Sciences Po, like most French universities, does not have housing of its own. Students from Paris generally live at home with their parents or rent apartments on their own if they have the resources. Students from elsewhere in France usually get a room as a lodger in someone's house, or, more frequently, obtain government subsidized housing in the Cité Universitaire or in a student hostel.

Students are advised to make initial inquiries about housing before leaving the U.S., but it is best to arrive early and look in person for suitable housing. Many sources of information are available to those seeking lodging, but it is best to be on site to use them effectively. In the past, Princeton students have attended the orientation and lived in the Cité Universitaire for the first month. This gives them an opportunity to look for rental housing while in Paris, before the beginning of the regular year.

Students are offered help in finding accommodation through a list of contacts. The state-subsidized "Caisse d'Allocation Familiale" (CAF) also provides rent rebates for all students, regardless or their nationality or income, if their residency permit lasts more than four months. The CAF can reimburse students up to half the rent of your apartment. These rebates are called APL (Aide Personnalisée au Logement) or ALS (Allocation au Logement à caractère Social). Sciences Po organizes sessions to help students fill in the forms for APL and ALS.