “Vous êtes locataire”. If you live in student residence (public or private), click on “Vous résidez dans un foyer ou une résidence pour étudiants”
6) You will then be asked to provide more information on your flat. Check the screenshot below for the translation.
5) You will then begin to fill out the actual pre-application. Contrary to what one might think, it’s pretty easy to fill. Here are the different information you’ll be asked to give :
- Code postal du logement = the postal code of your flat
- Your situation : If you’re renting, click on “Vous êtes locataire”. If you live in student residence (public or private), click on “Vous résidez dans un foyer ou une résidence pour étudiants”
6) You will then be asked to provide more information on your flat. Check the screenshot below for the translation.
7) The next step is to fill in the amount of your rent. If you’re renting a furnished place, you’ll be asked to indicate the monthly amount with the rental charges (Indiquez le montant mensuel avec les charges). If it’s not furnished, you’ll be asked to indicate the monthly amount without the rental charges (Indiquez le montant mensuel sans les charges).
8) You will then be asked about your current living situation :
9) You’re almost done : now you need to give information about your working situation. As a foreign student, only a few options are relevant to you : If you’re working, you’re only allowed to work part-time (
10) The following questions are about whether your parents report your income for tax purposes (“Vous êtes fiscalement rattaché à vos parents”) and whether you’re currently getting housing benefits (“Vous bénéficiez actuellement de l’allocation logement“). In most cases, the answer to both questions is going to be no.
11) Next, you’ll be asked about your income. Scholarships must not be included but internship pay and any type of salary has to be. If you’re an apprentice and you earn less than 18255€ per year, enter zero. If your wages are higher, deduct €18,255 from the total amount before tax.
⚠️ If you have earned money in your home country or abroad, you have to report it too ! Indicate the pre-tax amounts of all your income received outside France or paid by an international organization (even if they are not taxed or not taxable in France).
⚠️ The amount you need to report is your taxable income.
You’ll also be asked about other revenue streams (Vos autres revenus). The only other revenue stream you might have is freelance income or income from a business you own (Revenus non-salariés)
12) The next step is to report specific type of expenses (eg : child support). It’s probably not relevant to you, so just leave the page blank and move on to the next page.
13) The final step is to report your assets. The CAF wants to know about the value of your financial investments (patrimoine mobilier) and/or your property assets, excluding your primary residence, if you’re lucky enough to own it already (patrimoine immobilier).
14) Yay, you’re done ! On the results page, you’ll be able to know if you can actually claim housing benefits and an estimation of what you will get. If everything is good, you can move on to the actual application.
The only difference is that you’ll have an extra step where you’ll need to provide an email or a phone number and a security question so that you can save the application and finish it later if needed.
Don’t be startled by the fact that the design is different : you’ll be asked the exact same information.
To do so, click on Menu → Mes services en ligne → Faire une demande de prestation, then scroll down to the “Vous n’êtes pas allocataire” section of the page and then click on “Le logement”.
Frequently asked questions
I’m only staying in France for 4 months, can I still get it?
Technically, your lease has to be 8 months long to receive housing benefits, however, I know some Erasmus students who were only there for 4 months, so if I were you, I would still apply, you’ll never know!
Can I still get housing assistance if I have a salary?
Yes! The amount you can receive depends on your income and your rent, so it is possible to get housing benefits even if you have a salary.
How long does it take to receive your first CAF payments?
Usually, your application will be processed in 1 to 2 months. One important thing to keep in mind is that you will NOT receive a payment for the first month. For example, if you move in September, you will receive payments for the month of October and onwards.
That’s it ! If you’re coming to study in Paris, are you planning on applying ? If not, why ? Tell me in the comments !
