Student tenancy France: furnished vs unfurnished, 9-month lease, mobility lease, duration, notice, deposit and the clauses to check before signing.
A student tenancy is the contract that binds you to your landlord, and there's more than one type — the right choice depends on how long you're staying. For an exchange semester, the mobility lease (1 to 10 months, furnished, no security deposit) is usually the best fit; for a full academic year, the 9-month furnished student lease matches the school calendar; for a longer stay, a standard furnished lease (1 year) or an unfurnished one (3 years) takes over. Before you sign anything, you need to understand the duration, the notice period, the deposit and the clauses worth checking. This guide walks you through all of it, jargon-free.
What a student tenancy actually is
A lease (in French, bail or contrat de location) is the document that sets the rules between you and your landlord: the rent, the duration, the charges, the security deposit and your mutual obligations. In French, "bail étudiant" often refers to one specific type — the 9-month furnished lease — but in practice a student can sign several lease types depending on their situation.
The first thing to grasp: furnished or unfurnished. A furnished home comes with everything you need to live (bed, bedding, hob, fridge, crockery, table…). This distinction changes the lease length, the deposit amount and the notice period. For an international student arriving with two suitcases, furnished is almost always the right call.
The different types of student lease in France
Here are the four main scenarios, from the shortest stay to the longest.
| Lease type | Duration | Furnished? | Security deposit | Tenant notice | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobility lease (bail mobilité) | 1 to 10 months, non-renewable | Yes, required | Banned (none) | 1 month | Exchange semester, internship, training |
| 9-month furnished student lease | 9 months, no automatic renewal | Yes, required | Max 2 months' rent excl. charges | 1 month | Academic year, proven student status |
| Standard furnished lease | 1 year (renewable) | Yes | Max 2 months' rent excl. charges | 1 month | Longer stay, no student status needed |
| Unfurnished lease (bail vide) | 3 years (renewable) | No | Max 1 month's rent excl. charges | 3 months (1 month in a "tension zone"* like Bordeaux) | Settling long-term, own furniture |
* Bordeaux is a designated zone tendue (tension zone), which cuts the unfurnished-lease notice to 1 month. Check your case on service-public.gouv.fr.
The mobility lease: the smart option for a semester
This is the lease designed for short, temporary stays. From 1 to 10 months, furnished, non-renewable, and crucially with no security deposit — a real relief for your cash flow when you land. It's reserved for specific situations: higher education, internship, vocational training, temporary assignment. You have to prove your status when you sign. Another perk in a flatshare: the law bans joint-liability clauses on a mobility lease. All the official detail is on service-public.gouv.fr.
The 9-month furnished student lease: built around the school year
Reserved for occupants who can prove student status, this furnished lease runs for 9 months and does not renew automatically: it ends by itself at the term date, with no notice needed on your part. Handy if you're leaving at the end of the year. And if you want to go earlier, you can terminate at any time with one month's notice.
The standard furnished lease (1 year) and unfurnished lease (3 years)
If you plan to stay longer than one school year, you'll come across a standard one-year furnished lease (renewable) or a three-year unfurnished lease. The unfurnished one often has a lower rent, but you have to furnish the place yourself and the notice to leave is longer — except in a tension zone like Bordeaux, where it drops to one month.
Deposit, notice, charges: what changes with each lease
The security deposit (dépôt de garantie) is the sum you pay on arrival, returned when you leave if the home is handed back in good condition. It's capped by law: a maximum of 2 months' rent excluding charges for furnished, 1 month for unfurnished, and zero on a mobility lease. The landlord must return it within one month of your departure if the exit inventory matches the entry one — which is exactly why you want a precise entry inventory backed by photos.
The notice period is the time you must give your landlord before leaving. On furnished (standard or student) and mobility leases, it's one month. On an unfurnished lease, it's three months, cut to one month in a tension zone like Bordeaux. You always give notice by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt (or hand-delivered against signature).
The clauses to check before you sign
Read the whole lease, even in French, even if it's long. Here's what to look for:
- The duration and end date. Make sure it matches your actual stay.
- The rent AND the charges, and how charges are worked out (flat fee or a provision with an annual reconciliation).
- The security deposit: check it doesn't exceed the legal cap.
- The joint-liability clause if you're in a flatshare on a single lease: it commits you for your flatmates. We explain it all in our guide to student flatshares in Bordeaux.
- Compulsory home insurance: it's required before the keys are handed over. See our guide to student home insurance in Bordeaux.
- The inventory (état des lieux): never sign a lease without a proper entry inventory.
One safety rule: never hand over money before the lease is signed and before you've seen the place. That's the classic setup for student housing scams — a landlord "abroad" asking for a deposit to "reserve" the room does not exist.
What if you don't have a French guarantor?
Many landlords require a France-based guarantor before letting you sign. If you don't have one — common when you're arriving from abroad — the public Visale scheme gives you a free guarantor, accepted by most landlords. It's often what unlocks a signature. The exact list of documents to gather for your file is detailed in our guide to the rental application file for international students.
FAQ — The student tenancy lease in France
How long is a student lease? It depends on the type. The mobility lease runs 1 to 10 months, the furnished student lease lasts 9 non-renewable months, the standard furnished lease 1 year, and the unfurnished lease 3 years. For a one-semester Erasmus stay, the mobility lease is often the best fit.
What's the difference between a furnished and an unfurnished lease? A furnished home comes with everything you need to live straight away (bed, kitchen, crockery). The furnished lease is shorter (1 year or 9 months), the deposit can be up to 2 months' rent and the notice is one month. The unfurnished lease lasts 3 years, the deposit is capped at 1 month and the notice is longer.
Does the mobility lease require a deposit? No. The law bans security deposits on a mobility lease. The landlord can, however, ask for a guarantor (such as Visale).
Can I leave before the lease ends? Yes, by giving notice: one month on furnished, student and mobility leases. You send your notice by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt.
What's the maximum deposit I can be asked for? For furnished, a maximum of 2 months' rent excluding charges. For unfurnished, a maximum of 1 month. On a mobility lease, none. Anything higher is illegal.
Choosing the right lease means avoiding nasty surprises and starting off on the right foot. Once your lease type is clear, prepare your rental application file as an international student, sort out your Visale guarantor and take out your home insurance. Our Bordeaux settling-in guide lays out every step in order. Ready to view places? Find verified flats and flatshares in Bordeaux on Studroof.
This article is informational and does not replace official sources. Always check the current lease rules on service-public.gouv.fr. Last updated: July 2026.