Study abroad6 min read
Student housing in Germany: Studierendenwerk halls, WG rooms and your deposit
The Draimo team
Short answer
German universities rarely house students themselves. Rooms in student halls come from the regional Studierendenwerk, which runs waiting lists, so apply the day you are admitted. Most other students rent a room in a shared flat (WG). A deposit is at most three months' cold rent and can be paid in three instalments, and your landlord must give you the form you need to register your address.
Try it in Draimo
Ask about housing in your German city
- How do I apply for a Studierendenwerk room in Munich, and how long is the waiting list?
- Explain this German rental contract in English: what is the cold rent, the deposit and the notice period?
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Studierendenwerk halls
Each university city has a Studierendenwerk, the student services organisation that runs halls (Wohnheime). Rents are among the lowest in the city and usually include bills and internet. In big cities the waiting lists are long, so apply as soon as you have your admission letter.
A room in a shared flat (WG)
Most students live in a Wohngemeinschaft, a flat shared with others, each with their own room. Flatmates choose who moves in, often after a short video call or visit, so a friendly message about yourself helps. Rent is quoted two ways: Kaltmiete (cold rent) and Warmmiete, which includes heating and service charges.
Your rights as a tenant
- Deposit (Kaution): at most three months' cold rent, and you may pay it in three monthly instalments.
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung: your landlord must confirm your move-in in writing, and you need it for your Anmeldung within two weeks.
- Broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag): €18.36 a month per household, shared in a WG. Students who receive BAföG can be exempt.
- Never pay a deposit before seeing the room and signing a contract.
Where Draimo helps
Attach a German rental contract and ask Draimo, in English or any of its languages, what the cold rent, deposit and notice period are. Ask it to write a WG application message in German that introduces you well. With Agent Mode on a monthly plan, Draimo reads your Studierendenwerk's current pages and cites them. For the rest of your first weeks, see our Germany guide.
Questions people ask
- How much is a rental deposit in Germany?
- At most three months' cold rent (Kaltmiete), and the tenant may pay it in three monthly instalments.
- What is a WG?
- A Wohngemeinschaft: a flat shared by several people, each with their own room. It is how most students in Germany live.
- How do I get a room in a German student hall?
- Apply to the Studierendenwerk in your university's city as soon as you are admitted. Rooms are given from a waiting list.
Sources we checked
- BGB §551: limit on rental deposits
- Deutsches Studierendenwerk: Wohnen (housing)
- Rundfunkbeitrag: exemption for students
Checked 30 September 2026. Dates and amounts change every year. Draimo reads the current pages when you ask.
Read a German contract in your language before you sign.
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