Can a student receive housing support (APL, ALS, ALF) to pay his rent?
Verified 01 July 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
Yes, a student may receive housing assistance under conditions to help pay rent.
It exists 3 types of aid at the accommodation:
You can benefit from one of these 3 aids if you respect the 4 following conditions :
- You are French, or foreigners with a residence permit valid
- You rent a decent housing
- You don't have of family relationship with the owner of the dwelling
- You have limited resources.
Since 1er July 2026, if you are a student who is a national of a country outside (UE), (EEE) or Switzerland and have a residence permit issued for studies, you can receive housing assistance only in one of the following 3 cases:
- You perceive a scholarship on social criteria (from the regional center for university and school works - Crous, or a regional health and social scholarship aligned with social criteria)
- You are engaged in a professional activity
- You are engaged in a apprenticeship or professionalization contract.
You can use a simulator to get an estimate of the amount of housing assistance you can claim:
Calculating your entitlement to personal housing benefit (APL, ALF, ALS) - Caf
Warning
If your parents are receiving family allowances and you are applying for housing assistance, you are no longer considered eligible for responsibility of your parents for family benefits. Their allocations may be reduced or even eliminated. So you have to choose between receiving housing assistance or remaining dependent on your parents.
Your application for housing assistance must be made online:
Student housing assistance: online application
It is recommended that you apply for housing assistance as soon as you are installed in your home.
In case of colocation, each roommate can receive housing assistance. Everyone must then make their own request in their own name. The calculation of housing assistance takes into account the rent paid by each person.
FYI
For more information, you can call the number dedicated to student housing assistance.
Who shall I contact
Allows students to obtain information about housing grants (APL, ALS, ALF).
By phone
09,69 32,52,52
Open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
The price of a local call from a landline phone. Possible additional cost from a mobile according to the operators.
The 1er payment of housing assistance is usually made 2 months after the request.
Example :
If the request is made in February, your right is open in March and on 1er payment is made in early april.
Please note
The Visale warranty, the Loca-Pass advance (aids for access to housing) and Mobili-Jeune support (help to pay rent) are cumulative with APL, ALF or ALS, provided that the award criteria for each device are met.
Student housing assistance: online application
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Student housing support (APL, ALF, ALS)
Allows students to obtain information about housing grants (APL, ALS, ALF).
By phone
09,69 32,52,52
Open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
The price of a local call from a landline phone. Possible additional cost from a mobile according to the operators.
Service Public
National Family Allowance Fund (Cnaf)