Are you going on Erasmus to France? If the answer is yes, you have to know that, in addition to the Erasmus scholarship, you can also benefit from a grant provided by the French state: the CAF scholarship.
The CAF aid (Family allowance fund) is financial aid offered by the French government to residents in France, with the aim of helping them pay for housing.
Applying for this scholarship is an arduous process, since you will have to submit a lot of documentation. However, we recommend that you still apply for this scholarship, since they usually grant it to everyone who applies for it, and it will mean extra income for your expenses.
Necessary documentation
Contents
The documents that you will have to submit to apply for the CAF scholarship are the following:
- Copy of identity document (ID card or passport).
- Copy of the social security card.
- Copy of the European Health Insurance Card (EHC) or medical insurance.
- RIB from a French account. To receive the scholarship, you must open a French bank account, where the scholarship will be deposited. Our advice is that, once you arrive in France, go to an office to open your account.
- Accommodation certificate (Attestation de loyer). Rental contract or student residence.
- International or multilingual birth certificate. It is important to submit it in French, so it will be useless if you try to submit it in English. In case you cannot directly obtain the birth certificate in French, you will have to have a sworn translation of the document.
- Letter of acceptance. This certificate will be given to you at the international relations office of your Erasmus city once you arrive at your destination.
- Resource certificate (Attestation de réssources). It is a letter that you will have to write explaining that you have the necessary resources to reside in France.
We advise you to try to prepare as many documents as possible before you leave, to accelerate the process.
How to apply for the CAF scholarship?
Do you already have all the documentation ready? Then it is time to apply for the CAF scholarship!
To apply for the CAF scholarship, you can do so in person at one of its offices (you can go by making an appointment or lining up directly at the office) or online. If you want to do it online, you have to visit the CAF website , register and upload all the necessary documentation.
Later, the staff in charge of this scholarship will check that all the documentation is correct. If there is an error or a document is missing, you will be notified of it, and you will be able to correct it. Be patient, sometimes it can take a couple of months for your application to be accepted.
How much money are you going to receive?
The amount of the scholarship will depend on many factors, such as rent, the price you pay monthly for accommodation, the city where you do your Erasmus, the type of accommodation, etc. In general, the amount varies between 50 and 150 euros per month, approximately.
To give you an idea, on the CAF website, you can make an application simulation to see how much money you can receive.
Other frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the CAF scholarship if I have the Erasmus scholarship?
Yes. There is no issue, and they are not exclusive.
What happens if I don't have the French Social Security number?
Nothing. They will probably ask you for it, but if you don't have it, you will have to leave the box empty, and they will give you a provisional number.
How long do I have to apply for the CAF scholarship?
There is no deadline. However, we recommend that you try to apply for the scholarship within the first month of your stay in France, as the scholarship is not retroactive. This means that they will start paying you taking into account the date you made your request and will not consider the date you arrived at your accommodation.
Does everyone have the right to the CAF scholarship?
Yes. Anyone who lives in France can request it, even the French themselves.
How much money will I get for the CAF scholarship?
It will depend on many factors. The amount varies between 50 and 200 euros per month, more or less. Here you can make an application simulation.
As you have seen, the process can be a bit long, but we recommend that you be patient because it is worth it. From Erasmus Play, we hope that this post helps you understand how to better apply for the CAF scholarship.