- ✓
According to FAGE’s annual indicator, starting university in 2026 costs a student without a grant an average of €3,240.
- ✓
The CVEC amounts to €105 for the 2026-2027 academic year and must be paid before administrative enrolment.
- ✓
Needs-based student grants are applied for through the Dossier Social Étudiant (DSE), in the spring before the academic year starts.
- ✓
Housing remains the biggest expense: a serviced student residence, furnished and equipped, makes both budgeting and moving in easier.
- ✓
Transport, health, student jobs and student associations complete the checklist for a successful start to the academic year.
Enrolment, CVEC, financial aid, housing, transport, health, student jobs, student life: getting ready for the new academic year means tackling several fronts at once. Here is our checklist of 8 steps not to miss, updated with the rules and amounts for the 2026-2027 academic year in France.
Succeeding in your studies is not just a matter of skills and intellectual ability. It is also a matter of organisation, a careful balance between living conditions, finances and social life. As a manager of serviced student residences across France, Twenty Campus helps students settle in every year. Here are the steps you should not miss.
1 Enrol at your higher education institution
Enrolling at the university or school that has accepted you is the top priority. For first-year undergraduate programmes, admission generally goes through Parcoursup, except for some private or specialised institutions. For a master’s degree, it goes through the Mon Master platform.
Administrative enrolment at university or school takes place once you have received an offer of admission, directly with the institution and following its instructions. It involves paying tuition fees, from which grant holders are exempt in public institutions, and gives you two essential documents for all your future paperwork:
- Your student card, which proves your student status throughout the year
- Your certificate of enrolment (certificat de scolarité), often required for a rental application or a discounted student transport pass
If your programme is subject to the CVEC, the certificate is required at the time of administrative enrolment. Remember to pay it, or to claim your exemption, before completing your enrolment.
2 Pay the CVEC
Every student enrolled in initial training at a higher education institution must pay the Student and Campus Life Contribution (Contribution de vie étudiante et de campus, or CVEC), collected by the Crous, the regional student services agency. It funds artistic, cultural and sports projects and activities for students, as well as services that improve their daily lives: welcome services, healthcare, prevention…
Source: CVEC FAQ, etudiant.gouv.fr (in French)
Who has to pay the CVEC, and who is exempt?
The CVEC applies to students in initial training, apprentices included. Some of them are exempt. Other students are not concerned at all. The distinction matters: an exempt student must still complete the online procedure, whereas a student who is not concerned has nothing to do.
- Students receiving a Crous needs-based grant or an annual Crous allowance
- French government grant holders and regional grant holders (health and social care programmes)
- Refugee students or beneficiaries of subsidiary protection
- Asylum seekers authorised to remain in France
- Students in a BTS, DMA or accounting programme taught in a lycée or a maison familiale et rurale
- Students in continuing education, including work-study students on a professionalisation contract
- International exchange students in France (such as Erasmus+) who do not pay tuition fees in France
Source: “Do you have to pay the CVEC contribution?”, etudiant.gouv.fr
An exempt student pays nothing, but must still log in to cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr to get their certificate: without it, the institution cannot complete their enrolment. Good news for future grant holders: as soon as you receive your conditional grant notification, your exemption is automatically recognised on the website.
3 Check your financial aid options
According to the 2026 back-to-school cost indicator published by FAGE, a French federation of student associations, starting the academic year costs an average of €3,240 for a first-year undergraduate (licence) student without a grant who no longer lives with their parents. On top of tuition fees and the CVEC come many other expenses, both one-off and monthly. Depending on your situation, one or more types of financial aid can lighten the load.
- Tuition fees
- CVEC
- Course materials
- Housing security deposit
- Furnishing your home (unfurnished rental)
- Rent and home insurance
- Transport
- Top-up health insurance
- Food and toiletries
- Internet and phone plans
- Needs-based grant (bourse sur critères sociaux)
- Merit grant
- Mobility grant
- Housing benefit (APL)
- Emergency aid
- Driving licence grant
- Activity bonus (prime d’activité)
In Twenty Campus residences, several of these costs are grouped together in the monthly rent, with many charges included depending on the residence (internet, water, heating…). Your budget is easier to manage, with no surprise bills during the year.
Needs-based grants are applied for through the Dossier Social Étudiant (DSE), on messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr. This application is submitted every year in the spring before the academic year starts: for the 2026 intake, the campaign ran from 2 March to 31 May. The dates of the next campaign are announced on the same website.
4 Look for student housing
Housing is a student’s biggest expense: according to FAGE, rent averages €637 a month in 2026, more than half of everyday spending. Starting your studies often means leaving the family home for a place of your own, with rent and home insurance to pay every month. Three main options are available.
- University halls of residence, known as “Cités U”
- Allocated primarily on social criteria
- Applied for via the DSE, in the spring
- Limited number of places
- Apartment rented from a private landlord
- On your own or in a flatshare
- Unfurnished rentals need to be furnished
- Utilities (energy, internet) to set up yourself
- Furnished and equipped apartments
- Unlimited internet and many charges included depending on the residence
- On-site manager
- Shared spaces (coworking, gym, cinema…) depending on the residence
- 100% online application
Whichever option you choose, it is best to start your search early, as soon as your admission is confirmed, and to prepare the supporting documents landlords will ask for in advance.
Twenty Campus, serviced student residences across France
Twenty Campus offers student housing ideally located near campuses, in many university cities. Every apartment is furnished and equipped, with an on-site manager and shared spaces designed for student life.
No guarantor? The BailProtect solution is built into the booking process. Your application is submitted entirely online and requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis: don’t wait too long.
- Bordeaux
- Lyon
- Aix-Marseille
- Nantes
- Lille
- Nice
- Île-de-France
5 Get a public transport pass
Given the cost of running a car and the traffic in France’s major student cities, public transport is the smarter choice. Bus, tram, metro: city networks generally serve higher education institutions well. It is also something to look at when choosing your housing: living near a metro or tram stop saves precious time every day.
These networks also offer discounted passes for students, sometimes even extended to regional TER trains.
Like any employee, work-study students are entitled to have 50% of their public transport pass paid by their employer (article L3261-2 of the French Labour Code).
6 Get health coverage
Students have part of their healthcare costs covered by French Social Security (Sécurité sociale). To go further, a student top-up health insurance (mutuelle) reimburses you, partly or fully, for some expenses that Social Security covers poorly: hospital stays, glasses, dental prostheses…
You can stay covered by your parents’ top-up health insurance during your studies. A student mutuelle does, however, offer more privacy and independence.
7 Look for a student job
To boost their finances, students, even in initial training, are fully allowed to work. Many companies offer part-time contracts, weekend work or specific weekday hours. Several sectors readily hire students with no experience, through a poster in a shop window or an ad on a specialised website:
- Childcare
- Tutoring
- Events
- Retail and supermarkets
- Fast food
Which contract for a student job?
You can be hired in several ways:
- Part-time permanent contract (CDI), often called a “student CDI”: it does not automatically end when your studies do
- Fixed-term contract (CDD), for temporary extra help or a summer job
- Temporary agency work (intérim), for short assignments
- Weekend contract, to work only on Saturdays, Sundays or both
8 Get in touch with the student union (BDE) to find activities
Alongside your studies, student life is full of highlights and social moments. Universities and schools have a student union (BDE, bureau des étudiants), an association that brings the academic year to life.
You can get involved in organising events, or simply take part in sports, cultural or artistic activities. The BDE is also a great way to meet people on campus.
In Twenty Campus residences, events and residents’ WhatsApp or Facebook groups extend this social life: a great way to meet your neighbours from day one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does starting university cost in 2026?
An average of €3,240 for a student without a grant, according to FAGE’s 2026 indicator. This budget is made up of around €2,095 in start-of-year costs (tuition fees, CVEC, security deposit, course materials…) and around €1,145 in everyday expenses over one month (housing, food, transport…). It varies depending on the city, the programme and each student’s situation.
How much is the CVEC for 2026-2027?
The CVEC amounts to €105 for the 2026-2027 academic year, according to the official etudiant.gouv.fr FAQ. It is paid online at cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr before administrative enrolment. Grant holders are exempt, but must still obtain their certificate on the same website.
When should you start looking for student housing?
Ideally several months before the start of the academic year, as soon as your admission is confirmed: housing near campuses goes fast. At Twenty Campus, you can submit your application online as soon as you know your city of study, with no viewing required.
Are private student residences eligible for APL housing benefit?
Yes, accommodation in a student residence, including private residences such as those in the Twenty Campus network, may qualify for housing benefit from the CAF (APL or ALS), subject to income conditions and depending on the accommodation.
Can you rent student housing without a guarantor?
Yes. Guarantee solutions can replace a personal guarantor. At Twenty Campus, the BailProtect solution is built directly into the booking process for students who do not have a guarantor.
Find your student housing for the new academic year
Furnished and equipped apartments, many charges included depending on the residence, a guarantee solution for students without a guarantor and a 100% online application: Twenty Campus supports you from your search right through to getting your keys.
