Accomodation for International Students
Important information for your accommodation search
- Heilbronn is a university town and home to several universities. For this reason, it is important to start looking for accommodation as early as possible, as cheaper options may no longer be available before the start of the semester.
- The cheapest option for students is a room in the dormitories. Please note, however, that there may be longer waiting times to be allocated a room in student dormitories. You should therefore apply for as many options as possible (including private options).
- Do not travel to Germany without confirming your accommodation. An address and registration of this is absolutely necessary for many other administrative processes.
- It is highly recommended that you look for suitable accommodation before travelling to Germany.
Forms of accommodation
The most common forms of accommodation for students in Germany are apartments and shared flats(WG).
- An apartment is a flat that consists of one or more rooms and has its own kitchen and bathroom area.
- A shared flat (Wohngemeinschaft or WG) consists of several people who share a flat. Each person has their own room, and the kitchen, bathroom and living room are shared.
Furnishing
In Germany, flats can be rented furnished (möbliert) or unfurnished (unmöbliert). Unfurnished flats are usually offered for long-term rent by private landlords.
Warm rent and cold rent (Warmmiete & Kaltmiete)
Warm rent (Warmmiete) is the total amount of rent that you have to pay for a flat. It includes the so-called basic (or cold) rent and ancillary costs.
Cold rent (Kaltmiete) is the cost of pure room utilisation.
Ancillary costs (Nebenkosten) are, for example, the costs for water, heating, gas, refuse collection and electricity.
Deposit (Kaution)
A deposit is a sum of money that must be paid at the beginning of a tenancy. This sum serves as security for the landlord if the tenant causes damage to the flat or fails to pay the rent. You will receive the deposit back when you move out if the flat is in good condition.
Liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung)
Personal liability insurance is insurance that covers the costs if you unintentionally cause damage to others, for example if you accidentally injure other people or damage their property (e.g. rented accommodation). Liability insurance is optional, but highly advisable for students living in rented accommodation.
Subletting
Students often sublet their room or flat to other students for a short period of time (approx. 3-6 months) because they do not need the room due to a semester abroad or internship. The landlord's authorisation is mandatory for subletting. A contract must also be concluded for subletting.
The DAAD offers further terms:
Student halls of residence
Studierendenwerk Heidelberg manages three student halls of residence in Heilbronn:
Important information for your application for dormitories of the Studierendenwerk Heidelberg
- Heilbronn University does not allocate places in the dormitories. Students must apply for accommodation themselves.
- It is also possible to apply for a place of residence without admission. As soon as you have been admitted to study at HHN, you can submit your letter of admission later (wohnen.hn@stw.uni-heidelberg.de).
- Apply as early as possible. Applications received after 15 July (for the winter semester) or 15 January (for the summer semester) have far fewer chances and selection options.
- Rooms in student dormitories usually have long waiting lists.
- Note for students studying at the Bildungscampus: The dormitory at Cäcilienstraße 39 has very limited capacity and long waiting lists. Please apply also for other options (near Campus Sontheim and/or private offers).
- To apply for a place in the dormitories, you must complete an application form on this page. After submitting the online application, you will receive a confirmation link by e-mail. This link must be confirmed within 5 days, otherwise your application cannot be processed. Please also check your spam folder.
- The allocation of rooms and the dispatch of tenancy agreements usually begins on 15 July (for the winter semester) or 15 January (for the summer semester).
- A confirmation of occupancy for a room in a dormitory can be sent up to 10 days before the desired move-in date. Cancellations are generally not sent.
- Every 30 days applicants receive an automated reminder email with a confirmation link. In the email, you will be asked whether you are still interested in a place in a hall of residence. As long as you confirm this link, you will remain on the waiting list for a place in a hall of residence. As soon as you no longer confirm the link, the Studierendenwerk assumes that you no longer require a room in a hall of residence. Your application will therefore be removed from the waiting list.
- If you decide not to study at the HHN, please inform the Studierendenwerk Heidelberg (wohnen.hn@stw.uni-heidelberg.de).
- App one (53 places, 3 barrier-free apartements)
- App two (47 places, 2 barrier-free apartements)
- Campus South Station (Südbahnhof) Heilbronn (59 apartements, out of which 8 are barrier-free)
- Meine Studibude (12 places, 2 barrier-free rooms)
- RobertA (80 places)
- Wohnraum Heilbronn GBR (74 Shared apartment-rooms)
- Appartementhaus (124 apartements)
- Student dormitory Rheno-Silesia e.V
- PaulA (106 places)
- PUROpartment (89 places)
- Student dormitory Lohtor (114 places, 1-2 barrier-free rooms)
- Dormitory of city housing estate (150 apartements)
- Campus Living Heilbronn (180 apartements)
- W 27 (212 apartements, out of which 3 are barrier-free)
- Urban Living Heilbronn (239 apartements, also barrier-free)
- Appartmenthaus am Käthchenhof (18 apartments)
Target group: Young adults with and without disabilities who would like to live together in a shared flat close to the centre of Heilbronn.
In new small neighbourhoods, residential units have been created in which people with and without disabilities live together. People with disabilities and students live together in inclusive shared flats.
The students live at a reduced rate thanks to their support services. This is supplemented and accompanied by support staff from Open Assistance.
Residents with and without disabilities have equal rights and obligations as citizens of the new neighbourhoods.
People with disabilities are actively involved in the process right from the start. They contribute their strengths and interests, thereby shaping the social space.
The neighbourhood is actively shaped. Everyone has the same starting conditions, nobody has to fit into existing structures. In our opinion, this facilitates inclusive development and promotes the empowerment and autonomy of the residents.
Private offers
The AStA room database contains accommodation offers from private landlords without commission for Heilbronn, Künzelsau, Schwäbisch Hall and the surrounding area.
In case of questions, please refer to the student service office:
Temporary accommodation
If you are unable to find permanent accommodation, you can move into temporary accommodation for a short period of time until you find a permanent place to live. However, we advise you to only do this in emergencies!
Please note that in temporary accommodation such as hotels or private providers, it is generally not possible to register for a short rental period. Without registration (Anmeldung), you cannot open a bank account or apply for a residence permit.
Do not travel to Germany without accommodation. An address and registration of this is absolutely necessary for many other administrative processes.
Contact person for international degree-seeking students
