GERMANY | Accommodation | General information
General (student) housing situation
German students usually don’t live with their parents. Most students share an apartment with others (a so-called WG – Wohn-Gemeinschaft), rent an apartment or live in a hall of residence (student dorm). The situation on the housing market varies greatly. Whereas it is difficult to find an apartment in economically successful regions such as Southern Germany and big cities like Munich or Hamburg where rent is extremely high, apartments are easy to find and very reasonable in economically depressed areas (e.g. in rural areas, Eastern Germany).
In terms of housing quality, standards are very high throughout the country.
In Germany, apartments are usually unfurnished when you move in. Some apartments come with a furnished kitchen or household appliances such as a washing machine or stove. The apartment ad will state this or the landlord will tell you. If apartments or rooms are furnished, you will have to pay more than for an unfurnished apartment or room of the same size.
Types of accommodation
Sharing an apartment (WGs)
Most rooms in a shared apartment come without furniture. WG rooms are very popular among students in Germany because rent is reasonable and you are able to live independently with a small group of people. This is a great way to meet German students. In a four-bedroom apartment, four students share a kitchen/living room and bathroom while each one has his/her own room. It is important that your personality fits those of your flatmates, especially when it comes to cleanliness, noise, rhythm of life, eating habits (if you cook together), smoking, hobbies, and simply liking each other.
Halls of residence
In Germany all universities have halls of residence. On most university websites you will find information on halls of residence and a contact address of the hall management (often called Studentenwerk = Office of Student Affairs). Usually students have their own room and share a large kitchen with others. In some halls of residence, two students share a bathroom. Most hall rooms are furnished.
Especially in cities where apartments are scarce, a room in a hall of residence is hard to come by. That’s why it is important to apply for a room as early as possible.
Finding accommodation
You can check out Internet sites of regional rental property agencies. Or go to a real estate agent (quite expensive) or even better to an agency arranging shared housing. They offer apartments for rent for shorter periods of time.
To find a room in a shared apartment, search the bulletin boards at your university or other institutions of higher education in the city. Chances are you will find something. Also check info boards and the bulletin board of the city’s university (also online) for ads.
When selecting tenants, landlords make sure that you have sufficient funds and make a decent impression. Quiet, clean tenants are more popular than party animals.
When you start looking for a room in a shared apartment, you will soon notice that a WG visit often takes longer than a normal tour of an apartment. Your future flatmates want to find out if you fit in and they want to get to know you. After the tour of the apartment you usually sit down to talk. Be prepared to tell something about yourself and ask a few questions. If there are things that are important to you, that you like or that you can’t live without under any circumstances, you should mention them right away so that all parties concerned know what they are getting themselves into if you move in.