There are two types :
APL (Aide Personnalisée au Logement) and
ALS (Allocation Logement à caractère social).
These
programs are not exclusively for students. Therefore, students benefit
from them under the same terms as any French citizen. They are paid by
the Caisses d'Allocations Familiales (CAF). Their funding comes from employer contributions.
To
benefit from the APL, you must be the principal renter of a dwelling,
new or old, which is covered under an agreement between its owner and
the French government. The social status, age and previous history of
the renter are irrelevant. The amount of the APL benefit varies. It is
calculated according to your resources, the size of your family, the
place of residence, amount of rent and employment status. For students,
minimum revenue is applied.
Since January 1993, the ALS helps those with modest revenues, with no distinction made for residence, age or employment status.
In
both cases, the student must be tenant, subtenant or flatmate in a new
or old dwelling. It must be his principal residence, with the rental
agreement established in the name of the occupant. One technical
detail: the housing cannot measure less than 9 m² for one person or 16
m² for a couple. Also, it must meet standards of salubrity.
The
benefits are variable. The formula used to calculate benefits is
identical for APL and ALS (except in residence halls). It considers the
student's resources, the number of dependents in his care, the place of
residence, the amount of rent and the type of occupation (shared or
furnished).
For students who have no declared resources, minimum
revenue is applied for purposes of calculation. It is €4,400 for grant
holders and €5,500 for others, except in hostels where the figures are
€3,700 for grant holders and €4,200 for others.
Attention: not all students are eligible for these benefits
Those
under 20 years of age cannot benefit from ALS or APL if their parents
are still receiving family benefits for the student. In this case, the
family must choose between the two.
Students who occupy the apartment of a parent or grandparent are not eligible for ALS.
Foreign students may receive it if they have a residence permit that is currently valid.
ALS and APL are never paid during the first month of residency.
Steps to take only before your arrival in housing
You can get information and get the forms at the Caisse d’Allocation Familiales, which address is indicated below:
Caisse d'Allocations Familiales du Bas-Rhin
18 rue de Berne
67000 Strasbourg
tél. : 0820 25 67 10
web : www.caf.fr
Setting up ALS direct payment:
- Fill in the on-line dossier for ALS on the site of the Caisse d'allocations familales
- In the section “ number of the room”, please indicates n°999
- File the dossier with the secrétariat of your university residence hall. The CROUS will send it directly to the CAF.
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