From May 4, students will all be able to benefit from this boost which will be good for their wallets.
Being a student in 2026 often means juggling a tight or even insufficient budget. Between the rent of a studio or a room in a university residence, tuition fees, the cost of transportation, supplies, food and, for some, the repayment of a student loan taken out to finance their studies, the bill adds up quickly. According to the 2025 UNEF survey, the cost of student living now amounts to 1,226 euros per month on average, an increase of 4.12% compared to the previous year. A difficult amount to assume when you have not yet started working life and have no regular income. For many young people, the question is no longer just about passing their exams, but also about knowing how to make ends meet.
A large part of them still rely on the financial support of their parents, who help pay rent, groceries or school fees… Valuable help, but not within the reach of all families. Others choose to work small jobs alongside their studies, a balancing act that can weigh on academic performance and well-being. Finally, state aid represents an essential safety net for the most modest: scholarships based on social criteria (the amounts for 2026-2027 have recently been revalued), housing assistance (APL), one-off emergency aid paid by the CROUS, or even activity bonus for employed students. Despite all this, many young people report having difficulty eating properly, making food one of the first variables in adjusting their budget.
It is precisely to respond to this issue of food insecurity that the 1 euro meal system in CROUS restaurants was put in place. Until now, this ultra-advantageous rate was reserved for scholarship students and non-scholarship students in precarious situations, with other students benefiting from social pricing of 3.30 euros per meal. But the good news is that from May 4, 2026, the 1 euro meal will be accessible to all students, as provided for in the finance law for 2026.
Who is affected? All holders of a student card, a trades student card (apprentices and work-study students), doctoral students as well as civic service volunteers. To benefit from it, you will need to present an active Izly account to prove your status. Payment via the Izly application is also recommended to streamline checkout. This assistance will be valid in all CROUS restaurants in France, and, when possible, in other points of sale in the network (cafeterias, etc.), both for lunch, but also dinner in CROUS restaurants open in the evening. However, each student will only be able to benefit from one meal at 1 euro per service.
This generalization of the 1 euro meal constitutes a major advance for the purchasing power of students. Over one month, for a student who eats lunch daily in the university restaurant, this is a saving of almost 50 euros compared to the rate of 3.30 euros, far from being negligible when every euro counts. It is also a strong signal sent in favor of equal access to a balanced diet, regardless of the student’s level of resources.
It remains to be seen whether the capacity of CROUS restaurants will be sufficient to absorb this increase in demand and maintain the quality of the meals offered. In the meantime, if you are a student or parent of a student, consider activating your Izly account now to be ready on the big day. And don’t forget that spring is also the ideal time to submit your scholarship and housing application for the year 2026-2027 on the messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr website: every help counts!
