Our Housing Guide

Once you've received your letter of acceptance, the adventure of studying will begin soon! It will be especially exciting when you start looking for an apartment in your new homeland. It's best to think about what you expect from your place of residence and your apartment, how much money you can and want to spend, and how you imagine your student life in Darmstadt.

Since finding a place to live at from abroad can be particularly difficult, TU Darmstadt offers a housing service for international first-year students through the International Affairs Department, as well as support for exchange students in finding a place to live.

All students, both from abroad and from Germany, can of course inform themselves independently via various online portals, social media or local newspapers and look for an apartment, but we will get to that later.

The most important question when looking for an apartment is: Where exactly do you want to live? Darmstadt is located in the middle of the Rhine-Main region and has exceptional connections via trains, buses, and streetcars – even to the surrounding area. It can get noisy in the middle of the city, especially on weekends. It is usually quieter on the outskirts and the rents are often cheaper. For those who appreciate peace and quiet and are willing to travel a little further to university, it can be worthwhile to look for an apartment in the immediate vicinity of Darmstadt!

The residential area becomes more favorable and quieter if you move a little further away from the city center. Neighbourhoods such as Arheilgen, Kranichstein, the Post- or Heimstättensiedlung and Eberstadt are not quite as central, but you get more living space at a lower price and can get to the city swiftly by bike or public transport.

Alternatively, it may be worthwhile to look for an apartment or shared apartment outside the city. If you prefer to live a bit away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy taking trips into nature, you can feel very comfortable living outside the city. With your semester ticket, you can take the RMV public transport in the hessian state for free and still get to Darmstadt quickly.

The other super important question is: Would you rather live alone or with others? Of course, both solutions have their advantages and disadvantages! If you live alone, you usually pay a slightly higher price per square meter, but you have more freedom to choose how to use your living space. If you live together with others, you usually share a bathroom and kitchen, maybe even a living room – so you have a little less space/are a little more limited in use. However, in such a shared apartment there is always someone there with whom you can talk, eat or do something. Especially if you are new in a city and do not know anyone, a real advantage! But, as with siblings or in friendships, it can also sometimes come to conflicts. So it's best to decide right at the beginning whether you feel comfortable in a shared apartment and how many people you would like to have around you on a regular basis. If you prefer to live alone, be aware that your own apartment is probably a bit more expensive.

You can find a flat share via online portals. Below we have listed lots of links to help you find an apartment. The same applies for your own apartment: The easiest way is to get information online and get a feeling for the prices. Keep in mind that if you have your own apartment, you will need to furnish it. However, some dormitories also offer furnished apartments. In our opinion, these are particularly suitable for a shorter stay. It is best to find out in advance what is already available there.

Would you like to be in the middle of the city and really enjoy life as a student? Would you like to meet lots of other students? Then a dorm is just right for you!

A clear advantage is that most of the facilities are already available, and some rooms are furnished. In addition, the Studierendenwerk dorms are not run commercially and, despite their central location, offer living space at a moderate price and are usually organised as shared flats. Sounds tempting, doesn't it? The disadvantage: Many students apply for a limited number of rooms. It is therefore worthwhile to get on a waiting list early (one to two semesters in advance).

A dorm is out of the question for you or you would like to be more flexible? Then it's best to look for a flat. Here you can decide whether you want to live with friends or fellow students and where exactly you want to live. Are you ready for your own four walls? Then let's go!

Have you decided how you want to live in Darmstadt or the surrounding area? Then get going! Think about your wishes and requirements early on: What does your flat absolutely have to have? Where can you relax best? How will you spend your free time? How big is your budget? Is it OK for you to travel 30-45 minutes to university? If you have answered these questions in advance, it will make your flat search much easier. And you can start looking for a place to live when you receive your notification from the university, at the latest. The sooner, the better! We'll keep our fingers crossed that you find your dream flat in Darmstadt and see you soon on campus!

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