Social Aid for foreign students in France
You can find complementary information for preparing for your studies in France on this
website :
Conditions for applying for a scholarship based on social criteria (« Bourse sur critères sociaux CROUS »)
For students coming from the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland
- Have had a job, full-time or part-time, as an employee or not during the concerned year.
- Or justify that one of your parents or tutors have had an income in France during the concerned year.
- Or, justify that you have been present continuously on the French territory for more that one year.
For students coming from outside of Europe
- Dispose of the refugee status recognised by the OFPRA (a French organisation). Or benefit from the subsidiary protection given by the OFPRA : https://www.ofpra.gouv.fr
- Have a temporary residence card/ a resident card and been a resident in France for a minimum of 2 years, and proof of a home in France for at for at least two years.
- Be of Andorran nationality that has been in a French high school in Andorra
Details - Aids for students coming from the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland that have fulfilled the conditions
The only aids you are not eligible for are the Campus France scholarships.
The scholarship based on social criteria (« Bourse sur critères sociaux CROUS »)
This scholarship can be given a limited amount of times : 5 times during the bachelor and 7 times during the entire cycle (5 years : bachelor + master).
When repeating a year, you have to attend your « Travaux dirigés » classes during the entire year (even if you have already validated the semester). You have the obligation to be present during your « Travaux dirigés » classes, if you don’t attend them, you could lose your scholarship.
If you ever have a problem with the amount that has been given to you or encounter any other trouble, the best thing is to go directly to the CROUS residence in the morning between 9 and 12 am. The address is : 39 Avenue Georges Bernanos, 75005 Paris, France. There may be a long queue but it is still better than calling them or sending an email ( there is a small chance of response with emails or phone-calls).
If you benefit from the scholarship based on the social criteria, the CVEC (92 euros that you paid during the university registration) will be refunded automatically.
For those who benefit from the scholarship or of the ASSA and who find themselves changing university between the bachelor and the master, there is the aid for mobility at master’s level
If you have any siblings, there is the same aid for those who completed the baccalauréat exam in France and who are starting their bachelor in another university. It is called the Aid for Parcoursup mobility
The Aid for the international mobility is for students who are thinking of spending a semester or more in another country
The Erasmus+ scholarship for semesters in the European Union
Aid for people who are preparing the exam for a public service job
The aid Mobil-jeune for those who are taking an ‘’alternance’’ (half work and half studies) course. The amount is around 100 euros and can be directly taken of your rent during a year
An aid of 500 euros for your drivers license for those who are taking an ‘’alternance’’ course
Aids for going on holidays (between 100 ans 200 euros). This aid is given by the city of Paris.
The conditions are : being aged between 16 and 30 and being in a difficult financial situation. You can apply for this here :
There is similar aid but only given to the students benefiting from the scholarship based on social criteria. This aid is given by the ministry of tourism
Details - Aids for students coming from outside of Europe
The ASAP is a punctual aid given by the CROUS when the student is in a difficult
financial situation : https://international.lescrous.fr/social-assistance/#6
The ASAP can be given to any student in need by applying to the CROUS website, several aids can be obtained during the academic year.
The ASAA is another annual aid that can’t be combined with the ASAP or the scholarship based on social criteria.
For more information call : +33 0806000278 which is open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm
Punctual aids from the FSDIE is for students with financial difficulties. Every student’s file is examined by a university commission that reunites 3 or 4 times a year.
For that, you need to contact them by email : contact-servicesocial@crous-paris.fr
You can also ask for an exemption from university tuition fees which is based on social criteria. There is a document that needs to be completed with your information in order to ask for this exemption :
https://www.pantheonsorbonne.fr/fileadmin/Service_inscriptions/DEMANDE_REMBOURSEMENT_DROITS_SCOLARITE.pdf
The Eiffel program is for students in their Masters 1 and 2, aged under 30 from the following studies: political science, economy, management and law. The conditions to apply are on the following website :
https://www.campusfrance.org/en/eiffel-scholarship-program-of-excellence
If you are eligible for this aid, you will have to send multiple documents to the following address : eiffel@univ-paris1.fr
The requested documents are : a detailed resume, a document attesting your language level according to the language of study, your professional project (detailed in 1 or 2 pages in order to explain the choice of studying in France), your diplomas (they need to be translated in French), your transcript of grades of the last 3 years of studying (translated), a letter of recommandation (it is optional but recommended), your ID.
The deadline is generally in November.
In the Ile-de-France region, a reduced transport card called imagineR can be obtained by submitting your study certificate on the following website : https://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/imagine-r-student-travel-pass
You can also apply for social housing managed by the CROUS but you are unfortunately not the priority. All useful information can be found on the following website :
https://www.campusfrance.org/en/crous-residences-implement-new-conditions-to-apply-for-accommodation-for-international-students
The student housing aid that is managed by the CAF. All useful informations can be found on the following website :
https://www.caf.fr/sites/default/files/cnaf/Documents/DCom/Accueil/Actu/ALE-2019/Private%20market_English.pdf
An advance payment (that has to be refunded) for the rent deposit.
https://www.actionlogement.fr/l-avance-loca-pass