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Housing International Office

We help international degree-seeking students look for accommodation

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 thus searching for accommodations can be time-consuming.

TU Darmstadt neither owns nor operates student dormitories. For this reason we offer support to international degree-seeking students in their search for affordable accommodation at the start of their studies.

Get to know Darmstadt better!

Accommodation search

We offer assistance to newly enrolled international students of the TU Darmstadt.

  • We advise and help you when you are looking for suitable accommodation.
  • We explain Darmstadt's housing market to you, including general information about renting in Germany.
  • We assist you in applying for a room in a shared flat.
  • We receive offers from landlords and property owners with whom we have cultivated good contacts, from reliable real estate agents, and through Internet searches.
  • Our service is free of charge.

Join our webinar “Find your new place to stay”

We are offering several chances to join our webinar in the months before the start of the summer semester.

  • Monday, February 17 at 9:30 (CET)
  • Thursday, February 20 at 15:00 (CET).
  • Wednesday, March 5 at 9:00 (CET).

Among the topics covered in the 45-50 minute long webinar are an introduction to Darmstadt's housing market, the costs you can expect, the steps to finding a WG room including how to write your application, and signs of a possible scam to watch out for. There will be a chance to ask your questions at the end.

The webinar is available as a PDF-document. If you are would like a copy, .

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.

Consultation hours

As an international student of TU Darmstadt you can come by during our office hours to receive advice and support with regard to your housing questions.

Consultation hours are offered in February on Mondays from 10-12 a.m. in Bleichstr. 2, 3rd floor, room 307.

If our consultation hours don't suit your schedule or you are not in Darmstadt, send us an . We will offer you other options to assist you.

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 home
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
Even though we ask you to tell us about the kind of accommodation you are looking for, we may not be able find accommodations that exactly match your expectations. Compared to the national average, renting in Darmstadt is relatively expensive.

Prices vary depending on location and furnishings. On average (according to the Moses Mendelsohn Institute), a room in a shared flat in Darmstadt costs EUR 460. A furnished room in a Studierendenwerk shared flat costs on average EUR 395. Outside of Darmstadt, you can often expect slightly lower rents. To find a cheaper room, you need to invest time and patience in your search.

  • 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.

TU Darmstadt does not own or operate any student dormitories, so we are not able to offer students rooms of our own.

The non-commercial dormitories in Darmstadt are operated by Studierendenwerk Darmstadt. Their shared flat rooms are very popular. It is therefore recommended that you register for one as soon as you have decided to study at the TU Darmstadt. The Studierendenwerk Darmstadt has an accommodation service that can answer all your questions about the dormitories. You can apply for a room at Studierendenwerk on their website.

Many commercially run student dormitories can be found in Darmstadt. New ones open up regularly. The easiest way to find out what is currently available is through an internet search. Or ask for current information.

If you have signed a rental contract, please note:

  • The rent is paid directly to the landlord.
  • The rent is due at the beginning of each month.
  • Quite often, you have to pay a deposit (usually 2-3 monthly rental payments) before you move in. This deposit, plus accrued interest, will be returned to you if the apartment is in good condition when you move out.
  • Usually the rent has to be paid for a whole month. This means that even if you move in on the 15th, you have to pay the entire month’s rent.

If you have questions regarding your lease, make an appointment with us. We will be happy to read through it and explain it to you..