Student housing in Germany
How student housing works in Germany, including providers, queues, deposits, contracts and practical risks to check before signing.
Read the complete Germany study abroad guide.
Housing
Housing is the hardest part of studying in Germany, and in Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Berlin it borders on brutal. Apply for a Studentenwerk hall of residence the day you are admitted, because the waiting lists run for semesters, and the rent is a fraction of the private market.
The common alternative is a WG, a shared flat, where a room is advertised and the existing residents interview candidates. It is a social process rather than a commercial one, and being interviewed in German helps.
Expect to pay a deposit, the Kaution, of up to three months of cold rent, held in a separate account and returned after you leave. Rent is quoted cold, kalt, meaning without heating and utilities. The warm figure is what you actually pay.
Never transfer a deposit for a flat you have not seen, and be sceptical of any landlord who cannot meet you. Fake listings target arriving international students every September.
Source: https://www.studentenwerke.de/en
Common questions
What should international students know about housing in Germany?
Apply for a Studentenwerk hall the day you are admitted. Otherwise expect a WG, a deposit, and a search.