Finding accommodation in Hamburg

Are you searching for an apartment or a room? Although affordable housing in Hamburg is rare, please do not despair! Patience and luck will help you find suitable accommodation!

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Note

Start looking for accommodation as soon as you can! Vacant dorm rooms provided by the student services Studierendenwerk fill up quickly and searching on the free market may take months.

Studierendenwerk (student services) accommodation

Studierendenwerk Hamburg currently provides 25 housing facilities for 4,400 inhabitants. All rooms are furnished and rent including utilities starts at EUR 310. This rather inexpensive type of accommodation is much desired, however. We strongly recommend that you apply online at least three months before your planned moving date!

For further information, offerings and deadlines, please refer to the pages of Studierendenwerk (student services).

Commercial housing providers

Housing search

In Hamburg, there are plenty of co-ops, housing companies, and private landlords. For an overview of available apartments, it is best to search real estate portals on the Internet. The City of Hamburg’s pages offer tips and contacts that can help you navigate housing here.

Shared housing (WG)

Would you like a room in a shared flat? There are also online platforms for these, and social media can also be useful. The City of Hamburg page provides information about shared housing (in German only).

In addition to the Internet, it is always a good idea to look at the bulletin boards at the University or the housing offers in local newspapers.

Accommodation for exchange students

Special accommodation service for exchange students from partner universities (Erasmus+, Central Student Exchange Program or faculty exchange)

Exchange students must go through their Erasmus+ offices at the University of Hamburg to apply for a room at the Studierendenwerk Hamburg. Every semester, the Studierendenwerk makes a certain number of rooms available to exchange students at the University of Hamburg, so applying is worth it.

As the number of rooms is limited, however, not all applicants can be guaranteed a room. We recommend that you also seek private housing on your own in addition to your application to the Studierendenwerk. Unfortunately, finding affordable housing in Hamburg on your own is not easy. Please start making arrangements as soon as possible.

How do I apply for a room in a residence hall?

Contact your coordinator in Hamburg for an application form. Please note: As an exchange student, you cannot apply directly to Studierendenwerk Hamburg for a room in the residence hall.

Important: The deadline for submitting your application varies by faculty. Please ask your coordinator for your deadline.

Registering your address

Confirmation of tenancy (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) as per Section 19 of the federal citizens’ registration act (Bundesmeldegesetz, BMG)

In the confirmation of tenancy, the landlord or landlady confirms that the tenant lives in the apartment in question. Everyone subject to mandatory registration must be given a confirmation of tenancy so they can complete their mandatory registration within 2 weeks after moving into the apartment.

When registering the new address, the tenant must submit the confirmation of tenancy to the registration office (the tenancy agreement alone is not sufficient). Where the tenancy is governed by a sublease agreement (e.g., in a shared apartment), the main tenant is responsible for issuing the confirmation of tenancy.

Registering your address/registration certificate

You must register your new address within 2 weeks after moving in. Individuals who have no children under the age of 18 can use the City of Hamburg’s electronic registration. All other groups must register at the city customer service centers. Book an appointment (ideally online) within 2 weeks after moving to comply with the registration period. After registering, you will receive a registration certificate, which allows you to open a bank account or apply for your residence permit, for example.

Housing types and neighborhoods

Common living arrangements

Most students live in a shared apartment (Wohngemeinschaft or WG in German), a private apartment or a residence hall. Those living in shared apartments or residence halls normally share a kitchen, bathroom, and other common spaces with their housemates. If it is important to you to live only with people of your own gender, for example, make sure you read the ads for shared apartments carefully: many sharing arrangements involve people of different genders.

Find an overview of the most important terms used in German housing advertisements in this list of abbreviations.

Popular neighborhoods

The districts Sankt Pauli and Sternschanze are trendy and immensely popular among students. This also applies to Eimsbüttel due to its proximity to the University. Appartments and rooms in Altona and Ottensen are in equally high demand as are the expensive districts bordering on the Alster Lake. Apartment hunters with limited budgets should explore alternatives outside the city center.

The city map of Hamburg will help you find your way!