The struggle of some students to feed themselves

The students, who have just completed their school year, have for many of them difficulties in eating well and cheaply. A bill has just been adopted to help those who do not have access to university restaurants.

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Not all students have access to a university restaurant (like here in Montpellier), either for timetable reasons or because they live in a rural area.  (JEAN MICHEL MART / MAXPPP)

Since 2020, more than 30 million meals have been served for 1 euro, to students on scholarships or identified by the CROUS (Regional Centers for University and School Works) as precarious. But this first response to the health crisis is not enough. Because many young people study in cities where there is no university restaurant. And in large cities, the opening hours of Restos U do not always correspond to the needs of young people.

Tomas is finishing his studies in political communication this week at the University of Paris Créteil. Throughout the year, he struggled to feed himself: “The problem is both related to access to catering, and to the quality of the dishes at 1 euro. When I had money at the beginning of the month, I bought myself a salad, and at the end of month, I was skipping meals until the next day.”

An agreement with town halls or hospitals

Nearly 500,000 students would find themselves in this situation, unable to benefit from the CROUS catering services, even at one euro. This is particularly the case in rural areas. A bill was adopted in the spring by the Senate to find a solution. Jean Hingray, senator of the Vosges explains the principle: “We chose an agreement between the CROUS and public institutions such as hospitals, town halls, solidarity grocery stores, even private restaurants.”

Adopted by the Senate and the Assembly, this law was promulgated and published in the Official Journal. It should come into force at the start of the next school year. What the tens of thousands of students concerned await with impatience and hope.


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