RENT SUBSIDY PROGRAMS

Living in a les estudines residence hall qualifies you to apply for financing solutions to help defray the costs of your apartment.

APL and ALS

All estudines residents are entitled to apply for the l’Aide Personnalisée au Logement (APL) or l’Allocation de Logement à caractère Social (ALS) rent subsidy programs. The amount of rent allowance you are entitled to is determined by the “Caisse d’Allocations Familiales” (CAF), the only competent authority in the matter, after careful study of each application.
Depending on the residence hall you live in, the CAF will either pay you the APL or ALS rent allowance.

The amount of aid you receive may vary depending on:

• your income
• your rent
• the number of roommates in the apartment
• the type of apartment
• the place of residence

Please note:

• In order to receive financial aid, the lease must be in your name.
• If you are under 20 and your parents still receive family allowance on your behalf, you cannot combine the two allowances, so you you will have to choose one.

How do I apply for the CAF rent subsidy program?

Our teams in the residence halls will guide you through each step of the process.

Certain documents will be required, so you can prepare them ahead of time:

• A photocopy of your valid national ID card or residency permit
• Proof of student status
• Last year's income tax statement, or tax exempt certificate (certificat de non imposition), or in the absence thereof, a sworn written statement certifying that no income was taxed last year.
• Relevé d’identité bancaire or RIB (a document issued by your bank containing your account information)
• Your CAF beneficiary number as well as a certificate stating that you have not been paid by the CAF of your former residence hall (if you have already received financial aid from the CAF in the past).

What are the differences between the APL and the ALS rent subsidy programs?

If an agreement has been signed between the landlord and the state, you can receive the APL rent subsidy.

In this case, the landlord is reimbursed by the CAF, and the rent allowance is paid directly to him: you only have to pay the remainder of the rent.

In the absence of such an agreement, you receive ALS aid, which is paid directly to you: you then have to pay the entire rent.

Useful Info:

• You are not entitled to receive a rent subsidy during the first month of rental except in the following case: you have previously received a rent allowance and there hasn't been a break between subsequent leases (e.g. you moved out of your apartment on July 31st, and moved into another on August 1st).
• Your parents may continue to claim you as a dependent for tax purposes, this does not preclude you from applying for a rent subsidy.
• The income used to calculate the amount of financial aid is that of the student, not the parents.
• The formula used to determine the amount of aid are very complex because it depends on several parameters defined by the CAF.

To run a simulation of the rent subsidy you are likely to receive or obtain further information, go to the CAF website: www.caf.fr

List of CAF branches to contact to help you pay your rent:

• Bordeaux	• Lille	• Lyon	• Marseille	• Montpellier
• Nancy	• Nantes	• Nice	• Paris	• Reims
• Rennes	• Saint-Etienne	• Strasbourg	• Toulouse