Living

Once you have secured a place at a German university, you should look for accommodation as quickly as possible - the rush is usually enormous!

In general, the classic division of student housing also applies in Germany: shared apartment (WG) vs. student dormitory. 

Shared apartment

This is the more complicated option, but it has the advantage that it offers more freedom - you can choose the room, the apartment and the roommates yourself and are not subject to any other restrictions except for the house rules.

If you want to live in a shared flat, you should start looking immediately after graduation to have enough time and consider as many options as possible. Availability and prices vary from city to city. The price depends on the size of the room and the location of the apartment and can vary from 250 euros up to more than 400 euros per month. When looking at the price, it is important to ascertain whether the price already includes expenses (internet, electricity, heating, condominium expenses, etc.) or not. The deposit is usually 2-3 months of rent. You can find ads on the notice boards in university faculties, online or in newspapers. A more expensive alternative is to contact a real estate agent who usually charges a commission of 2-3 months of rent.

As a rule, you look for offers in the now numerous online housing exchanges and apply. The prices vary greatly from place to place of study: as a rule, however, a WG room costs between 250 and 500 euros.

• www.wg-gesucht.de

• www.easywg.de

• www.studenten-wg.de

• https://www.heyroom.app/ 

Dorm

This is usually the more comfortable option: a room in a dormitory is usually already furnished, internet and other utilities are already included in the price, sometimes dorms even offer cleaning services. Dormitories are usually also cheaper than shared rooms, in Germany you pay between 200 and 400 euros. Convenient is also the fact that most homes are managed and assigned by the local Studentenwerk, i.e. you can get information and apply centrally.

Suggestions for Munich are available at ISAS (Interessensgemeinschaft Süstiroler Auszubildender und Studierender).

Registration requirement

Anyone who moves into a residence in Germany must register within two weeks of moving in. To register, you have to go to the registration authority of your municipality and present a valid ID card, passport or passport substitute document and a certificate issued by the person providing the residence. 

Persons moving abroad must deregister with the registration authority of their municipality, while those moving within Germany only have to register their new residence. It is not necessary to deregister the former residence.

Both Germans and foreigners are required to register. Violations of the registration requirement are subject to fines.

More info on the topic of residence is available here.