Living the student life on a budget in Strasbourg

I spent a year studying in Strasbourg, France, which, thanks to its status as one of the two homes of the European Parliament, is unfortunately rather expensive in terms of general living costs. But with a few simple tips, you can save money and benefit from all of the wonderfully French socialist measures which exist to protect students and even encourage them (ah, so different to our dear ConDems) to study for longer. Most bachelor's and master's degrees are practically free, although some of the private, specialist schools may charge higher rates more similar to British post-grad courses.

But there are ways to 'get your money back' - the French government awards grants to (EU) students who are financially not so well off; apply through the CNOUS website and you may be eligible for a 'bourse' (grant): http://www.cnous.fr/_vie_15.htm300 - 400 € per month including charges is probably about average for a student in Strasbourg (of course you can get cheaper and more expensive depending on your preferences regarding location, room size, etc.). Food shopping can get expensive in Strasbourg, so try and limit yourself to the cheaper stores such as Aldis and Norma for the basics, and only go to Simply or Carrefour when you really must. All of the delicious products on offer may be tempting, but remember that groceries really do all add up! 

Secondly, the French government ALSO provides housing benefit to all students regardless of income, known as the CAF: https://www.caf.fr/wps/portal which you can apply for once in Strasbourg by visiting the CAF offices. This, for me, amounted to 90 € per month - almost 1/3 of my monthly rent, which really did help a lot!

In terms of living costs, Strasbourg can be quite expensive. Rooms in student residences are available but not particularly cheap; fellow students paid up to 600€ for a city centre room. Your best bet is probably a private student flatshare, available on websites like this: http://www.recherche-colocation.com/recherche.html
To save money on rail travel, the Carte 12-25 is available from the national SNCF rail company for anyone aged under 25; this allows you to get from 25 - 60% off rail travel for just 50 € per year. Public transport in Strasbourg is actually really good too, more 'German style' than French - there is a good tram network and regular buses. Monthly tickets are very cheap compared to other cities I have lived in - I paid 22€/month for a student 'abonnement' (monthly travel pass), and if you ask for an income assessment you can get a reduction based on your financial situation and your parents' income. My flatmate managed to pay only 2,20€ per month for transport! 


Another excellent opportunity to save money whilst making the most of life in the culturally rich city of Strasbourg is the 'Carte Culture' - all students of the University of Strasbourg receive this for free in their first year, and afterwards for about 6€ per year. This gives you free entry to most museums and galleries in the city, plus reduced tickets for gigs and concerts (often 5,50€ per ticket, some of the more famous names excepted of course!) For cheap sport activities, students can opt for the 'Sport' add-on when paying for their student card, which is just 15 € for the entire year and affords you access to the university's sports facilities. By signing up for a fitness class or sporting activity for the semester, you could attend professionally-run, fully supervised classes with the sports coaches of the university, from weekly aerobics to fencing, football and swimming. I consider this an absolute bargain, although you would sometimes find some classes booked up quickly. I attended an aerobics course every week and found it fun, the teacher motivating and the whole experience was excellent value for money. No need to pay for a fitness class. 

What's more, many people and students in particular travel by bike in Strasbourg as the bike path network is very good, and you can buy cheap second-hand bikes at flea markets or Emmaus, a concept which is very much worth a mention. This is a shop/workshop to which members of the public donate their old furniture and bicycles and so on, and the items are fixed up and repaired by homeless, unemployed or otherwise vulnerable members of society who are also given a place to stay here and helped to find their place in society again. The repaired items are then resold in the shop, with the money going back into the charity to help others in need. I bought my bike and several pieces of furniture for my flat from Emmaus. The bike cost around 30€ and was definitely worth the purchase, as public transport in Strasbourg doesn't run that late (until about midnight) so I found it useful to have a bike if I was returning home later than that. 

So, there you have it - my tips for a budget, yet fully enjoyable student experience in Strasbourg, one of the most culturally-rich, interesting and unique cities I have ever lived in. You're bound to have the time of your life here!