CAF and CROUS

 

CAF and CROUS are the two essential administrative pillars for any student in France, directly helping you reduce your rent and food expenses.
As you are a Romanian (EU) citizen, you have similar rights to French students, but the process requires increased attention to deadlines and documents.

1. CROUS: Cheap Accommodation and €1 Meal
CROUS is the regional public agency that manages student dormitories and university canteens (Resto U).
€1 Meal (Repas à €1)

- As an international student without a French social grant, the standard price of a full meal at the CROUS canteen is €3.30.
- How do you get the €1 rate? You must submit a specific social assistance file on the Student Services Guide platform - Izly or through the support group [CROUS 1 euro meal application

Accommodation in a dormitory (Logement CROUS)

- Main Phase: General registrations for the academic year are made by completing the DSE file (Dossier Social Étudiant). [5]
- Complementary Phase (Your main chance): Opens at the beginning of July (on the Trouver un logement - LesCrous platform. Here, the remaining free rooms are put to the test, and the allocation is made on a "first come, first served" basis.
- Visale guarantor: CROUS dormitories require a guarantor from France. You can obtain this guarantee free of charge from the French state through the government platform Action Logement - Visale.

2. CAF: Monthly rent subsidy (APL)
CAF (Caisse d'Allocations Familiales) is the state institution that offers you from €100 to €300 per month back on the rent price, regardless of whether you stay in a CROUS dormitory, in private rental or with a host.

Extremely important conditions:

- The first month is not paid: If you move in September and apply immediately, CAF will take into account the file from October, and you will receive the first money in your account at the beginning of the month November. Don't delay your application! ]
- EU status: As an EU citizen, you are fully eligible for housing allowance. (Note: As of July 1, non-EU students who do not have a scholarship have lost this right, but the rules for EU citizens have remained unchanged).

Required documents for both files
Prepare these documents in digital format, clearly scanned:

1. Passport or ID card (EU)
2. Multilingual birth certificate (new European format, with text in English/French) or a legalized translation into French.
3. School certificate (Certificat de scolarité) from the French university.
4. European Health Insurance Card (CEASS) issued free of charge in Romania.
5. Bank RIB (IBAN of the account opened in France, for example the one at Société Générale or Nickel).
6. Zero income declaration: In the CAF online form you will be asked for income for the last two years. If you were only a student and did not work, you declare an amount equal to zero.

How do you start, step by step?

1. Sign the rental contract (Bail de location) with the dormitory manager or private landlord.
2. Obtain the CAF certificate from the landlord (Attestation de loyer) completed and signed by him.
3. Go to the official Caf.fr website, create a new user account (you will receive a provisional registration number) and complete the simulation and the online assistance request.