For years, the Aide Personnalisée au Logement (APL) helped many students cope with housing costs in France. The Finance Act for 2026, adopted in December 2025, removes access to this benefit for a large proportion of international students. A measure causing concern among those affected.
From 1 July 2026, non-EU international students — i.e. outside the European Union, the European Economic Area, Switzerland — who are not means-tested scholarship holders will lose their right to APL1.
It is estimated that more than 300,000 foreign students currently in France are affected2,3. Only 2 to 3% of them are eligible for means-tested CROUS scholarships, as access requires two years of tax residence in France2.
All students from the European Union, the EEA and Switzerland fully retain their right to APL. Likewise, scholarship holders of any nationality are not affected by this change1.
The removal of APL does not mean a total absence of support. Several CROUS schemes remain accessible without strict nationality conditions4.
- The Fonds de Solidarité Universitaire (FSU) is for students experiencing temporary or lasting financial difficulties: it can amount to between 200 and 800 euros, paid once or twice a year.
- The Aide d'Urgence Exceptionnelle (AUE), fixed at 648 euros in 2025-2026: can be triggered in the event of a serious unexpected event (job loss, family breakdown). These aids are applied for directly at the CROUS social services of your academy, on messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr.
For Master's or PhD students, the Eiffel excellence scholarship (from €1,181/month at Master's level and up to €1,700/month at PhD level) remains an option to plan for 9 to 12 months in advance with Campus France. Embassy scholarships from your home country or the Major scholarship (AEFE network) can also be mobilised5. CROUS residences offer accommodation at reduced rates (from 200 to 400 euros per month depending on type and location), well below private market prices. Access is via the Dossier Social Étudiant (DSE) on messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr, planning ahead from January for the following academic year6.
The Visale guarantee, offered free of charge by Action Logement, does not replace APL but facilitates access to housing by acting as guarantor with landlords — a barrier that is often difficult for foreign students without family in France. It is accessible on actionlogement.fr7.
Furthermore, some French regions, including Île-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, offer supplementary housing assistance for foreign students, sometimes without length-of-stay conditions: check directly on your region's website. Finally, CROUS meals at 1 euro are available to all students from 1 May 2026, regardless of nationality8.
Are you a student in difficulty looking for social support, food assistance or access to rights? Find all available organisations and their contact details near you on Soliguide. It's free and anonymous. Everything is on Soliguide.fr or directly via the app available on App Store and Play Store.
