FAQs about flat-hunting in Germany
On 14. July 2011 our experts Matthias Ebert and Olivier Doudjouo from the student union Cologne answered many of your questions related to flat-hunting in Germany. Read the FAQs.
1. Search and preparation
2. Organisation and local support
3. Costs
I am going to study in Berlin next summer, is it possible to stay in a dormitory for the first few days while looking for private accommodation or do I have to find a place before I come to Germany?
There is a guest house from the Studentenwerk (student union) Berlin where you could apply.
They rent it for short terms in the summer. Other possibilities are youth hostels or hostels. You can also search for flat sharing agencies, www.mitwohnzentrale.de is a good link.
I would also recommend to try to avoid contacts from the internet because they can promise you many things, but you never know what to expect. Better are personal contact or official websites.
As a foreign student travelling to Munich in October 2011 I am really concerned about where I will stay from day one onwards if I fail to find a suitable accommodation till the time I reach Munich! Please suggest the different options that are available.
Most important is that you apply at the Studentenwerk München (student union Munich) as soon as possible. Even if you apply a bit later you might still get a room because you are from a foreign country. The universities are well aware of the difficult situation foreign students are in. Please note: Munich is the most expensive city in Germany and it is pretty hard to get a room.
One option would be that you also search for a room in a different city close to Munich. The sooner you apply the better it is. If you live a bit outside of the city it is not a big problem because the public transportation network is very good. Just make sure you have the ticket.
Besides a room in a dormitory you can look for a room in a shared flat (WG), www.wg-gesucht.de/en/ is a good link here.
Is it advisable to reserve a room in a WG from my home country (India) before actually arriving in Germany?
I would definitely not do that because you never know what the room actually looks like, if you like the other flat mates and if it is not a rip off. I would suggest that you rather stay in a youth hostel or hostel first and start searching once you are in Germany. You can have a look around and see which areas you like best. If you are interested in a WG then www.wg-gesucht.de/en/ is a good website to search for that.
I am going to study in Kaiserslautern. Where can I find all necessary information about student dormitories?
The easiest way to find information is to contact the Studentenwerk in Kaiserslautern right away: www.uni-kl.de/Studentenwerk.
Will the Studentenwerk München be able to help me in case of finding a room in a WG in Munich?
Yes, they can help you to find a room. Currently the Studentenwerk in Munich offers special services for foreign students: http://www.studentenwerk-muenchen.de/en/accommodation/housing-referral-service/.
I am going to Aachen and finding it tough to manage my accommodation.
For more information and assistance please contact the Studentenwerk (student union) in Aachen. They will surely help you: http://www.studentenwerk-aachen.de/en/willkommen.asp. Or get in contact with the International Office of your university.
I would like to get to know dormitories in Cologne. Are there dormitories that only women live in?
There are no complete dormitories only for women but there are various flat shares where only girls live. When you apply for a room you can always add this request in the "Hints" field.
2. Organisation and local support
I would like to know if the German Universities have rooms for the students, or should we look for flats on our own, out of the University?
It’s not the universities that provide rooms for students in Germany; it’s the student unions (Studentenwerke). There is a Studentenwerk in every bigger city and it’s the best place to look for an accommodation as a foreign student coming to Germany. To get in contact with the Studentenwerk, you can ask the International Office of your German university.
In smaller cities you can mention in your application that you are looking for a room. And still you can search for a private accommodation in a shared flat e.g..
What are the requirements to apply to the Studentenwerk (student union)?
You must be either a student or at least show proof of your acceptance letter. If you do not have this document yet you can still apply, because it takes some time until you might get the first room offer. Apply already while planning your stay in Germany even without the acceptance letter. The longer you wait for a room the higher you are ranked in the list of applicants. And be aware that most dormitories are spread out across the whole city.
I applied for the room in one of the dormitories of KSTW in Cologne, already in February when I got the scholarship for my studies. I am not getting any notification about my accommodation and that concerns me, as I plan to come to Cologne in October. When can I expect the notification from the KSTW if I got the room or not?
This is a question of organizing everything. At first the students who are already living in the dormitory get the offer to prolong their stay. They have a deadline until they can accept or refuse this offer. Only afterwards do we know how many rooms we can rent to new applicants.
You will get an offer six to eight weeks in advance the earliest. If you have not got an offer till then you should contact the Studentenwerk and ask if there are free rooms to let.
Also, don’t be too focused on one dormitory in particular. There are many dormitories in Cologne and most of them are pretty good.
I will arrive at my university on a Sunday afternoon. Where should I turn to, to get the keys and contract for my student room? Will the Studentenwerk office be open?
Normally on a Sunday afternoon the dormitory office is not open, meaning the tutor responsible for this dormitory is not present. If you do not know anybody in this dormitory or city you should stay for one night in a hostel to be on the safe side. On Monday morning everything will be fine.
Is it possible to apply in a hall of residence and a Studentenwerk at the same time?
In Cologne it is not possible to apply to a particular dormitory as well as to the Studentenwerk in general. You just apply to the Studentenwerk and we will take care of the placement if there are free rooms in any of our dormitories. But in other cities it might be different so please check in advance on the internet: www.studentenwerke.de/main/default.asp?id=10100.
Can you please upload a standard format of a rental contract that I am expected to sign when I rent a room in the private market in Munich?
No, I am sorry the only example we have, is from Cologne: www.kstw.de/images/stories/wohnen/Downloads/Mietvertrag_Muster.pdf
I was wondering if it is also possible to stay in the dormitory during winter and summer breaks?
Of course the rooms are on campus and you will not be kicked out during the breaks. You have a rental contract of this room and that counts.
I am curious to know whether most of the dormitories in Germany are furnished or if it depends on the university?
It is about 50:50. That is the case in Cologne. So, if you come from abroad it is better to opt for a furnished room or accommodation.
I applied for a student dormitory in Darmstadt; they directly asked me to sign a 12 months contract. What if I do not like that room?
If you do not like your room you can try to get another one but if there are no empty rooms left you will have stay or wait a bit longer.
In Cologne if you wish to rent a room for less than 12 month you have to pay an additional fee for short-term rent. If you rent a room for a longer period of time you have the chance to change places in the first six month. But in general it is quite difficult.
I am planning to study in Germany with my wife, is it possible to apply for a room for two people?
In Cologne, if you are both students, you can apply for a so called "Mother-Child-Apartment" which is bigger than a normal room and is mostly equipped with a pantry kitchen as well as a bath room. If your wife is not a student you will have to look for private accommodation.
How is life in a flat share? Do people really do things together? Parties, studying, sports, housework, having dinner or the like? And, do people share rooms?
It depends if you like the people you share a flat with or not. If yes, you can do so many things together. It can be a lot of fun. You can ask your prospective flat mates if they normally do things together or not. I would also say it is a bit of luck involved because in a dormitory you never know who you will be going to share the flat with but it is worth trying it out.
In "my" dormitory, that I take care of as a tutor, we have a lot of different events. For example we do barbecues together, play table soccer, go partying... so many things, cooking as well, watching soccer, going out. You name it, it is there.
Can you share a flat with a friend so that you share the payment of the rent? Is it allowed?
That is very difficult if this flat is meant for only one person. Generally, in a dormitory it is not possible but if you rent a private two-bedroom-flat it is of course possible but also not that easy.
What does a 12 months contract involve? If I leave earlier, do I have to pay for the whole 12 months?
It is not such a big problem if you already know when you want to leave and give notice to the Studentenwerk (student union) in time. The deadline is three months before the day you want to move out. If you want to leave earlier you have to search for a new person renting the room.
What is the cost for a flat for one student in Munich (minimum and maximum)?
Well, this depends on many things. The average rent is 348 Euros but that ranges a lot. In the city centre you will rather pay between 500 and 700 Euros monthly.
As a student coming from India, what is the total accommodation cost we can expect for a course of two years?
This depends on soooo many things. In small cities the accommodation is cheaper than in big cities. You have to calculate with approximately 150 Euros to even a 1 000 Euros - everything is possible. Just check the website of the Studentenwerke (German student unions) for more information: www.studentenwerke.de/main/default.asp?id=07301.
Could you please explain what the "Nebenkosten" for flats are? Because we do not know what we will have to pay and it could be a bad surprise in terms of finance.
First of all in dormitories the "Nebenkosten" are included in the rent. This includes water, heating and caretaker services, electricity etc. There are no additional costs besides the amount of money you pay for the rent. But if you decide to rent a private flat things are different. You have to pay "Nebenkosten" (water, caretaker services etc.) as well as electricity and heating. So a dormitory room is definitely the better choice for a foreign student.
