Centre de services Euraxess - Aix Marseille Université - Home

Accommodation

Looking for accommodation in France can be a long and difficult process, especially for non-French citizens. We recommend starting your search as soon as possible and as soon as your stay has been confirmed. Staying in temporary accommodation on your arrival before looking for longer-term accommodation may be a solution.

Please, note that for any accommodation in France, except for hotels and private hotel residences, a home insurance is compulsory, in order to cover you against various risks (fire, water damage...). It must be given to the landlord when you move in.This insurance can be taken out with a bank or an insurance company (MAIF, .....).

For all accommodation, except for hotel accommodation, you may be eligible for CAF housing benefit (“aides logement”). Use the simulator on the CAF website

  • CROUS Aix-Marseille hotel service

    CROUS Aix-Marseille has created LABOLOG, a service for international researchers (PhD students, post-docs, senior researchers) from foreign institutions who have received an invitation or residency proposal from AMU.
    This accommodation is designed for short-to-medium-term stays with a “hotel” type service.

    The accommodation is fully fitted out with bedding, towels, crockery, a fridge, appliances and Internet access.
    You can book directly on the LABOLOG platform. Note that the prices indicated are tax free prices (+10%).

    Please contact us if you require additional information or support.

    • LABOLOG is an accommodation service for visiting researchers staying for less than 6 months.
    • For all stays exceeding 1 month, multi-risk home insurance will be required.
    • PhD students staying in Aix-Marseille for over 6 months will need to submit an accommodation application to CROUS as per the dedicated procedure for international PhD students (see “University accommodation”).

    Necessary documents

    To book accommodation, you will need to provide the following information and documents:

    • Your surname and first name(s), the duration of your stay, the type of accommodation requested
    • The invitation from the host institution at Aix-Marseille
    • An identity document
    • A visa for non-European citizens (which may be provided later)

    You will have to pay a deposit to confirm your booking.

    On your arrival, depending on the length of your stay, you may be asked to pay a security deposit that will be returned to you at the end of your stay if the final inventory is in order.

  • Private Hotel accommodation

    If you are looking for temporary accommodation or are staying for less than 1 month, our partners offer suitable hotel accommodation solutions. This accommodation has the benefit of being part of a large network and is located at the heart of big cities close to public transport.

    Fully-fitted studios or one-bedroom apartments are available with kitchenettes and hotel services such as weekly cleaning, breakfast, laundry, etc.

    logo ADAGIO.png
    Logo_The Originals Résidence_bis.png
    logo RESIDHOME.png
    • Special offers have been negotiated with Adagio, Residhome and The Originals accommodation: please contact us for more information.
    • Our partner Residhome also offers a “City Pack”, which includes studios or one-bedroom apartments in private university accommodation at student rates for up to 6 months. Contact us for more information.

Those enrolled in a PhD intending to stay in Aix-Marseille during their studies can apply to CROUS for university accommodation.    
International PhD students do not meet the conditions for “DSE”. You will only be able to submit an application for accommodation during the COMPLEMENTARY PHASE that generally opens between 5 and 10 July for as long as accommodation is available.

The 1st step consists of creating an account as soon as you have received confirmation of your acceptance on the PhD programme by logging onto the CROUS “Messervices.etudiant.gouv” platform and visiting the Find accommodation in a university residence page.

Watch out! Some accommodation can only be viewed by users who have logged in. Click the Sign in button to view all accommodation offers.

Do you need a guarantor for your accommodation?

Please go to Guarantor Service section

  • CROUS university accommodation generally has greater availability from January.
  • PhD students who are receiving a grant (non-salaried PhD students) have priority for this accommodation.
  • For lab residencies, CROUS also offer the possibility of renting accommodation in a university residence for short-to-medium-term stays between March and August.
  • For more information, please visit the following pages: CROUS temporary accommodation.
  • PhD students with a grant from the French government (“BGF”) or a foreign government managed by Campus France are supported by Campus France in finding accommodation.

For long stays, the best solution is to rent accommodation privately from a landlord or via an estate agent.



Aix-Marseille University has a partnership with the Studapart accommodation search platform. Individual and shared accommodation from private landlords and estate agents are advertised on the platform.The website is available in French, English and Chinese. Studapart representatives speak English. You will be required to pay service fees for any bookings via the Studapart platform. Check before booking.  

You can also contact an estate agent directly. Visiting accommodation via an estate agent is free, but if you choose to rent, you will have to pay agent’s fees which are generally equivalent to one month’s rent.

 

Many websites publish listings from private landlords and estate agents, or connect tenants with landlords:

In France, you can rent furnished or unfurnished accommodation. “Furnished” accommodation is fitted out with basic furniture such as table(s), chairs, a sofa, bed(s) and a fitted kitchen. “Unfurnished” accommodation refers to empty houses or apartments. Sometimes there is a fitted kitchen.

For any questions about rental law in France, please view the Euraxess France Accommodation Guide.

  • Rental procedure: main steps

    1. Signature of the rental agreement or lease. The lease is mandatory and must be signed by the tenant and landlord.
    2. Inventory. The inventory is a description of the rented accommodation and the rooms and fixtures in this accommodation. It is completed when a tenant moves into the accommodation and when they leave. Please note all visible damage on the day of inventory.
    3. Third-party guarantee or guarantor.
    4. Security deposit. You will be asked to pay a sum corresponding to one month’s rent. This sum will be returned to you when you leave if there is no damage.

    Necessary documents :

    • identity document (passport, valid visa or residence permit)
    • justification of your stay in France (student card, PhD contract, etc.)
    • justification of income
    • guarantor documents
    • home insurance certificate

  • Guarantor Service

    A guarantor or third-party guarantee is an individual or company that commits to paying the tenant’s debt if they fail to pay their rent. This guarantor will stand surety for you as a tenant with your landlord.

    PhD students or those with unstable income (grant, temporary employment contract, etc.) will systematically be asked by landlords and estate agents to provide a guarantor.

    • VISALE provides you with a free guarantee to cover unpaid rent and rental damage. However, this service is primarily reserved for people under 30. Check whether you're eligible and find out more about this guarantee at visale.fr. Campus France has made a video tutorial to help with your application for the VISALE guarantee.
    • Studapart offers a guarantor service for those who book accommodation via their platform, with no age limit. However, this is a paid service. Find out more on the “What is a guarantor?” page 
    • Some insurance companies can act as a “guarantor” for tenants, such as Garant Me. Check the rates and terms and conditions before signing anything.

  • Water, gas, electricity, internet

    It is generally the tenant’s responsibility to take out contracts for electricity and/or gas supply. Before selecting a provider, please view this energy comparison tool.

    Water is often included in your service charges. If this is not the case, you will need to contact your town or city’s water distribution company directly.

    For Internet connection and telephone, providers very often propose bundles including a home telephone line, unlimited Internet connection and TV channels. Rates vary from €20 to €60 per month, depending on the provider and offers

    When completing the inventory on arrival, remember to take a reading of the water, electricity and gas meters. Ensure that the meters have not been cut off and find out about the previous providers.

  • Home insurance

    Home insurance is mandatory to provide coverage against various risks (fire, water damage, etc.). You must provide your landlord with a certificate upon arrival in the accommodation. This insurance can be taken out from a bank or insurance company.

Avoid using brokers known as “marchands de liste” who are not “traditional” estate agents but sell lists of properties available to rent without providing any guarantee of finding accommodation. Contact us if you are unsure.