Student Accommodation in Germany: A Complete Guide
All about types of student accommodation in Germany, Renting basics, Links to housing websites, Pro Tips & more…
Student Accommodation in Germany
One of the most stressful parts of moving to Germany is the process of finding accommodation. It is necessary to have an address of correspondence for your city registration, application for residence permit, opening of bank account, your communication with the university or employer and many other administrative matters. In this article, we tell you about various types of student accommodation in Germany, and how to start looking for them before you leave home.
The rent is usually the largest item in their monthly budget. On average, students pay 323 EUR per month for their room, but prices vary between regions. Accommodation in large cities such as Munich, Hamburg or Frankfurt am Main and in traditional university towns such as Freiburg or Tübingen is expensive: a studio flat costs around 595 EUR in Frankfurt, and even more in Munich. Living in eastern Germany is much cheaper than in the West: a small flat in Leipzig costs on average 379 EUR in rent. Even more affordable is sharing a flat with other students.
Also Read: Cost to study in Germany
The Right Time to Start Finding Student Accommodation in Germany
As soon as your place on your course has been confirmed, you should start looking for accommodation. The International Office at your higher education institution in Germany can help. Vacancies can also be found for example on social networks. You will have less trouble finding accommodation if you are starting your course in the summer semester; only one in ten students in Germany starts their degree programme at that time because many courses are only offered from the winter semester.
Think About What You Need in a Flat in Germany
In order to find a place to live in Germany that suits your needs and that you feel comfortable in, it is important to think about a few crucial aspects first. What is your budget? Do you prefer to live alone or with other people? Where should your flat be located? Do you prefer to live on campus or in the city?
Renting Basics Before You Start to Search Student Housing in Germany
The monthly rent for a flat is divided into Kaltmiete and Warmmiete. Kaltmiete, or basic rent, is the part of your rent that covers the use of one or several rooms. Adding the costs for waste collection, water, gas, heating and other amenities in the house, the so-called Nebenkosten, or utility costs, gives you the Warmmiete, or total rent. You will also almost always be required to pay a Kaution, or deposit, which usually amounts to three times your monthly basic rent and serves as security for your landlord. The deposit is returned when you move out, if you leave the flat in good condition.
When you read apartment advertisements, you will come across several frequently used abbreviations. You can find an overview of the most common terms here. [pdf-file]
Pro Tip: Ask for this document before booking a place to stay
Before booking a furnished apartment or short term stay, make sure to ask the landlord or service provider if they can provide you with a so-called “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung“. You will need this document to register in Germany (“Anmeldung”), a mandatory step before you can open a bank account, apply for a tax id and your residence permit.
Types of Student Accommodation in Germany
There are many options that are available on the German market:
- Student Hall of Residence
- Single room/ studio apartments,
- Flatshares – single room shared apartments
How do I Get a Room in a Student Hall of Residence?
There are several student halls of residence in many university towns. A room in a hall of residence is probably the cheapest accommodation you will find. In some university towns, obtaining a room in a student hall of residence is not easy. But your chances are much better if you apply early enough. We recommend applying as soon as you receive your notification of admission from the German university of your choice.
At a student hall of residence in Germany, you live in a house with other students and share certain rooms, such as the bathroom and kitchen. The rent depends on the location, size and amenities. In the student residences run by student services a room costs on average 246 EUR per month. Because these rooms are very popular, it is important to secure your place early on. More than 40 percent of international students who come to Germany move into a student residence.
Although the Studentenwerk is usually responsible for allocating rooms at student halls of residence, the International Office at some universities also offers this service. Therefore, enquire first at your International Office about how to go about applying for a room in a hall of residence.
ACCOMODATION FINDER
You can find a large selection of German student residences in the DAAD student residence hall database.
What Kind of private Student Accommodation in Germany is Available?
There is a wide variety of private accommodation in Germany in every city. You will find offers for empty rooms and fully furnished apartments. Therefore, you could look for a flat or room to let. If you prefer to live alone, you can rent your own flat. This is the most comfortable, but also the most expensive form of accommodation. Students pay on average 389 EUR per month for their own flat.
Rooms in shared flats are often available, as well. A shared flat (WG) is one in which several people live. Each flatmate has a room of his / her own and shares the kitchen, bathroom and sometimes the living room, as well. The cost of rent, telephone and internet is divided between all the flatmates. This form of accommodation is very popular among students. over 30 percent of students in Germany live in a flatshare. On average, students pay 363 EUR per month for a room in a shared flat.
In most cases, tenancy contracts must be signed in person on location. This means that you will have to wait until you arrive in Germany before you can finally secure private accommodation. But you can already prepare for your search by looking into possibilities via the internet right before you leave, and perhaps arrange an appointment to view a flat.
Where can I spend the first nights in Germany (the interim solution)?
You don’t have a place to stay when you arrive in Germany? Before you leave, you should decide where you plan to spend the first few nights. There are a number of possibilities which the International Office at your university can tell you more about.
In some cities, the Studentenwerk and university community offer new students affordable places to stay for the first days. Of course, you always have the option of staying at a private Pension (a small hotel), a youth hotel or a youth hostel. If you wish to take a room at a youth hostel, you must be a member of the International Youth Hostel Federation. You can apply for membership directly at the youth hostel for a small fee.
Other Less Popular Student Accommodation in Germany
A. Living for help – housing partnerships between young and old
As a student, your monthly budget for rent is probably limited. Therefore, you may also be able to find low-cost or free housing alternatives. For example, in the Wohnen für Hilfe (Living for Help) project, which was launched by the German Student Union, you live with older people free of charge and in return help them with everyday activities such as shopping, gardening or cooking.
B. Sharing a flat with older people
Even independently of projects like Living for Help, there are many older people who rent out rooms to students, as they feel more comfortable having someone close by to ask for help in an emergency. Since older people are often old-fashioned, you will often find such requests in newspapers or on notice boards in public places in the city. But you can also sometimes find rooms or self-contained flats that pensioners sublet to students on housing portals.
C. Living with a host family
Living with a host family can be particularly attractive for students from abroad, as it can help you to build up an initial social environment and find your way around in your new surroundings. In your guest family, you are immediately immersed in German everyday culture and can also improve your language skills every day.
List of websites to find Student Accommodation in Germany
If you are a student and want to find a flat in Germany, you have a good choice of the best-known flat portals. On Immobilienscout24, Immowelt or Immonet you can find furnished studios, one-room or multi-room flats. It’s always worth a browse. However, since most flats on these portals are offered without furnishings, you should use filters when looking for accommodation on these portals that only show you furnished flats. These portals often offer long-term rentals and are worthwhile if you plan to stay in Germany for at least a year. Alternatively, you can find furnished student accommodation on websites such as Uniplaces or Homelike.
Unfurnished long-term apartments:
Note: The offers on these websites are public and usually receive many requests within minutes after they go online. You need to be really quick and have all your documents for the apartment application ready.
- ImmoScout: https://www.immobilienscout24.de/
- Ebay Kleinanzeigen: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/
- https://www.immowelt.de/ (only available in German)
- https://www.meinestadt.de/ (only available in German)
- Berlin, offers by major local housing associations: https://inberlinwohnen.de/ (only available in German)
Fully furnished rooms:
- AirBnB (watch out: most providers on AirBnB do not provide “Anmeldung”): https://www.airbnb.com/
- Wunderflats: https://wunderflats.com/
- spotahome: https://www.spotahome.com/
- Homelike: https://www.thehomelike.com/
Shared flats
- WG gesucht: https://www.wg-gesucht.de/en/
- WG Suche: https://en.wg-suche.de/
+ Join city-specific groups on Facebook
Student housing:
- Berlin: https://www.stw.berlin/en/housing.html
- Munich: https://www.studentenwerk-muenchen.de/en/student-accommodation/
- Aachen: https://www.studierendenwerk-aachen.de/en/housing.html
-> (Pro Tip: Google “Studentenwerk” + the city you will move to to find your local student union)
We hope that this article has given you detailed insights on how to find a student accommodation in germany, a rough idea of housing rent in Germany and factors to keep in mind while choosing a student housing in Germany. We have also provided you with a list of websites where you can find student accommodation in Germany. We provide end to end services for students who wish to pursue their higher education in Germany. If you may wish to see our services and how we can help you in applying for Masters or Bachelors in Germany, see our MS in Germany Page.
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