‘It’s not the same to live in a house as to a small hall of residence’: housing conditions, psychological distress and academic success of students in France during the first COVID-19 lockdown

Abstract

ABSTRACT On 17 March 2020, the population in France entered into a strict lockdown due to the critical spreading of COVID-19. Students could no longer go to their learning institutions. The initial 2-week-lockdown lasted overall 10 weeks and higher education institutions remained closed until the end of the academic year, affecting then even longer students’ study situation. Many students chose to leave the accommodation they occupied during the study period if they had the opportunity. Our paper explores the effects of the housing situation on students’ academic success during this lockdown using two quantitative national surveys (one on students’ living and studying conditions before the pandemic and the other on the situation during this lockdown to which 5994 students responded) and 33 semi-structured interviews conducted amongst students living in university halls of residence in the North of France. Our study confirms that in a period of lockdown, housing plays a pivotal and active role in influencing students’ psychological distress, study success, and orientation.