Guide for the start of academic year 2024

 “All of higher education is acting to support you to the best of our capacities and at the closest of your needs.” The Guide is first directed to students, and even more new students, and relies on key figures to present the commitment of the French government: over 2.5 billion euros per year in financial assistance are dedicated to students, 8.2 M€ dedicated to improving student health services, over 23.8 M meals at a 1€ cost served to scholarship grant students or students in precarity, and 175,000 accommodations from the private rental housing of the Crous network reserved for students.

This “special attention to support of students” is the red common theme of the Guide, which is divided in five sections presenting the everyday life of students: How to benefit from financial assistance, Accommodation, Food, Adapting my study courses to my personal needs, Care, Protection.

In each of these various parts, the highlight is put on measures implemented to improve the conditions of living, since the Guide aims at “helping you for your first steps as a student and remind you your rights”.

 
Financial assistance

After stressing that financial assistance is a significant budget (over 2.5 billion euros per year), the Guide explains that there are two different types of assistance: scholarships delivered on social criteria, accessible mostly to students of French nationality, and specific assistance for non-scholarship holder students.

These specific assistance services aim at better taking into account specific situations and answering emergency needs. One-off subsidies to face specific emergency situations may be granted by the Crous after social examination. To benefit from this specific subsidy, the Guide explains that is possible to take an appointment with a social agent from a Crous. Also note that the 1jeune1solution platform lists all government actions that young people may use. The platform also lists available support and the links to related entities.

 
Access to accommodation

Accommodation is the cornerstone of students’ success, and it has been the target of many mechanisms implemented to help find accommodation in the private or public sector. First, the Crous network as rental housing including about 175,000 places divided all over mainland and oversea France. French scholarship holders have priority to access such accommodation, but all other students, and international students, are welcome, depending on availability. According to the Guide, construction of student accommodations still continue: by 2027, 35,000 new student accommodations will be built, and as part of the “heritage of Olympic and Paralympic Games”, 1,600 rooms in Olympic villages will turn into student accommodations after the Paris Games 2024. The Guide also reminds of the existence of the Lokaviz platform for private rental. The non-profit student accommodations centre is used to find and view announcements, with some “certified by the Crous teams”.

To be also noted that to support the cost of accommodation, students may receive housing assistance from the CAF under specific conditions, such as being French or non-French with a valid residence permit. 

 
Catering

The “mission of student catering of the Crous network” is to receive a full quality meal for a reduced price (3.3€ or 1€) in most French campuses. In case of financial difficulties noticed by social services of Crouses, students may receive a full meal in university restaurants for 1€. According to the Guide, this action “is roughly equivalent to about a hundred euros per month in purchasing power for student recipients”. For example, between September 2023 and June 2024, “more than 23.8 million meals were served for €1 to students on grants or identified as being in financial difficulty by the Crous”.

The Crous network also improved its approval policy to campuses with no student catering service, to let entities offer full meals at “social price”. Over 200 approved catering structures managed by local authorities, associations or private entities may also offer to students balanced diet meals at a social price. About 40 new approvals should be implemented for the start of year 2024-2025.

 
Course adjustment

In France, students may benefit from the Special Education Plan (RSE in French, for “Régime spécial d’études”) to adjust studies. Cases include: students with disabilities, high-level sportsperson, working students, etc. 

In 2022-2023, 59,000 students with disabilities have been listed in public higher education institutions. According to the Guide, in 2023-2024, the ministry of higher education allocated 23 million euros as support measures for students with disabilities (personal adjustments and common equipment and mechanisms). 

 
Health

“Staying healthy and being able to treat yourself when necessary is obviously a key asset to succeed in your studies.” In the wake of this statement, the Guide presents “key information to guide you in your care pathway”.

The Guide first presents the reform of university care services that became Student Health Services (SSE in French, for “services de santé étudiante”). This change “needed an additional 8.2 million euros funding in the budget for 2023 to improve SSE attractiveness” and increase “their capacity to act for all students, and not only university students”.

Missions of these new Student Health Services, which are always free of charge, were improved and “extended to cover mental health, sexual health (contraception, sexually transmitted infections tests, etc.) addiction behaviours, feeding and sport medicine”. It is worth noting that the Santé Psy Étudiant is extended to allow students to benefit from free psychological support.

 
Student commitment

The Guide also explains that as a student, “you may commit to a cause that is dear to you”. Working in an association or volunteer work allows to acquire skills. These skills and knowledge gained while working may be acknowledged by your university. It may take the form of dedicated education units granting ECTS credits, bonus points in your average examination scores, or even a partly or total internship exemption.