Living in Darmstadt

The Housing Assistance Office

Moving to a new country brings some challenges with it. We will help you to find suitable accommodation in order to make your start at TU Darmstadt as smooth as possible.

Living in Darmstadt

Moving to a new country brings some challenges with it. We will help you to find suitable accommodation in order to make your start at TU Darmstadt as smooth as possible.

Who is eligible for our services?

We offer assistance to all international

  • Professors
  • Visiting researchers
  • Postdoctoral researchers
  • Doctoral degree candidates

and to German professors returning from abroad.

In order to best assist you in finding housing we need details about what you are looking for in an accommodation as well as your budget. In order to gather this information, we request that you complete our online registration form.

We strive to provide you with offers for accommodation in accordance with your specifications and wishes. However, we cannot guarantee a successful match.

Darmstadt is a future-oriented city located in the middle of the Rhine-Main region, which is known for its good infrastructure and economic situation. Around 5.5 million people live, work or study in the Rhine-Main region. Therefore the housing situation in Darmstadt is quite tight and searching for accommodations thus quite time-consuming. We recommend that you start your search as early as possible.

Get to know your future town better!

Abbreviation German terminology Meaning
N-Zi-Whg N-Zimmer-Wohnung N room apartment (not N bedrooms!)
N-ZKB N-Zimmer + Küche + Bad N rooms, kitchen and bathroom
N-ZKBB N-Zimmer +Küche + Bad +Balkon N rooms, kitchen, bathroom, balcony
Abstellk Abstellkammer storage space
Blk / Balk. Balkon balcony
DG Dachgeschoss under the roof / attic rooms
DU Dusche shower (can be separate or in the bath tub)
EBK Einbauküche fitted kitchen
EFH Ein-Familie-Haus single-family house
EG Erdgeschoss ground floor
EB Erstbezug first occupancy
G-WC Gäste-WC separate toilet for guests
HK Heizungskosten heating costs
HH Hochhaus high-rise building
Kaution Kaution deposit
Keine zusätzl. Prov. Keine zusätzliche Provision (Maklergebühren) no additional commission
KDB Küche, Diele, Bad kitchen, hall, bathroom
MM Monatsmiete basic monthly rent
NB (Nbk.) Nebenkosten extra monthly costs such as heating, water, cable TV, cleaning of shared areas, garbage removal, etc.
NF Nutzfläche useable area (incl. storage and other, non-living spaces) in m²
NR nicht Raucher non-smoker
OG Obergeschoss top floor
RH Reihenhaus row / terrace house
Stellpl. Stellplatz parking space
TG Tiefgarage underground garage
TL Tageslicht bathroom with daylight
WM/warm Warmmiete rental fee incl. all extra monthly costs such as heating, water, cable TV, cleaning of shared areas, garbage removal, etc.
Wfl./WF Wohnfläche floor space (excluding some defined areas) in m²
WG Wohngemeinschaft flat-sharing is accepted
WK Wohnküche large kitchen (can be used as communal space)
ZH zentrale Heizung central heating

The lease

You should know the following when signing a lease for accommodations in Germany:

  • You pay your rent directly to your landlord.
  • The rent is due at the start of each month, in advance for the current month.
  • Rent is generally paid for a full month, so that even if you move in on the 15th of the month, you may still be required to pay the full month's rent.
  • A deposit is often required before you move in. The deposit is normally 2-3 times the monthly rent.
  • The lease agreement governs both the term of the lease and the termination rights of both parties.
  • The condition of the property you can expect to find at the beginning of the lease term and your obligations as the tenant at the end of the lease term are specified. It is important that you have read and understood your obligations in this matter.

The costs

You can expect to encounter the following expenses in conjunction your your accommodations:

  • Deposit* (one-time before moving in)
  • Rent (monthly)
  • Utility costs (either a share of estimated annual expenses or a flat fee, monthly)
  • Settlement of utility costs (additional payment or a reimbursement after settlement of actual utility costs, annually when a share of estimated annual expenses has been paid)
  • When applicable, electricity, water heating, if not included in the utility costs charged (monthly)
  • License free that finances German public broadcasters, mandatory for all residents (monthly)
  • When applicable, final cleaning charges (one-time when moving out)
  • When applicable, renovation expenses (one-time when moving out, in the case that the lease requires the room/apartment be returned in renovated condition)

* Deposit is a term for the rental security on which the landlord can fall back if the tenant does not comply with their obligations to pay rent or compensation for damages. The tenant can make claims for repayment of the rent deposit at the earliest after handing over the apartment to the landlord, as a general rule after the expiry of the settlement period of six months to be granted to the landlord.

IMPORTANT for your resident permit!

In order to apply for your resident permit, you must be able to show that you have the minimum amount of living space required. For further information on the required space, please contact the .

The guest houses

Each year TU Darmstadt welcomes a large number of international visiting academics, who come to study and teach at the university. Our guests from across the globe find a “home away from home” in one of our 60 guest apartments in our two guest houses.

Otto-Wolfskehl-Haus offers international researchers coming to TU Darmstadt modern accommodations directly adjacent to the Lichtweise campus.

Built in 1898 and restored in Art Noveau style in 1910, Georg-Christoph-Lichtenberg-Haus is an example of this unique architectural style that has become a landmark in Darmstadt, which has helped the city gain international prominence.