Accommodation
As in all larger German cities, housing is scarce and expensive in Cologne. At the beginning of the semester, demand for rental apartments, flats and rooms is especially high. We strongly recommend that you start looking for accommodation at least three or four months prior to your planned date of arrival. Here you can find some important information and tips for house hunting.
Temporary accommodation for the first days
Student Residences (KSTW)
With an average rent price of 243€, accommodation in one of Cologne's official student residences run by the Kölner Studierendenwerk (KSTW) is especially attractive. Unfortunately, demand for places is very high and only few applicants will get a place.
Application
To secure a place in one of the official student residences, you need to apply as early as possible, ideally right after your nomination through this online from. Please state that you are participating in the programme “Erasmus-Uni-Köln”.
If your application has been successful, you must pay a deposit and the first month's rent by bank transfer. Then you will receive a preliminary rental contract. Please keep it in a safe place and bring it with you to Germany.
Until the 15th of the first month, you must open a German bank account and authorize the Kölner Studierendenwerk (KSTW) to automatically withdraw the monthly rent from your account.
Contact:
Kölner Studierendenwerk
Abteilung Studentisches Wohnen
ADAC-Haus, Ground-floor
Luxemburger Straße 169
50939 Köln
Phone: +49-(0)221-94265-213 to -228; -239
Email: wohnen(at)kstw.de
Residences of other institutions
Private accommodation
Due to high rents, many young people in Cologne live in flatshares ("Wohngemeinschaft/WG"). Rooms in flatshares are frequently offered for sublet ("Zwischenmiete" or "Untermiete"), e.g. by tenants who are temporarily not in Cologne.
We recommend the following websites to look for a room in a flatshare or sublet.
CAUTION: Do not transfer money before having seen the apartment or having signed a rental contract!
www.studenten-wg.de
www.wg-gesucht.de
www.zwischenmiete.de
www.immobilienscout24.de
Formalities
You will receive a rental contract from your landlord/landlady. Please also ask for a signed "Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung". You will need this certificate for registration with the local authorities.
You should authorize your landlord/landlady to withdraw the monthly rent from your German bank account. Most landlords/landladies also ask for a security deposit ("Kaution") when you first move in. It will be refunded when you move out, if the accommodation has not been damaged in any way. The condition of the property at the time of moving in will be documented in a handover protocol ("Einzugsprotokoll") that you should read carefully. If existing damages are not listed in the document, you should ask for them to be included.
Wohnen für Hilfe (Housing for Help)
"Wohnen für Hilfe (Housing for Help)" is based on the idea of bringing together people with different needs from different generations.
Seniors, families, single parents or people with disabilities, who run their own household and would like to have the company, support and security of a student, provide housing. In return, the student supports the housing provider in the performance of everyday tasks.
More information about the project "Wohnen für Hilfe (Housing for Help)" can be found on this website.
Unfortunately, it happens again and again that students who are looking for an apartment come across apartment fraudsters. Please pay particular attention to the following points when looking at online offers:
1) In Germany, you only pay the rent once you have signed the rental agreement. Therefore, please do not pay any rent or "agency fee" from abroad. The pre-payment of a deposit can happen, but make sure that it is a serious offer.
2) Check whether the apartment address actually exists.
3) Be vigilant if a particularly cheap/large apartment is offered and the landlord is allegedly abroad.
4) The apartment key of private apartments will never be sent to you abroad. It will be handed over to you once you are in Cologne.