15 student life: accommodation, independence and standard of living

Two-thirds of students no longer live with their parents, yet this does not necessarily mean that they are completely independent from them. Personal situations (finances and housing) differ considerably and help from families can take many forms. However, independence is often accompanied by greater financial vulnerability.

In 2013, 32% of students were living with their parents, 35% were living alone or in a couple, while 13% were in collective housing (university hall of residence or dormitory) and 12% shared rental accommodation (chart 15.01).

Concerning housing, independence comes gradually with age. Almost half (45%) of under-21s were living in the parental home, compared with only 12% of those aged 24 and over (chart 15.02).

Students are most often found living in the family home in the Paris region and in municipalities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants (chart 15.03). At Bachelor's degree level, this is the case for 46% of students in towns of fewer than 100,000 inhabitants, 57% in Paris and 64% in the inner and outer Paris suburbs. Fewer students are in this situation in medium- and large-sized towns in the provinces (between 22% and 32%). The reasons for these differences are the distance between the parental home and the place of study in the provinces, the appeal of the courses on offer in the large cities, and in the Paris region problems in finding accommodation and the transport situation.

However, students who have left their parents' home have not necessarily severed all ties with them. As proof of this, 32% come back to sleep at their house at least two to three weekends per month (43% for those who are living in collective housing) (chart 15.04), 69% are sometimes or often given food supplies, 32% borrow a car and 75% receive small or large presents from family members.

With equivalent types of living arrangements, students' financial independence shows some contrasting realities from which 4 distinct groups can be formed. 'Economically-dependent and living with parents': they live in their parents' home and have remained economically dependent on their family. They represent 29% of students. 'Economically-dependent and not living with parents': they make up 43% of students. They live in their own accommodation but remain attached to their parents' tax household. 'Economically-independent and living with parents': they live in their parents' home but nevertheless show some signs of material independence (they have a very demanding part-time job not related to their studies and/or complete their own tax return). These are only 3% of students. Lastly, the "Emancipated" (25% of students) live in their own accommodation and show one of the signs of material independence.

Although more than half of students said that they had cut back their spending since the start of the academic year, only 16% considered that they definitely did not have enough money to cover their monthly expenses. According to the indicators of comfort and financial difficulty selected here (table 15.05), some divergences did emerge between categories. Financial fragility indicators (request for emergency aid, cut-backs, financial difficulties) highlight the intermediate situation of those that are 'Economically-dependent and not living with parents' and those that are 'Economically-independent and living with parents'. These categories of students who are independent in residential or financial terms are more likely than those that are 'Economically-dependent and living with parents' to say that they are somewhat financially fragile, although less so than the 'Emancipated' students. Independence is therefore often accompanied by a certain financial fragility and also a lesser degree of satisfaction with their accommodation.

Feres Belghith & Odile Ferry