Finding a Place to Live When Studying at Sciences Po

Sciences Po has its own dedicated accommodation website, which is bilingual, multi-campus, accessible to international students and free. Around 4,000 flats are offered each year by private landlords who rent exclusively to Sciences Po students. 

In parallel, Sciences Po works with specialised service providers, private halls of residence, local authorities, and social housing providers to make it easier for students to find accommodation and give them priority access to certain housing near each of our campuses. We have a number of partnership agreements that allow us to offer a diverse range of university accommodation to suit differing needs, often at preferential rates, for all our campuses. 

For example, Sciences Po offers accommodation in halls of residence run by Crous and at the Cité Universitaire, accommodation with host families, “solidarity housing” (low-cost shared flats in return for community service), and intergenerational home sharing. Prices vary depending on the type of accommodation and amenities, among other things. University halls of residence, located close to our campuses, are designed to give students a pleasant, welcoming living environment that’s conducive to study—and a great student experience.

Our institution is constantly seeking to enrich the existing offer in order to increase the number of places available so that a greater number of students can benefit from it. 

Nearly 1,000 spaces are offered each year in halls of residence, across all campuses. For this type of accommodation, priority is given to students with scholarships and needs-based grants and to first-time students who are coming to our campuses from another part of France or the world. Our teams focus particularly on making low-cost accommodation available (95% of accommodation in halls of residence).

In Paris, for example, where finding a place to live is more complicated due to the shortage of student accommodation, the average rent under these partnerships is between €350 and €678, not including the French government housing subsidy: the aide personnalisée au logement or APL. The APL is a means-tested social benefit paid by the Caisse des allocations familiales (CAF). It is designed to reduce the rent paid by low-income tenants. Both French and international students may be eligible.

Finding accommodation is an important step as good housing is essential for a fulfilling student life and stress-free study. In Paris, rents are high but they do vary from one area to another. The inner suburbs are often accessible by metro and can be good compromise, offering accommodation within 30 minutes of the campus at a reasonable rent. Costs are lower in other regions and our campuses are all located in city centres, which are often great places to live.

It’s a good idea to start looking as soon as you get your admission results and not leave it until the last minute!

Before you start, you might want to learn more about the cost of living in France, in Paris and in other regions. 

The Student Services Centre is available to guide you and It keeps students and their families informed about accommodation options by e-mail and on the dedicated website offering in-person and remote meetings throughout the year. It also has office hours when you can come to them with specific enquiries: personalised help finding accommodation, information on legal aspects such as leases, security deposits, inventory of fixtures, etc., and on financial aid (mainly the CAF housing subsidy).

From looking for a place to moving in, every step counts!