Housing in Paris
Araz Tapeh from Parsons Paris class of 2022 shares some advice about finding housing in Paris.
Finding housing is one of the things that you have to do as a student living in Paris. It’s also something you want to take your time with as it is important to look at all your options and make a good decision. It’ll be the closest thing you’ll have to a home for some time!
There are some important factors to consider while making your decision. All three of these are interdependent.
– Location
The arrondissements of Paris can differ greatly from one another, and you should do a little bit of research so you know which you’d find to be the best fit for you in terms of a neighborhood you’d see yourself living in.Â
– Budget
Decide on a budget but also compare it to the area and amenities to make sure you’re getting a reasonable price. As with most cities, the same applies for Paris: the further out you go from the city center (we’re talking about the 1st or 6th arrondissements for example) the prices lower significantly.Â
– Types of HousingÂ
Parsons Paris provides housing for students through API housing for their first year, and typically students go for a shared apartment. That being said, many first year students including myself got independent housing starting their first semester. There are many online rental agencies like Paristay or Paris Attitude that make it easy for you to find one that you’re looking for, especially with easy filtering options to choose exactly what you want.
You have choices! You can…
- Get a studio by yourself or with a friend.Â
- Find an apartment and share it between 2-3 people.
- Find accomodations through student residences if they aren’t school specific.
Also note that if you are a minor like I was during my first year, there are still options. You can get a parent to sign off as the tenant/guarantor or you can live with a host family. I went with the latter and spent my entire year living with a host woman, which definitely helped me get immersed in French culture and helped me improve my French conversational skills. However, there can be obvious down sides to this as you may have to follow and respect a set of rules. You may find housing through a host family of your choice/location through online homestay agencies.
Happy House Hunting!