The cost of living for French students is increasing by 3.69 percent this year, according to figures released by the UNEF union. Housing prices, the main spending element, are rising sharply. Students are also suffering from a drop in their income because of the health crisis.

Already badly affected financially by the coronavirus crisis, students will have to face a much more expensive back-to-school season.

In its yearly study, released Monday, the UNEF union estimates that the cost of living for students will rise by 3.69 percent in 2020, while inflation fell to 0.8 percent year-on-year in July. And in its survey also published on Monday, the FAGE, the leading student federation, estimates the average cost of the new school year for a bachelor student at 2,361 euros, or 76 euros more than last year.

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In the Paris region, the figure stands at 2,546 euros, an increase of 2.5% compared to 2019. In the regions, the increase reaches 3%, with an estimated average cost of 2,284 euros.

“Besides the usual stress at the start of the new school year, we must add the stress and financial cost of the epidemic,” underlines UNEF.

In Le Parisien, the president of the FAGE, Orlane François, points to increases which will particularly affect “the public close to receiving grants”.

Increase in mandatory spending

The primary cause of this worsening trend is the rise in rents. An expense that accounts for 69% of a student’s monthly budget. In 2020, the price of housing will thus rise by an average of 2.41%, reports the UNEF. An increase which even reaches 3.26% in the regions, against 1.37% in the Paris area.

On the transport side, expenditure will increase by 0.45% on average. The situation diverges from city to city. Prices are up in Brest (+8%), Bordeaux (+3.55%), Lille (+1.59%) and Lyon (+1.56%). Overall, daily living expenses rose by 5.1% according to the FAGE.

Job losses for students

Besides these expenditure categories, there is a new one, directly linked to the coronavirus pandemic: masks. UNEF estimates this additional cost at 240 euros per year, i.e. 31.75 euros per month according to the Fage. “It’s a heavy cost,” points out Orlane François.

According to the Federation, these additional costs may force some students to wear the same mask several days in a row during classes, limiting the effectiveness of the protection. The FAGE has already asked the State to increase the budget of universities, so that masks can be distributed for free at the beginning of the academic year.

In addition, the financial situation of students has deteriorated for an “increase in expenditure because of the closure of the university catering”, especially during the lockdown. The cost of the telephone bill also rose by 2%.

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UNEF also points to “a drop in resources because of sometimes undeclared paid activity (such as babysitting)”. An IPSOS-FAGE survey, published in June, reveals that 72% of 18-25 years old experienced a reduction in activity, or even a total cessation of activity, between March and June.

According to the UNEF, “the lack of a safety net in this context has worsened an already very precarious situation”. The union is calling for an emergency plan to be set up.

The actions taken by the government, including an aid of 200 euros for some students or the prorogation of grants for one month, “have not been enough to compensate for these difficulties,” according to the UNEF. It calls for a 20% increase in the grants and the opening of the help system to 100,000 additional students.