How To Find Student Housing In Europe

Nothing can be better than on-campus housing – especially for a student who is not only new to the University but to the country as well. On-campus housing allows students to not just make the most of their academic and social life but also to adapt to the new country and city. Thus, we would advise all students headed to Europe to first contact their host University and check out the kind of on-campus housing that they may be providing to their students.

On-campus housing can be of various types and would depend on the host university, availability as well as the budget of the student. Many Universities in Europe provide their students' accommodation in Residence halls or flats that include common areas like lounge, TV room, library, or other spaces. Since these common areas serve as a great place to mingle with fellow students, these are a great place for networking and to make friends. Students are either allotted a single room or shared room in these residence halls or flats. Rooms in these residence halls and flats have a bed, wardrobe, cupboard and study desk. Add-ons like towels, blankets, cooking utensils, access to Wi-fi and others vary from residence hall to residence hall. Some rooms might have an attached toilet and washing facilities while others might have a communal toilet and washing facilities.

These residence halls or flats might have canteens – that offer meals – or shared kitchens that can be used to cook your own food. So, before embarking on your European sojourn, be sure to learn a few dishes which you might be required to cook in the shared kitchen.

Students interested in on-campus housing can fill out the relevant forms provided by their University and they would be allotted one, based on the availability of rooms.

Read more about: How to Choose Between Off-campus and On-campus Accommodation

If you are unable to get on-campus housing in your first year or if you want to move out of on-campus housing after having stayed in it for a year, off-campus housing is the next option. Some kinds of Off-campus housing that students going to Europe can opt for are:

• Private Accommodation - This can be shared or rented on your own. Both have their own pros and cons. While living alone will give you the peace you need during exams, sharing private accommodation will reduce your expenses and give you a chance to make friends. In a private accommodation, students typically have a room to themselves while they share the common areas like toilets, kitchen and living room.
• Private Halls - Many European cities have private halls of residence too. These accommodations are mostly close to the University and have twin rooms that can be shared or studio flats. They have a student common room too. All bills are included in the total price, thus saving students the hassle of paying separate bills.

Let us now list down some places where students can find out more options for their housing:

• CROUS (Regional Centres of University and Academic Services) manages cités U or University residences (which are the cheapest accommodation in France) in France and students going to France can get in touch with their University to find out if they have any specific agreement with CROUS. If the university has an agreement, students need to apply between January 15th and May 31st before the start of the academic year.
• Students heading to Holland for higher studies might have to opt for off-campus housing since students in Holland do not live in Universities.  
• Students going to Denmark should first inquire about on-campus housing from their host institution. Off-campus housing for students is also available in Denmark.
• Students going to Germany have the option to choose from Student accommodation (owned and managed by Studentenwerk) or Private residences.
• Students going to Europe can also find accommodation options at Uniplaces,  Erasmus Student Network and Study Abroad apartments amongst others.
• Facebook groups have information about student housing for particular schools or Universities. So, check those out.

Some tips to remember before opting for off-campus accommodation:

1. For international students, it is best to ask the host university if they can recommend private accommodation options to you. Many Universities across Europe have a list of reputable property companies while many student unions also have websites that help students find rooms.
2. Decide on your budget and look for accommodation within it.
3. Try and find out about the area and location that you would be living in.
4. Before signing on dotted lines of your residential contract and making the payment try checking out the accommodation and read the contract thoroughly. If there is any doubt, take advice from your host university.
5. Always get all the terms and conditions written in the contract. This way, you will have no chances of being taken for a ride.

Finding the perfect place of residence in a foreign country is an exhausting ordeal. But why worry when you have GyanDhan? We help you find the best off-campus accommodation only 50 kms away from the university. Along with this, we also ensure that your meal plans and recreational opportunities are looked after. With us, you can book your accommodation six months in advance and also make all the required  payments. To get an accommodation in Europe though us, click here right now!