Finding housing is one of the first challenges facing a work-study student, especially when the company and the training centre are far apart. Good news: several cumulative aids exist to ease the financial burden.
In summary: you can combine APL (CAF), the Mobili-Jeune aid (up to 100 €/month), the Visale guarantee (free surety) and the Loca-Pass advance (security deposit advance). Plan your applications in advance, as some aids must be requested before moving into the accommodation.
APL: the basic CAF housing aid
As an employee, you are eligible for the personalised housing aid (APL), paid by the CAF or the MSA depending on your income and rent. Run your simulation as soon as you sign the tenancy agreement: it is often the most significant aid over the year.
The Mobili-Jeune aid: up to 100 € per month
Offered by Action Logement, the Mobili-Jeune aid is designed for work-study students. Its features in 2026:
- Amount: from 10 € to 100 € per month, up to a maximum of 1 100 € per year of training, paid over eleven monthly instalments.
- Eligible audience: work-study students under 30 years of age on an apprenticeship or professionalisation contract, working for a private non-agricultural sector company.
- Condition: an income ceiling (calculated on the gross salary of the contract, not on the parents' income) and accommodation occupied as a primary residence.
- Cumulation: compatible with APL.
Submit your application within the deadlines: the subsidy is generally requested within six months of the start of the contract or moving into the accommodation.
The Visale guarantee: finding housing without a guarantor
Visale acts as a free surety in place of a physical guarantor. It covers unpaid rent and certain damages, which reassures the landlord and unblocks many applications. The application is made online before signing the tenancy agreement, to obtain a visa to present to the landlord.
The Loca-Pass advance: funding the security deposit
The security deposit (often one month's rent) can be advanced in the form of an interest-free loan (0 %) thanks to the Loca-Pass scheme, repayable once you have moved in. A great way to avoid a large expense at the time of moving in.
Summary of the steps to take
- Simulate your APL as soon as the lease is signed, on the CAF website.
- Apply for the Mobili-Jeune aid if you are under 30 years of age.
- Activate the Visale guarantee before viewing properties, to reassure the landlord.
- Apply for the Loca-Pass advance for the security deposit.
To go further on the work-study student's budget, consult our article understanding your pay and the page financial aids. And to find a work-study contract near you, browse our listings.