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Renting a long-term accommodation on Reunion Island follows French metropolitan law, as the island is an overseas department (département d'outre-mer) of France. Here is a breakdown of the typical costs a student tenant should anticipate:
TL;DR: On Reunion Island, student rentals follow French law. CROUS studios start at around 400 EUR/month; private furnished studios in Moufia (Saint-Denis) also start near that level. Budget for a security deposit (1–2 months' rent), regulated agency fees, and mandatory home insurance. Apply for Garantie Visale before signing your lease, and claim APL or ALS from the CAF de La Réunion as soon as your lease is active. Start your CROUS application in spring — places on the Moufia, Terre-Sainte, and Tampon campuses are limited.
Finding long-term student accommodation on Reunion Island requires understanding both the local rental market and the French legal framework that governs it. As an overseas department of France, Reunion Island applies the same tenant protection laws as mainland France — including the loi ALUR, the decree of 5 November 2015 on rental application documents, and the rules on security deposits and agency fees. International students arriving to study at the Université de La Réunion have two main options: applying for a place in a CROUS-managed university residence (via the Dossier Social Étudiant), or searching the private rental market in student-friendly districts such as Moufia and Sainte-Clotilde in Saint-Denis, or near the Terre-Sainte campus in Saint-Pierre. Starting the accommodation search early — ideally three to four months before arrival — is strongly recommended, as demand for affordable furnished studios near the campuses is high.
Reunion Island is a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, where long-term rentals follow French metropolitan law, including the loi ALUR framework for tenant protections, deposits, and agency fees. The Université de La Réunion, with its main Moufia campus in Saint-Denis and southern sites in Saint-Pierre and Le Tampon, is the island's primary higher education institution, enrolling around 15,000 students. Student accommodation is available through CROUS La Réunion – Mayotte, which manages residences on all three campuses, with rooms from approximately 200 EUR/month and studios from approximately 400 EUR/month. Private rentals in the student-friendly Moufia district of Saint-Denis start at around 400 EUR/month for a furnished studio, while larger apartments in central Saint-Denis or Sainte-Clotilde range from 600 EUR to 900 EUR/month. Students are eligible for French housing benefits (APL or ALS) through the CAF de La Réunion, and can use the free Garantie Visale from Action Logement as a rental guarantor.
Finding long-term student accommodation on Reunion Island requires understanding both the local rental market and the French legal framework that governs it. As an overseas department of France, Reunion Island applies the same tenant protection laws as mainland France — including the loi ALUR, the decree of 5 November 2015 on rental application documents, and the rules on security deposits and agency fees. International students arriving to study at the Université de La Réunion have two main options: applying for a place in a CROUS-managed university residence (via the Dossier Social Étudiant), or searching the private rental market in student-friendly districts such as Moufia and Sainte-Clotilde in Saint-Denis, or near the Terre-Sainte campus in Saint-Pierre. Starting the accommodation search early — ideally three to four months before arrival — is strongly recommended, as demand for affordable furnished studios near the campuses is high.
Reunion Island uses the euro (EUR) as its currency, and rental conditions follow French metropolitan law. Students benefit from the same tenant protections as in mainland France, including the loi ALUR framework governing deposits, agency fees, and lease terms. The Garantie Visale, offered free of charge by Action Logement, allows students aged 18 to 30 to obtain a rental guarantor without relying on family, which is particularly useful for international students. Housing benefit applications (APL or ALS) are managed by the CAF de La Réunion and can significantly reduce the net monthly rent for eligible students. It is advisable to apply for CAF benefits as soon as the lease is signed, as payments are not retroactive.
One of the most common mistakes made by international students searching for long-term rentals on Reunion Island is underestimating the total move-in cost. Many focus only on the monthly rent and overlook the security deposit (up to two months' rent for furnished accommodation), agency fees (capped but still significant), and the cost of mandatory home insurance. Another frequent error is failing to apply for the Garantie Visale before signing the lease — this free guarantor scheme from Action Logement must be activated prior to lease signature and cannot be added retroactively. Students also sometimes delay their CAF housing benefit application, not realising that the APL or ALS is only paid from the month of application, not from the lease start date. Finally, many students do not start their CROUS accommodation application early enough: the Dossier Social Étudiant must be submitted in spring for the following academic year, and places are limited across the three campuses.
Aim first for Moufia in Saint-Denis, right next to the main campus, with furnished studios from about 400 EUR a month, or Sainte-Clotilde, close to the Technopole. In the south, Terre-Sainte in Saint-Pierre serves the IUT and ESIROI, and Le Tampon has its own campus.
The CROUS also runs residences on the three campuses; from outside the island, a Home Finder sorts through the offers and views for you.
Landlords often ask for a guarantor, especially when you have no local history. The Visale guarantee, free and offered by Action Logement, can replace one for 18 to 30 year-olds, but it must be set up before the lease is signed: it cannot be added afterwards.
For your application, count on an ID document, proof of income, a tax notice and a RIB, then apply for APL or ALS housing aid from the CAF.
In spring for the CROUS: the Dossier Social Étudiant is filed on Messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr, and places on the Moufia, Terre-Sainte and Le Tampon campuses are limited.
In the private market, things tighten at the start of term (August-September), when students and newly assigned civil servants arrive. Set up Visale before signing and file your CAF claim as soon as the lease is signed, since the aid is not retroactive.
Allow from 400 EUR a month for a furnished studio in Moufia, 420 to 600 EUR in Sainte-Clotilde and 600 to 900 EUR for a T1 or T2 flat in Saint-Denis. Service charges add 30 to 80 EUR a month.
The deposit is capped at one month's rent excluding charges for an unfurnished home and two for a furnished one. Home insurance, which is compulsory, costs 60 to 150 EUR a year, and APL aid can reduce the net rent.
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