UGA international

I. Be fully prepared

1 - Consider the length of your stay and your family situation

If you are coming for less than a semester, the best option is to look for temporary accommodation. If you are coming with your spouse and/or children, student residences or hostels will not be the most appropriate for you.

2 - Calculate your budget

Accommodation will be your main item of expenditure, so you need to budget for it carefully.
Do not forget that there will be monthly charges to be paid on top of your rent, for things like internet access, water, electricity and gas.
More information about the cost of living

II. Understanding the specifics of renting in France

Glossary of accommodation terms

Definitions of terms such as “lease” (“bail”), “deposit” (“dépôt de garantie”), etc.
See the glossary of accommodation terms

The guarantor

In France, landlords often ask tenants to provide a guarantor, also known as ‘caution locative’. A guarantor is an individual or organization that contractually agrees to pay the rent on behalf of the tenant if the tenant is unable to do so. 

This is often the main obstacle for internationals coming from abroad. Landlords and real estate agents prefer the guarantor to be an individual or person who is a tax resident in France, because this makes it easier to take legal action in the event of non-payment of rent.

Fortunately, there are ways around this!

Certain schemes can replace the guarantor, such as Action Logement's ‘Visale guarantee’. To be eligible for the Visale guarantee, certain conditions regarding age and legal residence must be met.
If you are not eligible for Visale guarantee, you can turn to paid rental guarantee solutions (specialized organizations, banks, insurance companies).

Please note that if you change your rental agreement or change accommodation in France, you must submit a new application for a rental guarantee.
 

III. Get help from Université Grenoble Alpes

IV. How to search effectively for accommodation

Be vigilant

Even though scams are rare, you need to be vigilant:
Avoid agencies selling lists of ads
Some unscrupulous agencies will ask you to pay upfront for a list of properties. But be careful, because these lists are rarely up-to-date and buying one does not come with a guarantee of finding somewhere to live.
Beware of excessively low prices
If an ad looks tempting but the price is well below those you have seen in other ads, it may be hiding something.
Be wary of transferring money remotely
When renting directly from a private individual, be wary of requests for ‘booking fees’ before signing any documents, or if the person you are dealing with is very insistent (e.g. urgent payment within 24 or 48 hours).
Refuse to make any payments to foreign bank accounts or through money transfer services (such as Western Union, Moneygram, Mandat-cash, etc.), and stick as much as possible to the messaging services integrated into classified ad or networking websites.

More information about property rental scams, and what to do if you fall victim :
On the digital security assistance and prevention website, Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
On the French administration website

Define your search area

The urban areas of Grenoble and Valence are not particularly large, and they are well served by the public transport networks. There is no need to limit your search to the area around campus!
For example, the journey between central Grenoble and the campus in Saint-Martin-d’Hères or in the “Presqu’île” campus takes no more than 30 minutes by tram, or slightly less by bike.
In Grenoble: M réso journey planner
In Valence: Valence Romans Mobilités journey planner

Prepare your application

If you spot an ad for your ideal place, you must be able to submit your application straight away, so have all the paperwork ready before starting your search.
Even though the documents required will vary to some extent from one landlord and property type to another, you will need copies of the following as a minimum:

• Your proof of identity (passport, or ID card for EU citizens)
• Your student card (or proof of enrollment), or the hosting agreement issued by your laboratory
• Any document proving that you have sufficient resources, and documents related to your guarantor (“garant”) if one is required (guarantor’s identity and proof of resources, or “Visale” guarantee).

To help you put together your rental application and send it securely, you can use the free online service called 'Dossier Facile'.
This service allows you to upload and gather all the necessary documents into a single file, have them checked by a Dossier Facile agent, and then obtain a URL link to share your rental application with a landlord or agency.
Visit the Dossier facile website to have more information and prepare your rental application.
 

Know more about the accommodation options

Find out more about the different accommodation options in Grenoble and Valence to start your search.