Shared flat or single apartment? 

• Shared flats are often cheaper and more sociable! Are you moving to Aachen with a friend? Form a shared flat! 

• Individual apartments offer more peace and privacy 

Student residences 

A total of 5000 places for students at the four universities in Aachen and Jülich. Es gibt verschiedene Wohnformen: 

• Shared flats (3 or 4) 

• Corridor community 

• Single apartment 

• Family apartments 

• Double apartments 
• Accessible apartments

The apartments are rented partially furnished (usually there is already a kitchen, desk, chair and wardrobe). The maximum period of residence is 3.5 years, but can be extended by up to one year under certain circumstances.

Location tips 

Aachen: Popular neighborhoods are the Pontviertel, Frankenberger Viertel and Burtscheid 

• Depending on which department you are studying in, certain neighborhoods are more attractive than others 

• In general, Aachen is not particularly large and the bus connections to the individual faculties are good 

• You can get around Aachen quickly by bike, just be prepared for a few hilly stretches! 

Jülich: Proximity to the Solar Campus is practical, the city center is also well connected 

If you have no problem with a short commute to Aachen, you can also find affordable apartments around Aachen (e.g. in Eschweiler or Stolberg). 

How does the application work? 

1. Online application via https://www.studierendenwerk-aachen.de 
2. Select up to 6 halls of residence and the respective form of accommodation 
3. Upload important documents (e.g. letter of admission) 
4. Submit your application and report back every month from now on! 

The re-registration happens once a month between the 15th and 25th. You can easily re-register via a link in a reminder e-mail.  On the 26th of each month, the new figures for your place on the waiting lists are published. 

Important Information 

• The earlier you apply, the better! (Ideally as soon as you know that you want to study in Aachen!) 

• Waiting times of up to 2 years are possible, apply anyway! 

Useful Platforms 

• www.wg-gesucht.de 

• www.kleinanzeigen.de (Beware of fraud!) 

• www.immoscout.de (If it is urgent: Use Immoscout+ trial month) 

• Notices at the FH or in supermarkets 
   

Application tips 

• Short, friendly introduction with information about you and your studies 
• Be quick! It's best to check for new ads every day
• Have proof ready: Enrollment, proof of income, certificate of eligibility for housing, possibly a guarantee, possibly a Schufa entry 
• If you are not paying your rent yourself, but other people are, proof of income and Schufa entries may have to come from these people.
• Ask your potential landlord what documents are required.

Interim rent means that you can take over an apartment or room for a limited period of time - for example, because someone is spending a semester abroad or doing an internship in another city. This option is particularly attractive for first semester students, exchange students or anyone looking for short-term accommodation. Intermediate tenancies are often furnished and uncomplicated, but you should still conclude a written subletting agreement in which the rental period, amount of rent, deposit and ancillary costs are clearly regulated. You also have rights in the case of a sublet - if you are unsure, the AStA can help you with legal advice.

Checklist: Interim tenancy agreement - what you should look out for 

• Naming contractual partners - Who is the main tenant? Who is the subtenant? 

• Clearly define the rental period - Doument the start and end date in writing 

• Specify rent & service charges - Monthly rent, including or excluding service charges? 

• Regulate deposit - Amount, method of payment, repayment after moving out 

• Document the condition of the apartment - Handover protocol with photos (before moving in) 

• List furniture - What is included in the apartment/room? 

• Subletting approved? Main tenant often needs the landlord's consent 

• Contact in case of problems - Who is responsible during the interim tenancy? 

Important terms 

• Rental agreement: Pay attention to the term, ancillary costs, notice periods and clauses on pets, renovation work and utility bills 

• Security deposit: Max. 3 months' cold rent, may be paid in installments and will be repaid to the tenant by the landlord at the end of the tenancy 

• Attention! The deposit is the landlord's insurance that he can repair any damage caused by the tenant. So if damage is discovered when you move out, the landlord can retain (part of) the deposit to renovate the apartment. If this is the case: check carefully whether the landlord is allowed to do this in your case! 

• Incidental costs: Warm rent = basic rent + ancillary costs 

• Heating costs are often not counted as service charges, so be careful here. Read the description of an apartment advertisement carefully! 

• Remember that internet is not included in the additional costs. Speaking of internet: Make an appointment with the technician as early as possible, otherwise you'll be without internet for weeks! 

• Operating costs: Operating costs include all costs incurred to operate the light in the hallway, the elevator, waste disposal and the like. It also finances the janitor (service) and the cleaning service. These are often billed annually. 

• Broadcasting fee: The simple rule applies: “One apartment - one contribution” - regardless of how many people live in the apartment. This means that families, shared flats and non-marital partnerships only pay one fee. Since January 2013, every household - including every household with students - has been paying the broadcasting fee of currently €18.36 per month. This amount can be be exempted as a student if you receive BAföG. There is also the possibility to apply for for exemption for reasons of social hardship. 

• You can register, re-register and deregister your apartment here: https://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/  

What to do if there are defects in the apartment? 

• Inform the landlord in writing, set a deadline 

• Document everything! 

• Rent reduction is possible in certain cases (seek advice beforehand (e.g. from the AStA's free legal advice service)! 

If you are moving from another city or even within Aachen, you must make an appointment at the residents' registration office/citizens' office within eight weeks. There, your new address will be pasted onto your identity card. For students from abroad, or if your last registration address was not in Germany, this deadline is significantly shorter - you only have one week. Foreign students also need a registration address in Germany in order to apply for a residence permit.

Serviceportal der Stadt Aachen

How do you get an appointment? 

1. If you are early, you can make an appointment with the city via the portal. The waiting times are sometimes relatively long. 
2. Simply click on the “Make an appointment” link and select a suitable appointment in the appropriate citizens' office (Registration matters -> Register/deregister/deregister residence)
3. If you want and need to get the whole thing over with quickly: every morning at a quarter to eight, daily appointments are made on the city's website. However, these appointments can only be made at two of Aachen's many citizens' offices: Katschhof and Bahnhofsplatz 

The appointment itself does not take long, you must have your landlord's certificate of residence (which you will receive from your landlord) and your identity card with you. You will also need confirmation that you have an appointment.  

Re-register in Jülich 

The procedure for getting an appointment at the citizens' office of the city of Jülich is identical to Aachen. The registration portal and information on the subject of registration can be found under the following link: https://www.juelich.de/buergerbuero  

What is on offer? 

• Free legal advice from a lawyer on all topics relating to studying and living in Aachen, including housing

• Free tenancy law advice for students 

• Support with problems with landlords, notices of termination or deposit issues 
   

Contact 

• Inquiries to: asta@fh-aachen.org 
• Write an e-mail with a summary of the facts, a current certificate of enrollment and your telephone number.

Important for advice and for damage in general 

• Bring your rental agreement 

• Correspondence with the landlord (e.g. emails, letters) 

• Photos of damage 

• Start the search early 

• Look out for reputable providers 

• Read the rental agreement thoroughly 

• Plan for deposit and ancillary costs 

• Use AStA legal advice for problems 

Studierendenwerk Aachen:

• https://www.studierendenwerk-aachen.de/de/wohnen.html  
   

AStA FH Aachen:

• General www.asta.fh-aachen.org
• Housing Advice wohnen@asta.fh-aachen.org
• Social department soziales@asta.fh-aachen.de   

Free legal advice from the AStA

• Inguiries per mail to asta@fh-aachen.org 
   

German tenancy law compact:

• https://www.bmjv.de