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To rent in France, an international student needs an ID document, proof of student status and, if you come from outside the European Union, a long-stay student visa or a residence permit.
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Not having a guarantor in France is the biggest obstacle. At Twenty Campus, you can choose the BailProtect guarantee when you apply online. It replaces a personal guarantor.
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Crous residence, flatshare, studio or student residence with services: when you arrive from abroad, a furnished and equipped home, with many charges included depending on the residence, makes moving in and budgeting easier.
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Since 1 July 2026, students from outside the EU must, in principle, have a needs-based grant to receive housing benefit from the CAF. There are exceptions, for example for students who work, work-study students, refugees and stateless persons.
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You can book your accommodation from abroad, before you arrive in France, as long as you deal with trusted providers you can identify.
Visa, rental application, guarantor, housing benefit, booking from abroad: finding student housing in France as an international student takes some planning. Here are the steps to follow so you can start the academic year with peace of mind.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of international students choose France for the quality of its higher education and its rich culture. But before you can enjoy the experience, you need to find somewhere to live. When you come from abroad, this first step raises very practical questions: which documents do you need? How can you rent without a guarantor in France? Should you choose a Crous residence or a private one?
Twenty Campus manages student residences with services and welcomes students from all over the world every year. Here is what you need to know to find student housing in France, even from abroad.
1 Which documents do you need to rent a home in France?
Before you start searching, gather the documents that landlords ask for. If you are from the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, an ID card or a passport is enough to prove your identity. If you come from another country to study for more than three months, you normally need a long-stay student visa (VLS-TS). You must then validate it online within three months of arriving in France, except in specific cases.
An international student’s rental application usually includes:
- A valid ID document: passport or ID card, plus your visa or residence permit, depending on your nationality
- Proof of student status for the current year: certificate of enrolment (certificat de scolarité) or student card. Before you are fully enrolled, your letter of admission already helps you prepare your application
- Proof of income, for example a grant certificate or proof of regular transfers from your family
- A guarantor or an equivalent guarantee, such as BailProtect at Twenty Campus
Documents written in another language must be translated into French when you give them to a landlord, and amounts must be converted into euros. Plan these translations early so your application is not delayed. For more details, see our document checklist for your rental application.
In big university cities, demand for housing is higher than supply as the start of the academic year gets closer. Start as soon as your admission is confirmed, ideally several months before you arrive. Find out when to start looking for student housing.
2 How can you rent without a guarantor in France?
In France, most landlords ask for a guarantor: a person who agrees to pay the rent if the tenant cannot. Requirements vary from one landlord to another, but many expect regular income that can be checked in France. If your family lives abroad, this is the first obstacle to renting privately. You have two options.
- Someone close to you who lives and pays tax in France
- Enough income, according to the landlord’s criteria
- Rarely possible when you have just arrived in France
- An option you tick when you apply online
- It replaces a personal guarantor in your application
- You do not need anyone in France
In Twenty Campus residences, a personal guarantor must pay tax in France and earn at least three times the rent. If you do not have one, you can take out the BailProtect guarantee when you book on twenty-campus.com. To find out more, read our FAQ on guarantors.
At Twenty Campus, you can add several guarantors when you book: each of them can contribute to your rental application.
3 Crous, flatshare or student residence: which housing should you choose?
Your choice depends on your budget, your arrival date and how much support you want. The table below compares the main options for international students in France.
| Type of housing | Main advantages | Watch out for | Guarantor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crous residence | Low rents | Limited places. International students can only apply for the rooms still available, from July | Depends on the residence and your situation |
| Flatshare (private rental) | Shared rent, social life | Viewings often needed, availability varies | Usually required |
| Studio (private rental) | Your own place | Sometimes unfurnished, energy and internet contracts to set up yourself | Usually required |
| Student residence with services | Furnished and equipped, many services included depending on the residence, on-site contact person, residence life, online application | Book early to choose your residence | Personal guarantor or BailProtect at Twenty Campus |
Crous residences
The Crous, the French public organisation for student life, offers the most affordable option. It is also the most sought-after in big university cities. The main allocation phase is not open to international students. They can apply during the additional phase, open to all students from 7 July for the 2026 academic year, for the rooms still available on the official Crous platform. Your host institution may also offer specific solutions.
Private rentals
Whether you choose a studio or a flatshare, there is more choice, but you handle everything yourself: viewings, application, signing the lease, security deposit, home insurance, energy and internet contracts. Flatsharing is popular because it is friendly and cheaper, but you need to find flatmates and a landlord who will accept your application from abroad.
Student residences with services
This is often the simplest option when you arrive from abroad. Your home is furnished and equipped, you apply online, and a contact person on site welcomes you when you arrive. You can focus on your studies instead of setting up your home.
Twenty Campus: designed for international students
Twenty Campus manages student residences in many university cities across France. From online booking to collecting your keys, everything is designed to make moving in easier when you arrive from abroad.
- Furnished and equipped homes, with many charges and services included depending on the residence
- BailProtect for students without a personal guarantor in France
- Booking application completely online
- Twenty Assur’ home insurance, available as soon as you book
- Bordeaux
- Lyon
- Aix-Marseille
- Nantes
- Lille
- Nice
- Paris region
4 What housing benefit can international students get in 2026?
Housing benefit from the CAF, the French family allowance office, can reduce your rent. The main types are called APL and ALS. But the rules have changed for international students: since 1 July 2026, students from countries outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland can no longer receive it unless they have a needs-based grant (bourse sur critères sociaux), with some exceptions.
- Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland
- Students with a needs-based grant, whatever their nationality
- Students who have a job
- Apprentices and students on a professionalisation contract (work-study)
- Refugee or stateless students, and spouses of non-EU students
- Non-EU students without a needs-based grant, a job or a work-study contract
Source: Service-Public.fr, 1 July 2026 (in French)
The usual conditions on income and housing still apply. The safest option is to run a simulation on caf.fr before you commit, and to read our guide to APL housing benefit.
For most non-EU students, the needs-based grant requires you to have lived in France for at least two years, with your family’s tax household in France for at least two years. So it is rarely available when you first arrive, except in specific cases such as refugees.
For a first claim, housing benefit is not paid for the month you move in: include this first month’s rent in your budget.
Without housing benefit, a predictable budget matters even more. In Twenty Campus residences, many charges and services are included in the rent, depending on the residence. Each listing shows exactly what is included, especially for electricity.
5 How can you find student housing from abroad, before you arrive?
Finding housing before you arrive in France is entirely possible if you are well organised. Start with your host institution: its international relations office often offers advice, partnerships with student residences or temporary accommodation.
Be careful with offers that look too good to be true. Student housing scams often target students who search from abroad and cannot visit. Before you pay anything, check:
- Who you are dealing with: an agency, residence manager or landlord you can contact and identify
- That the home really exists: exact address, consistent photos, video tour if possible
- The booking terms: amount, payment method and contract documents, before any payment
The safest option is to book directly with a well-known student residence manager. At Twenty Campus, you apply online on the official website, with no viewing required, and your home is ready when you arrive.
Once your housing is booked
- Take out home insurance: it is compulsory for tenants from the day you move in
- Prepare the check-in inventory (état des lieux d’entrée): it records the condition of the home when you arrive, so it can be compared with the check-out inventory, especially if deductions are made from your security deposit
- Validate your long-stay visa online after you arrive, if you come from outside the EU
According to Campus France, 443,500 international students were enrolled in French higher education in 2024-2025, up 3% in one year and 17% in five years. They make up almost 15% of all students in France (Campus France, September 2025).
Frequently asked questions about student housing for international students in France
Can I rent a home in France without a guarantor as an international student?
Yes. In Twenty Campus residences, you can take out the BailProtect guarantee when you apply online. It replaces a personal guarantor, and you do not need anyone living in France.
Which documents do I need to rent a home as an international student?
You usually need an ID document, plus a visa or residence permit depending on your nationality, proof of student status, proof of income and a guarantor or an equivalent guarantee. Documents in another language must be translated into French, and amounts converted into euros.
Should I choose a Crous residence or a private student residence?
Crous rents are low, but places are limited, and international students can only apply during the additional phase, from July, for the rooms still available. A student residence with services has more availability, a furnished home ready to live in and an online application, which makes moving in easier when you arrive from abroad.
Can I book student housing before arriving in France?
Yes, many international students book their housing from abroad. At Twenty Campus, you apply online, with no viewing required. Whatever the housing, always check who you are dealing with and that the home really exists before you send any money.
Can international students get APL housing benefit in 2026?
It depends on your nationality and your situation. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland remain eligible. Since 1 July 2026, students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland must, in principle, have a needs-based grant to receive housing benefit. Having a job, or an apprenticeship or professionalisation contract, can also give you the right to this benefit. There are exceptions, especially for refugees, stateless persons and spouses of non-EU students. The other conditions still apply: run a simulation on caf.fr to check your rights.
Do I need to translate my documents to rent a home in France?
Yes. Documents you give to a landlord must be written in French or translated into French, and amounts must be converted into euros. Prepare these translations early so your application is not delayed.
Your student home in France, booked before you arrive
Furnished and equipped homes, charges included depending on the residence, BailProtect if you have no guarantor in France and a 100% online application: with Twenty Campus, you can prepare your move from home.
