There are a lot of different financial aids by the government or your employer. Here is a list of the most commom benefits that most students & PhD candidates are eligible to.
In addition, every employee (interns excluded) have to file a income statement for the preceeding year, which is detailed below.
Housing Benefit (Aide personalisée au logement APL)
All residents in France renting an apartment have the possibility to apply for a housing benefit from CAF (Caisse D’Allocations Familiales), the amount of which is calculated based on the salary and the amount of rent. A simulator is available at https://caf.fr/ to check if you are eligible, and the application can be done online.
You will be asked to provide a few documents for the application, most notably a valid birth certificate in French. Prepare yourself by obtaining it in advance in order to speed up the process!
For any issues with the online application, you can always head to the local CAF office to get information (3 Rue des Alliés, 38100 Grenoble). Make sure to check their working hours!
Commuting allowances
There are two possibilites to be partially reimbursed for your commuting expenses. You can only benefit by one of them at the same time.
- Subscriptions (Tram, Bike):
If you have a subscription for public transportation (TAG) or a bike sharing service (Mvélo+), 50 to 75 % of the subscription cost is covered by your employer. The money is then transferd along with your salary. - Sustainable commuting (Cycling, scooter, carpooling, …)
If your mode of commute falls under the sustainable category (« Forfait Mobilités Durables (FMD) »), you can ask for 100 to 300 € of benefit in order cover your costs.
Ask your HR secretary about these benefits when you sign your employment or internship contract, or at any later date.
Health insurance
Information related to the French healthcare system can be found on the ISSO website.
In addition to the basic coverage, it is recommended to subscribe to a complementary health insurance (« complémentaire santé » or « mutuelle »). This can be subsidized by 15 € per month by your employer. Again, ask your HR secretary in order to apply for this benefit.
Employment Bonus (Prime d’activité)
For those working in France and earning a limited salary (e.g. interns, PhD students), an employment bonus complementary to the salary can be obtained from CAF. The application procedure is similar to the for Housing Benefit; use the CAF simulator and send your documents online to apply! The amount of bonus will be calculated based on salary.
Income Statement (Déclaration des revenus)
While working in France, you have to make an annual declaration of your salary to the French state, for income tax calculation. This happens each year in May. You can either fill out the form (link) with your revenue information and transmit it to Finances Publiques, go directly to their office to make the declaration, or do the whole process online if you have a fiscal number (which can be obtained from their office). Don’t forget to declare your revenue from the lectures!
The local tax office is located at: 38 Avenue Rhin et Danube 38047 Grenoble