Published on : 09 April 20213 min reading time
The life of a student is not easy, because you have to attend classes while paying many bills (electricity, internet, water, travel). According to the FAGE (Fédération des Associations Générales Étudiantes), accommodation constitutes the majority of a university student’s expenses. Therefore, the State provides financial mechanisms to alleviate costs.
Aid offered by the family allowance fund
The CAF (Caisse d’allocations familiales) is an organization that is responsible for paying certain financial benefits to individuals. These benefits take the form of family or social assistance. The operation of this institution is provided for by legislation.
Students can request a service such as the APL (aide personnalisée au logement) from the CAF. This is a student housing aid to reduce the amount of rent or monthly payments in case of a loan. The rate of the APL varies according to several criteria such as income, the price of the rent, or the family situation of the applicant.
Another form of subsidy for students is the ALS (allocation de logement à caractère social) which is an aid for people in financial difficulty.
the LOCA PASS for students
Another way to reduce bills for students is to apply for the “Loca Pass”. This is a 0% interest loan to pay for all or part of the deposit required by landlords. This aid is granted to students under 30 years old. However, employees and early retirees from the private sector can also benefit from it. Applications and administrative procedures are free. Since last year, this scheme has replaced the “visale” guarantee.
Other financial measures to support students are available at the local level (town hall, department, region). They take the form of financial compensation for students looking for housing.
Housing insurance for students
According to the legislator, all housing must be insured, whether it is a shared apartment or a room in a student residence. Many financial institutions offer favorable treatment to students. These students benefit from a reduction in monthly payments or an extension of the guarantee. Everything will depend on the formulas proposed by the insurers. To find out more about this type of flat-rate assistance, it is best to compare existing plans. To make it easier, use the free comparators or the mutual aid platforms dedicated to students.
In any case, you should know that there are financial devices to reduce student expenses.