Student Accommodation In Germany

It is no secret that Germany has a world-class education system that requires from students low or no tuition fees at all. Combined with the country’s excellent research environment and employers’ high respect for German university degrees, this makes Germany one of the top choices of students from all around the globe. However, it just so happens that one of the biggest challenges that students are facing is actually related to student accommodation. Finding an affordable place to stay as a student in bigger cities in Germany might be even more difficult than ever before, depending on the area the student is looking in. With the increasing number of students going to study in Germany every year, the problem of student accommodation shortage is growing fast and steadily.

The number of student enrollments in German universities has increased by 20 percent between 2017 and 2018 alone. Germany is the 16th most populous country in the world with over 80 million people living there, of which four percent are students. Moreover, in 2016, there were about 360,000 international students registered in Germany. The majority of them are interested in big and major cities such as Berlin, Munich or Frankfurt, resulting in a huge mismatch between supply and demand for student accommodation there. This growing gap is actually pushing student rentals prices up. Students are forced to live in smaller and smaller rooms and flats but at the same time, they pay more and more money to rent them. Students who start looking for accommodation earlier have more chances of finding a nice place to live at a reasonable price. However, this is not always the case.

Those who are mainly affected by the issue of finding affordable student accommodation are international students. German universities tend to send out acceptance letters very late (one to two months prior to the start of the academic year) and therefore, foreign students do not have enough time to do their proper research and find an affordable and nice place to stay. What is more, at the time they start looking for student accommodation, most of the places are already taken. International students in major German cities are now facing both timing as well as price pressure.

According to various surveys on student accommodation in the Federal Republic, in the last three years a decrease in the number of listings for student rentals in major German university towns has been noticed, while at the same time there is a huge increase in the rental prices there. In Berlin, for example, the prices for student housing rocketed by almost 20 percent between 2017 and 2019. 

Currently, for а room with an approximate size between 22 and 30 m2, students in the German capital need to pay around 390 EUR monthly, while two years ago they were paying about 320 to 330 EUR for the same space. For the same unit, students in Frankfurt pay over 500 EUR per month. The most expensive student city, however, is the beautiful Munich, where students have to pay on average 600 EUR per month for student accommodation. In Stuttgart and Hamburg, prices range between 460 and 490 EUR per month for a student room.

Those are the Top 10 cities where students find it most challenging to find affordable accommodation to rent:

1. Munich
2. Frankfurt
3. Hamburg
4. Bamberg
5. Stuttgart
6. Freiburg
7. Darmstadt
8. Berlin
9. Tübingen
10. Konstanz

The extreme situation with student accommodation prices in many major student cities in Germany is putting a lot of pressure on both international and domestic students. As a result, many domestic students in Germany continue to live with their parents during their university years.

Rental prices in student cities are a very important aspect when choosing a place to move in. In fact, the city one chooses to study in Germany will indicate the amount of money to be spent every month on rent. While for some rental prices might not be such a huge problem, other students have to consider them very carefully in advance. For instance, if a student studies and lives in Munich (which as mentioned before is considered the city with the highest rental prices), they will be spending a fortune on accommodation and living costs in general.

However, since there is a significant difference in student rental prices in Germany according to region and city, there are still places where finding affordable student accommodation is still possible. In the baroque city of Dresden, students usually pay on average 230 to 250 EUR per month for a room, which is twice less than what students pay in Frankfurt am Main or Hamburg. In Jena, one can expect to pay around 260 EUR per month for student accommodation, while in Halle the price is 270 EUR.

Below, students can find a list of the top 10 most affordable student cities in Germany in regards to student accommodation prices.

1. Bielefeld
2. Krefeld
3. Dresden
4. Jena
5. Halle
6. Passau
7. Frankfurt (Oder)
8. Kiel
9. Kaiserslautern
10. Leipzig

After doing proper and in-depth research on different regions and cities in Germany, considering the approximate monthly costs for rent and everything, it is time for the crucial question: What kind of student accommodation will be most appropriate, affordable and easiest to find in the chosen destination?

There are several options available to students in Germany when it comes to accommodation. However, the main decision one will have to make is between student dormitories and private accommodation. Of course, there are different types of private rentals students one may find in the Federal Republic, and each type of accommodation for students in Germany has its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s first start with the most commonly known one.

• Student dormitories

Student dormitories, also known as student halls of residence, are the most popular choice among students when it comes to accommodation. Most typically, every student has its own bedroom while the kitchen and bathroom are shared among several students on each floor. In most of the cases, student dormitories in Germany are owned and maintained by the Student Services Organization (Studentenwerk), therefore German universities are not responsible for arranging accommodation for students.

Pros

The biggest advantage of living in a student dormitory in Germany is that it is considered the most affordable type of student accommodation in the country. Students should apply in advance through the website of the local Studentenwerk administration at the chosen university. Moreover, when living in a student dormitory, one is always surrounded by people of the same age. By living with different people, the chances to build strong and lifetime friendships are much higher. However, finding a place in the student dormitory might not be a picnic.

Cons

Unlike others, German universities do not automatically assign students accommodation and there usually is a huge waiting list for students who want to get a room there. As a matter of fact, only around 40 percent of the international students in Germany live in student halls. The availability in the student dormitories usually runs on a first-come-first-serve basis, so one should apply as early as possible in order to have higher chances to live there. However, it is still not guaranteed.

Every prospective student who is considering the option of living in a dormitory in Germany should keep in mind that choosing flat mates or roommates is not an option. One could be extremely lucky, pleasantly surprised, or absolutely disappointed with his or her new flat mates.

• Shared flats

Students who do not get a place in student halls of residence in Germany or those who prefer to live somewhere else go for shared student accommodation instead. In fact, shared apartments are very popular as a housing option among students in Germany. Shared student accommodation can range from a very big six-bedroom house or three-bedroom apartment, where several students or young people who are just starting their career life share a kitchen, bathroom, etc. as well as the monthly rental price.

Pros

When choosing to live in a shared flat or house, one has the option to first meet with the potential flat mates before actually moving in with them. Additionally, private apartments usually offer more space to students, i.e. a bigger bedroom, a living room where all can meet and do something together, as well as better cooking conditions in the kitchen.

Cons

Private student accommodation in Germany is for sure more expensive and at the same time more difficult to find. There are nearly three million students living in Germany, so finding a suitable and affordable place to live as a student might take much more time than one expects. It is more of a big competition for rooms out there. Prospective students have to do in-depth research in advance in order to have a chance to find a place to stay. And even if one is lucky enough to find a nice place, the price can still be an issue. Most commonly, if students choose to study in Frankfurt am Main, Berlin or Stuttgart, for example, the monthly rent they will need to pay for a single room in a shared flat amounts between 320 and 550 EUR.

• Microflats

As the prices for rented apartments are drastically rising and cost more than 20 EUR per square feet, students are forced to live far away from the university building or even in a neighboring city so that they can actually afford to pay the rent. Living in a suburban area or even in a different city than where the university and the student dormitories are located is not very convenient, left aside that students’ social life is affected by it, too. Microflats are the latest and most popular trend among students and single, young professionals who want to live in a big city still close to the city center. Although small, usually between 19 and 22 m2, microflats offer students the amazing opportunity to live privately in major student cities around Germany. On top, micro flats are designed to provide all the features that a normal livable apartment would have but everything fits into a much smaller space.

Pros

For those students who prefer to live on their own, student halls or shared student apartments are definitely not an option. And finding a place for just a single person in bigger German cities and at the same time not very far from the city center is almost impossible. Moreover, the rental price is usually calculated per square feet with additional consideration of the location – the smaller space, the lower the price will be. That’s not all. Since space is limited, students do not need to spend as much on heating or cooling, and they can cut idle shopping entirely for the same reason – not enough space to keep unnecessary things.

Cons

A microflat is usually designed to accommodate only one person. But living alone can be sometimes boring, especially for students who are in their 20s living the best years and wanting to collect as many great memories as possible. But getting entertainment in such a small home that has only the bare essentials can be a challenge. In the summer, one can always go outside, have fun, and meet people, but cold weather can force students to stay at home, with a very limited guest list because of lack of space.

Another problem is that microapartments are considered still a new thing on the market and therefore they are not cheap. In big student cities such as Berlin and Frankfurt am Main, a micro apartment costs 400 to 500 EUR per month. Usually, students who are not working during their studies have to stick to a particular budget, so microapartments are probably not the best option for them.

In general, price is definitely an important aspect of students’ decision where to go to study, but that does not mean that students necessarily always go for the cheapest option. Sometimes, even limited and expensive accommodation options and higher living expenses in general in the chosen destination are not enough to discourage students to follow their dreams. 

A big part of the problem with the student accommodation shortage in Germany comes from the fact that there are far not enough places to accommodate the increasing number of students coming to study in the major German cities. Moreover, there are not enough places built that are actually suitable to accommodate students specifically, such as student dormitories or bigger apartments/houses with two and more rooms which students can rent, etc. In fact, only about 30 percent of these kinds of spaces habe actually been built in major student cities in the country.

The problem with the student accommodation shortage in the Federal Republic has no simple or fast solution but being open to new and creative student accommodation versions, such as the micro apartments, can somewhat help big German towns to manage with the growing number of incoming students looking for a place to stay.