Both international students and working professionals make a lot of effort to find a suitable place to live. Because finding accommodation in Germany is not so easy, especially in crowded cities like Berlin, Stuttgart, Munich, and Frankfurt, etc. So, if you are a student or going to Germany for work then try to find accommodation as early as possible even before moving to Germany.
Before making the final decision, it’s good to examine the location of accommodation on Google Maps. It will help you to understand the mobility inside the city. Accommodations near to the main center, supermarkets, and public transport are always regarded well in Germany.
Student accommodation in Germany:
Students in Germany usually live in student residence halls, shared apartments, or in their private apartments. The most popular accommodations are the student halls and shared apartments because they are cheaper than private apartments.
Student residence halls (Studentenwerk):
Student halls are one of the cheapest accommodation options in Germany for students. So, try to get a room first in a student hall, then move toward other options. All student residence halls work under the Studentenwerk (student services organization), and the Studentenwerk is responsible for managing the residence halls and allocating rooms to students.
Try to apply for accommodation in a residence hall right after getting admission to a German university. Each city that has a state university has a Studentenwerk. So search it with the city name like Studentenwerk Berlin and apply directly on their website.
Wohngemeinschaft (shared apartment):
The second cheapest student accommodation in Germany is the shared apartments. When you cannot find accommodation in the student residence hall, find a room (WG Zimmer) in a shared apartment.
Shared apartments are called WG (Wohngemeinschaft) in Germany. You can find a room in shared apartments on these online platforms. You can also find single-room apartments (private accommodations) on these portals.
Job holding people also live in shared apartments with students. So if you are coming to Germany on a job seeker visa or work visa, then you can find a room in these shared apartments.
Private apartment:
After reaching Germany, if you want to get a single/double room private apartment, various landlords can ask for a SCHUFA document. SCHUFA is a document that explains the creditworthiness of a person residing in Germany. You can get it from Schufa Holding AG.
If you own a job, then you can also give them three months’ salary slips. If your status is student, then you can give them a blocked account bank statement. Usually, nobody demands this for shared apartments (WG’s).
Temporary accommodation options:
If you cannot get accommodation in Germany in a student residence hall or shared apartment, you can book temporary accommodation on the following online portals. You can spend your first nights in this temporary accommodation and find another accommodation in the residence hall or shared apartment.
- Airbnb
- You can find reasonable rooms on Airbnb according to your budget and duration of stay.
- Youth Hostels
- Youth hostels are expensive as compared to Airbnb rooms, but you can stay a few weeks here.
- A&O Hostel
- If you want to stay for a few weeks in a hotel, then the A&O hotel can be the most reasonable option. (if it is present in your city)
- Booking.com
- It is useful only for job seeker visa and work visa applicants but not for students.
City registration after getting accommodation in Germany:
Must register your address in the local town hall after getting a rent contract. After registering the address, If you want to move to another place, then it is a must to register your new address in the local town hall.
It is also compulsory to pay Radio & TV fees after the registration of the address. If you live in a WG or shared apartment, then the total amount will divide among all the tenants. If you are living alone, then you have to pay the full amount by yourself.
FAQs about accommodation in Germany:
The average rent for student residence halls is around 250 euros, and the average rent of a room in a shared apartment varies from city to city. For example, a room in a shared apartment in Dresden has an average rent of 250 euros, and a room in a shared apartment in Hannover has an average rent of 350 euros.
State universities provide funds to Studentenwerk to offer cheaper accommodation to their students. But private universities usually do not offer this kind of funds to Studentenwerk. So, their students can not get rooms in Studentenwerk.
WG (Wohngemeinschaft) means a shared apartment in Germany. WG Zimmer means a room in a shared apartment.
Studentenwerk is a student union in Germany responsible for managing the student residence halls and allocating rooms to students.
Quadratmeter means square feet. It tells how big is the room or apartment. You will find this word during a search of WG Zimmer on online portals.
In Germany, rent is divided into two parts: the Kaltmiete and the other is the Warmmiete. Kaltmiete is the room’s original rent, and Warmmiete is the cost of other things like; water, heating, cleaning, etc. These costs are also called Nebenkosten in German. Gesamtmiete means total rent.
Kaution means security deposit in German. Typically, students’ security deposit is two months rent, and for other people, three months rent.
