Our guide to student grants in France

Are you a student and want to apply for a scholarship? Do you want to know if you’re entitled to funding to help finance your studies? We will tell you everything about the student grants, and how to apply for them.

The CROUS scholarship: the main financial aid for students

The CROUS scholarship is a student scholarship intended to help students suffering from material or financial difficulties to undertake higher studies. It is granted under conditions and constitutes additional assistance to that provided by the family. The scholarship can finance tuition fees, food, student accommodation, school materials, and more.
 

What are the conditions for the CROUS scholarship?

 
The CROUS scholarship is not awarded automatically, students applying must meet a number of criteria. The scholarship is awarded to people under the age of 28 on September 1 of the current academic year. This age limit may be lowered for students who have performed civic service, done international volunteering, or volunteered in the armed forces.

To benefit from the CROUS scholarship, students must follow a full-time course listed in the list of establishments and programs eligible for the student scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to the following graduate students who have obtained their bachelor's degree. The amount is calculated according to the family situation, based on number of children, the parents' income, and the distance from the place of study of the student to the home of their parents.
 

Can international students apply for a CROUS scholarship?

Internation students from Europe can apply for the CROUS student grant if they have studied in France for at least a year and are eligible the CROUS needs-based bursary. Students will need to complete a Student Social File for this, although international students will not have priority for accommodation in a CROUS University residence. Exchange students with Erasmus can make accommodation requests via the international relations department of your school.

Are there other student grants for international students?

There are many scholarships for foreign students studying in France. These scholarships are offered by the Erasmus+ program, soon to be replaced by the Turin Scheme for the UK, and French regional public authorities. Campus France provides a search tool for the relative grants for international students.

There are other student scholarships besides the CROUS scholarship, although it is the most common student grant.

• Specific annual assistance: this is personalized financial assistance for students with lasting financial difficulties. It is reserved for students who do not benefit from a teaching grant based on social criteria.
• Departmental aid: this grant concerns students under the age of 30. It is a loan of between €300 and €3,600. The student must have a guarantor and reside in the department where the request is made.
• Merit scholarship: it can be awarded by the CROUS in addition to the scholarship based on social criteria. This aid is granted to the most deserving students, having obtained the grade Très bon au bac. This grant is in the amount of €900 (9 monthly payments of €100) and can be renewed under certain conditions.

Do you have to declare your student grants?

It is important to declare your scholarships and student grants when filing student taxes and with CAF. This can be done by the parent’s household or as a separate declaration to the student residence address. Follow our guide on declaring taxes for students.

For more information on our student grants, see our contact information here