Renting a Room

If you want to study at a German higher education institution, you will have to arrange your own accommodation. In some cities that can be quite difficult, so it's a good idea to start searching for somewhere to live early on.

Students in Germany often struggle to find affordable accommodation and rent usually makes up the largest part of their monthly budget. On average, students pay around 489 EUR for their accommodation, with prices varying greatly depending on the city. Affordable rooms are especially hard to find in large cities such as Munich, Frankfurt am Main and Berlin, as well as in typical student cities such as Freiburg and Tübingen. For example, a room in a shared flat in Munich costs around 790 EUR, while the average price in Jena is 328 EUR. The type of accommodation also plays a role. Halls of residence are often the cheapest option, while private flats are the most expensive.

The right time

At the latest when your place on your course has been confirmed, you should start looking for accommodation. You can often register with halls of residence in advance, whilst applying for a degree programme. The International Office at your higher education institution in Germany can help. Vacancies can also be found for example on social networks. You might find it easier to look for accommodation if you are starting your course in the summer semester as only 16% of students in Germany start their degree programme at that time. This is because many courses are only offered from the winter semester.

Renting basics

If you are invited to view a flat, it is common to bring a short information portfolio. This may include a CV and your confirmation of enrolment. Many landlords in Germany also require a SCHUFA credit report, a parental guarantee or other documents proving that you can afford the rent (this could also be proof of salary or confirmation of a scholarship).

Before you sign a rental agreement, you should be sure that you understand which costs you will be facing:

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. The costs for waste collection, water, and other amenities in the house, and often also gas and heating, make up the so-called Nebenkosten, or utility costs. These are added to the basic rent, giving 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.
Whether you have to pay for internet access and electricity separately, depends on the accommodation. In shared flats or in some halls of residence, both are billed directly with the Warmmiete, the total rental payment. If you want to rent your own flat, you should budget for these bills.
More and more flats in Germany are being rented furnished. Before signing the rental agreement, you should clarify which furniture belongs to the flat and whether a transfer payment may be due. This would be the case if you are expected to purchase furniture from the previous tenant.

When you read apartment advertisements, you will come across several frequently used abbreviations. You can find an overview of the most common terms here.

Accommodation options:

Option 1: Student residence

Student residences often offer the most affordable accommodation for students. Many student cities have several of them. You live in a house with other students and often share certain rooms, such as the bathroom and kitchen. The rent depends on the location, size and amenities. In the student residences run by a room costs on average 280 EUR per month, on average. 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.

++ Low cost, lots of contact to other students
-- Little privacy, very high demand for this type of accommodation

How it works: If you would like to register for a place in a student residence, contact your local student services. Registration deadlines and conditions can be found on the student services' websites. The can also help you.

TIP: You can find a large selection of German student residences in the DAAD database: Find a student residence hall.

Option 2: Flatshares

If you don't want to move into a student residence or you don't manage to get a room there, you can move into a flatshare where several students live together in a privately rented flat. The kitchen, bathroom and sometimes a living room are used communally, but each flatmate has his or her own room. Costs for rent, electricity and internet are shared. This form of cohabitation is one of the most popular among young people in Germany. Almost 30 percent of students in Germany live in a flatshare. Depending on the city, students pay between 266 and 790 EUR per month for a room in a shared flat - depending on where they live.

++ Affordable rent, direct contact with German and international students
-- Compromises in using the shared flat

How it works: You can search for flatshares or post your own wanted ad on various online platforms. At higher education institutions, flatshare ads can for example be found on . You can also place your own ad there.

TIP: Student services also offer portals with private accommodation ads. You can find your student services here.

Option 3: Own flat

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. Again, the rent depends heavily on which city you are studying in. Munich is by far the most expensive location, Chemnitz the cheapest.

++ Plenty of freedom and privacy
-- High costs, you will need to actively initiate day-to-day contact with other students

How it works: To find your own flat you can use specific websites and search the local paper in your university town for advertisements. Or you can post your own wanted ad in the paper or online.

The interim solution

If you don't yet have accommodation when the semester begins in Germany you can try an interim let: many students sublet their rooms for a limited period when they themselves go abroad or complete a placement elsewhere. In some cities, student services and student communities also offer overnight accommodation for the first few days. You can also rent a room in an independent hostel, a youth hostel or a private B&B until you have found permanent accommodation.

Alternative forms of housing and search strategies

Haven't found what you're looking for yet? In addition to shared flats, halls of residence or your own flat, there are other options:

There are more and more “co-living spaces”, especially in the big cities. In addition to fully furnished flats, they also offer communal areas - such as a fitness room or a roof terrace. All utilities and internet are included. However, this form of living is very expensive.

A completely different idea is “renting for help” (in German: Wohnen für Hilfe). Such projects can be found in several cities. Students live with senior citizens at low cost or rent-free. In return, they support the seniors, helping them with everyday tasks such as shopping or gardening. You should not expect boisterous all-nighters or noisy flat-share parties here. Therefore, please think carefully about whether this suits you, beforehand.

Activate your personal network by reaching out to friends or commenting on the social media pages of your home education institution. You can ask if anyone is currently in the city or has already made contacts there. Even short-term accommodation, for example for a fortnight, can offer you valuable support during this transitional period.

Tips: How to avoid fraud when looking for a flat.

Fraud when looking for accommodation in Germany is not common, but it can happen. If you pay attention to a few things, you will be able to recognise scams quickly and distinguish between genuine and false offers.

Watch out for these warning signs:

Unrealistic price: The room or flat is conspicuously cheap and looks “too good to be true”.
Perfect photos: The pictures look unusually professional or appear AI-generated. A reverse image search on the internet can also be helpful. This way you can find out whether identical images are also being used for other flats.
Absent landlord: The person offering the flat states that they are abroad and cannot be present in person.
Foreign bank details: The bank details are not in Germany and the IBAN does not begin with “DE”.
Insecure key handover: The key is to be sent against cash payment or cash on delivery.
Bad German: The advert contains spelling or grammatical errors and does not match the pictures.
Pressure: You are put under pressure to immediately make a payment or provide a signature.

How to protect yourself:

View the flat in person: It is best to view the flat or room in person. If you are not yet in Germany, you can also arrange virtual viewings. When flatmates in shared flats are looking for an interim tenant or want to fill a room, they also offer tours with popular video chat apps. In this case, be a little more skeptical. Does the flat look “student-like”? Do the people seem genuine?
Do your own research: Check the contact details of the agency or managing company. Are there any warnings about the providers online?
No advance payments: Don't give any money in advance. The deposit is only due after the tenancy agreement has been signed. Reservation fees or viewing fees are not common.
Protect your data: Be careful on the internet and do not give out your personal information carelessly. If someone asks for a copy of your ID or a video identification procedure, you should be absolutely sure that the person is trustworthy.
Report suspicious ads: Inform the police and the online platform about possible fraudulent ads.