Rooms and apartments in the Studierendenwerk

There is a shortage of cheap living space in the Region Lower Bavaria/Upper Palatinate. The apartments in the residential complexes of the Studierendenwerk are exclusively let to students. Due to the government subsidy for the construction of the residential complexes, the rents are not as high as on the free housing market.

Measured against the total amount of students searching for living space, only a limited amount of apartments is available. All apartments are furnished and have internet access. Among these apartments, there are also apartments that have a private bathroom and kitchen. In other apartments, you share the kitchen and/or the bathroom with other students (apartments in shared-living flats). In the residential complexes, there also are common washing machines and common rooms.

An apartment can be rent at a monthly warm rent of about EUR 220 to EUR 400 on average (that means including service charges such as heating and water). Before you move in, you have to pay a rent security deposit/deposit. Please, note that, before the apartment is handed over to you, you have to produce evidence for the payment of the rent security deposit in order to receive your apartment key from the janitor.  After termination of the tenancy, you will be paid back the rent security deposit within the statutory periods provided that no damages or the like have been detected when the apartment has been returned to the landlord.

Application procedure for foreign students (students that have not obtained their university entrance certificate in Germany)

Prospective students and students that have not obtained their university entrance certificate in Germany may apply directly with the Studierendenwerk by means of the online application procedure. More detailed information and application at: https://www.stwno.de/en/housing/antrag-ausland-en

Application procedure for foreign students that have obtained their university entrance certificate in Germany

Prospective students and students that have obtained their university entrance certificate in Germany may also apply directly with the Studierendenwerk by means of the online application procedure. More detailed information and application at:
https://stwno.de/de/wohnen/bewerbung

Also if you do not yet know whether or not you will be assigned a place on the course, you ought to apply for an apartment in advance. Only by applying, you do not yet enter into obligations.

Private flats for students and private housing market

Apart from the state-subsidized residential complexes of the Studierendenwerk, there are also private residential complexes for students. You can find more detailed information on these at the International offices at the universities.

Living on the private, “free” housing market is usually more expensive than in residential complexes and, in unfurnished apartments, costs will incur for furnishing. In addition, landlords generally demand a rent security deposit/deposit of three months’ rents to be paid at the beginning of the period of tenancy. Please, note that real estate companies and brokers can charge a brokerage or agency fee (“commission” or “courtage”). Since June 2015, a legal regulation has been in force, according to which brokers can only charge the tenant with a commission if they have been explicitly commissioned with the apartment search. If the flat is let by a private person to a private person, usually no fees are charged.

The Studierendenwerk’s room exchange

The Studierendenwerk also brokers flats and rooms on the private housing market via the room exchange.