Minister wants fund to help students with accomodation

France's higher education minister Laurent Wauquiez says he wants to create a new fund to help students find a place to live as they head back to university. The cost of affordable housing has increased dramatically in recent years and many cannont attend the best universities as a result. 

Students are heading back to universities in France, and many are spending the month of September hunting for a flat or a room to rent.

Across France, housing is becoming more and more expensive. In the Paris region, the cost of renting a one-bedroom flat has increased by over 18 percent since 2010.

Higher education minister Laurent Wauquiez yesterday said some parents cannot afford to send their children to study in the country's best universities because the rent there was too high.

He also said he wanted to create a fund that will pay security deposits for students who cannot afford to pay the deposits upfront.

The fund will also provide landlords with a rent guarantee insurance if their rent to students who have joined the programme.

The ministry and French banks are set to discuss creating the fund in the coming weeks.

However, France's Finance minister François Baroin has criticized this initiative as the country introduces austerity measures to reduce public deficits.