Student housing in Saint-Denis, La Réunion: residence, studio or shared flat

In Saint-Denis, La Réunion, a student has three housing options: a room in a Crous residence, a studio or 1-room apartment (T1) rented alone, or a shared flat in a 2- or 3-room apartment (T2 or T3). Residence places go first to grant-holders, and there are not enough of them: the Crous estimates the short-term need at 900 additional student homes on the island.

For most students, the solution therefore lies in the private market. Saint-Denis has been classed as a tight-market zone since the decree of 25 August 2023, and a studio rents there for €475 to €700 per month excluding charges. Sainte-Clotilde, home to the Moufia campus, the town centre and Bellepierre are the most convenient areas for studying.

This guide compares the three options, gives the rents to expect and details the steps for the start of term.

A growing need for student housing

The number of students has risen by 30% in ten years in La Réunion, according to the Cnous and the Banque des Territoires. The Crous de La Réunion et de Mayotte supports nearly 25,000 students on the island. To meet demand, it is planning a residence of 300 homes in Saint-Denis: preliminary studies were launched in 2026, with the aim of starting works before 2030. It will therefore change nothing for the coming start of term.

Demand also comes from abroad. For the 2026-2027 start of term, the Université de La Réunion already had 578 international students of 50 nationalities, including 203 from the Comoros and 134 from Madagascar, with enrolments still ongoing.

Option 1: a Crous residence

The Crous de La Réunion et de Mayotte runs residences in Sainte-Clotilde, Saint-Pierre and Le Tampon. These have the lowest rents, but access is selective:

• The application goes through the Dossier social étudiant (DSE), on messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr. For 2026-2027, the campaign opened on 2 March 2026.
• Crous housing is intended first for grant-holders. Nationally, 85% of grant-holders at levels 6 and 7 who applied received an offer at the start of term 2026.
• A supplementary phase opens in July: places become available when students cancel their reservation. They are published on trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr.

Submit your DSE as soon as the campaign opens, even if you are not sure you will get a grant, and prepare a search of the private market in parallel.

Option 2: a studio or T1 on the private market

Renting alone gives you more independence, but costs more. According to the Observatoire des loyers privés de La Réunion, the median rent reaches €11.90/m² in Saint-Denis, compared with €10.90/m² for the island as a whole. The ranges found in listings are as follows, excluding charges:

• Studio or T1: from €475 to €700 per month.
• T2: from €595 to €930 per month.
• T3: from €730 to €1,195 per month.

A furnished home generally rents for 10 to 15% more than an unfurnished one. Water, electricity and household waste collection are often on top of the advertised rent. Small homes close to the centre, the university and the CHU are the most in demand and sometimes go within a few days.

The mobility lease, an option for a semester

If you are coming for a semester or an internship, the mobility lease (bail mobilité) may suit you. It is open to students, interns and work-study trainees, for a furnished home, for a term of 1 to 10 months, non-renewable. The landlord cannot ask for a deposit.

Option 3: sharing a flat

Sharing a T2 or T3 reduces the rent per person and often gives access to better neighbourhoods. There are two arrangements:

• A single lease signed by all the flatmates. It generally contains a joint liability clause: if one does not pay, the others may be called on to pay their share. A flatmate who leaves remains jointly liable for six months after giving notice, unless a replacement is added to the lease before then.
• Individual leases, one per room. Each person pays their own rent and is not bound by the others'.

In a shared flat, everyone can apply for housing aid, and the Visale guarantee from Action Logement can replace a guarantor. With an individual lease, each flatmate must take out their own home insurance.

Convenient neighbourhoods for studying in Saint-Denis

• Sainte-Clotilde: the Moufia campus neighbourhood, a good balance between city life and a residential setting, with rents slightly more accessible than in the town centre.
• Town centre and Barachois: shops, administrations and transport within walking distance, mostly apartments, rents at the high end of the range.
• Bellepierre: residential and quiet, on higher ground, close to the CHU, convenient for health students.
• Montgaillard: residential and quiet, to the north-east, close to the main roads.
• La Montagne: on higher ground, green and airy, but you need a means of transport to get down into town.