First Installation Aid — Moving-In Grants

FSL (€300-1,500) and Mobili-Jeune (€10-100/month) to cover installation costs — stackable with APL and Loca-Pass

When a student moves into their first accommodation in France, several programs can help cover installation costs (basic furniture, appliances, agency fees, home insurance, etc.). These aids come from various sources: Action Logement, CAF/FSL, local authorities, and CROUS.

There is no single 'installation aid' — instead, a set of complementary programs.

Available programs

1. Mobili-Jeune (Action Logement)

• Who: work-study students (apprenticeship or professionalisation contract) under 30
• Amount: €10 to €100/month (rent supplement after deducting APL/ALS)
• Duration: duration of the training, 1 year renewable
• Income condition: salary at or below the SMIC (minimum wage)
• Application: https://www.actionlogement.fr/aide-mobili-jeune
• Warning: reserved for work-study students, not students in standard initial training

2. Fonds de Solidarite Logement (FSL)

• Who: anyone in financial difficulty accessing or maintaining housing
• Amount: varies by department (often €300 to €1,500)
• Coverage: security deposit, first month of rent, home insurance, agency fees, rent arrears
• Form: grant (non-repayable) or interest-free loan depending on the department
• Condition: subject to income assessment, case by case
• Application: via the department (departmental council) or through a social worker
• Open to international students with a valid residence permit

3. CROUS emergency aid

• Who: students in proven financial difficulty
• Amount: variable (generally €100 to €500 as a one-time payment)
• Application: appointment with CROUS social services
• Can cover: installation costs, basic equipment, urgent expenses

4. Municipal and intermunicipal grants

• Some municipalities offer installation aid: household equipment vouchers, moving subsidy, first housing grant
• Varies by municipality — check with the CCAS (Centre Communal d'Action Sociale) of your municipality

General eligibility conditions

1. Moving into accommodation for the first time (or after a break)
2. Lease in your name — you must be a named tenant
3. Primary residence in France
4. Modest resources — most aids are means-tested
5. Valid residence permit — for non-EU students
6. No nationality requirement for FSL and CROUS aid

Key points for international students

• The FSL is often overlooked — yet it is one of the most accessible aids for international students in difficulty
• The social worker is your ally — she can unlock several aids simultaneously (FSL + CROUS + municipal)
• Stackable with APL/ALS and Loca-Pass — these aids do not replace housing benefits
• Apply from the day you sign the lease — do not wait until you are in difficulty

Official sources

• Action Logement — Mobili-Jeune
• Service-Public.fr — Fonds de solidarite logement (FSL)
• etudiant.gouv.fr — CROUS emergency aid