Student APL: all the conditions and procedures for receiving housing assistance
Introduction
Paying for student accommodationis never easy: between rent, installation costs and end-of-month shopping, your budget is melting like snow in the sun. Fortunately, the APL, or more precisely the "aide personnalisée au logement", is there to help you cope.
But who is eligible for this student housing benefit? What conditions must be met? How do I apply online via the CAF website? What documents do I need to provide?
We explain everything, step by step, so that you can submit your application without any headaches or unpleasant surprises.
APL for students: what exactly are we talking about?
The different types of housing assistance
As astudent, you can benefit from three main types of personal housing assistance:
- APL: personalized housing assistance (subsidized housing)
- ALS: allocation de logement sociale (social housing allowance ) (non-conventional housing)
- ALF: family housing allowance (if you have dependants or depending on your family situation)
These subsidies cannot be combined: you will only receive one at a time, the one to which you are entitled depending on your type of accommodation and your situation.
Please note: the organization that pays out these benefits depends on your social security system. In general, it's the CAF, but if you're affiliated to the Mutualité Sociale Agricole, it's the MSA.
General conditions for APL benefits
To qualify for thestudent APL, you must :
- Occupy a dwelling in France as your principal residence
- Be tenantco-tenant or sub-tenant (with written agreement from the landlord)
- Have signed a rental contract in your name
- Legal status (French nationality or valid residence permit )
Your home can be :
- A studio, an apartment, a shared flat, a student residence, even a room in a private home
- Furnished or empty
- Private rental, CROUS, or private serviced residence
What resources are taken into account when calculating housing benefit?
Revenues considered
Since the APL reform of 2021, your entitlements are calculated on your income over the last 12 rolling months, and updated every three months.
In particular, the following are taken into account
- Salaries / resources
- Unemployment benefits
- Income from paid internships
- Income from financial investments, etc.
And don't forget: your parents ' resources are no longer taken into account if you apply in your own name. This also means that you will no longer be considered a dependent in their tax household.
Please note: If you are a student on a scholarship, you have an even greater chance of obtaining assistance, even on a low income.
Resource to be integrated: link to the official CAF simulator for calculating your APL.
Steps to apply for assistance
When should I apply for housing assistance?
The request should be made as soon as possible, as soon as you move in. Ideally, as soon as you sign your rental contract.
But don't panic: if you apply a little later, theAPL will only be paid from the month following validation of your application, and never retroactively.
Example: you move in on September 15, apply on October 10 → you will receive your first transfer in November.
How do I apply online?
- Visit the Caisse d'allocations familiales website
- Create a CAF account if you don't already have one
- Fill in the online application form for housing assistance
- Provide the necessary documents
- Validate and track progress in your personal space
Documents to be supplied
To complete your application, you will need to provide :
- A copy of your rental contract
- RIB (bank details)
- Proof of identity ( valid national identity card, passport or residence permit )
- A rent certificate completed by your landlord
- Your e-mail address for follow-up
- Possibly your tax notice (if you have received any income)
Tip: Prepare all these documents in advance to avoid blocking your application.
What happens after I send in my application?
Processing times and first payment
The average processing time for your application is 2 to 6 weeks. You can check the progress of your application at any time in your online CAF account.
The first payment will be made the month following acceptance of your application, and will be paid directly into your account or that of your landlord.
Example: application accepted on October 25 → first APL payment at the end of November.
How is the APL calculated for a student?
Criteria taken into account
The amount of your student APL varies according to several factors:
- Your resources over the last few months
- Housing type
- The amount of rent
- Your family situation (single, couple, with or without dependents)
- Geographical zone of your home (zones A, B1, B2 or C as defined by the CAF)
Contrary to popular belief, the APL is not a fixed amount: it is personalized to the APL housing, i.e. adapted to your profile.
Make a simulation: how much will you receive?
Before you apply, you can use the official simulator available on the CAF website. In just a few clicks, you'll know whether you're entitled to APL, and how much assistance you could receive.
You will need to fill in :
- Your current situation (student, employee, etc.)
- Your income over the last 12 months
- The rent you pay
- The composition of your household (roommate, couple, dependent children, etc.)
Important : The result is indicative, but very useful to anticipate your monthly budget.
Special cases: flatmates, work-study students, foreign students, etc.
And if you're sharing?
The good news is that roommates can all benefit from the APL... provided that each of them fills in an individual online application on the CAF website, and that your rental contract clearly mentions your names separately.
Example: If there are three of you in a T3 flat, each of you is entitled to a means-tested allowance. And so, each receives his or her share of thepersonalized allowance.
Please note: if only one of you is mentioned on the rental contract, the CAF will consider that you are in undeclared accommodation. No APL for the others.
Work-study student: are you entitled to APL?
Yes, that's right. As awork-study student, you are also eligible forstudent housing assistance, provided you do not exceed a certain income ceiling. The CAF will take into account your monthly income from your professionalization or apprenticeship contract.
Tip: If your income is below the minimum wage, your chances of obtaining personalized assistance are quite high.
Are you a foreign student?
Foreign students can also apply for APL, under certain conditions:
- You must be a permanent resident of France
- You must have a valid residence permit.
- Your home must be your principal residence
- You must have a bank account in France
No social security number? You'll need to get one before you can start the CAF website.
What if your parents are already receiving assistance?
Here's a frequently asked question: if you apply for APL, will your parents lose their benefits?
The answer is: yes, in part.
- You will no longer be counted as a dependent in your parents' tax household.
- They will no longer receive certain benefits (such as family allowance orback-to-school allowance) on your behalf.
It's up to you (and them) to make the calculations and see what's most advantageous!
Other assistance for student tenants
TheAPL is not the only housing benefit available to you. Here are some other useful schemes to know about:
1. Loca-Pass advance from Action Logement
An interest-free loan to advance your security deposit when you sign your lease. Repayable over a maximum of 25 months. Accessible even if you are a student with no means of support.
2. Visale guarantee
It's a free guarantee that covers your landlord in the event of non-payment. It can save you from having to provide a guarantor.
Also available to foreign students and students with scholarships, even those with no income.
3. Aide Mobili-Jeune
If you're on a work-study program, this housing benefit can supplement your APL to reduce the remaining cost of your rent.
Remember to submit it at the same time as your APL application.
Mistakes to avoid when applying for APL
Failure to apply online on time: you lose out on monthly payments
- Forgetting a document blocks everything
- Give a wrong e-mail address or an invalid RIB: you won't receive anything.
- Do not report a change of situation (e.g. break-up of a flat-share, alternation, etc.).
- Let your parents claim you as a dependant on their tax return, while you apply for APL (inconsistency detected = rejection).
Tip: follow the status of your application in your personal space on the CAF website, and check the "My documents", "My information" and "My payments" sections.
In a nutshell: key points to benefit from student APLs
Who can benefit? All students, French or foreign, in independent accommodation (studio, flat-share, hall of residence, etc.).
What are the criteria? Be a tenanthave a lease, live in a principal residence, and have a valid residence permit if applicable.
How do I apply? On the CAF website, via an online form with a complete file.
When to apply? As soon as youmove in or sign the rental contract.
What documents should I provide?
- Rental contract
- RIB
- Proof of identity
- Valid e-mail address
- Rental certificate
How much does it cost? Customized according to your income, rent, family situation and zone.
Other possible assistance?
- Loca-Pass
- Visale guarantee
- Mobili-Jeune
- Local support through public services, your town or student residence
Conclusion
Applying for a student APL is not the most fun thing to fit in between two midterms and a basket of dirty laundry. But it's a real budget boost that can make the difference between a difficult end of the month and a fridge that's not empty.
Take the time to simulate, check your entitlements and provide the right documents. And above all, don't wait until the last moment to log on to the CAF website and fill in your online application. This help is available and a few clicks can really lighten your rent... and your mental load.
