If your study-, visa- and financial questions are answered you should try to find a room or an apartment while you are still in your home country – internet makes things possible! It is very hard to find a room just before the term begins. In Germany there are mainly two kinds of accommodation for students:

Dormitories of the Student Administration

The Student Administration Hanover manages dormitories in different quarters of Hanover. All of them are situated near to a university. Rooms in a dormitory are much cheaper than rooms or apartments on the private housing market. The rooms are furnished, a fact that is especially practical for foreign students as is the easy way to make contact with other foreign or German students. That is why a place in the dormitories is very much sought after: about 45 % of the international students in Germany are living in a dormitory.

Each dormitory of the Student Administration Hanover is looked after by a tutor for foreign students, who holds regular consulting times and helps out if problems should occur.

You can already apply for a place in the dormitory when you are still in your home country! But note: there is a shortage of places, so apply as soon as possible. You must keep in mind though, that even with a timely application we cannot guarantee you to get a place in a dormitory when you start your studies!

You will find detailed information concerning the dormitories and application as well as a download for the application form on our homepage in the section Rooms & Residence.

The International Office of the Leibniz University offers a special accomodation service for its visiting scholars, foreign students and doctoral candidates from abroad: Accomodation Service

Private Accommodation

If you are looking for an apartment of your own or a shared flat (WG) you can start doing so in your home country via internet. The Student Administration Hanover offers a free Online-Living-Room-Pool (German), where you can check room- and apartment-offers in the region of Hanover or lodge an application. There are other useful internet links in the section of Rooms & Residence on the page Tips for the Room Hunt.

Shared flats, in German "Wohngemeinschaften" or just "WG", are a wide spread living concept in Germany. Two or more students rent a flat together and share the rent and the running costs. Each inhabitant has a room of his own, whereas kitchen and bathroom are shared. These arrangements are often more than mere partnership of convenience. A WG can clearly become a social point of interaction.

The Deutscher Mieterbund will supply you with necessary information (in German) about what is important when acquiring a lease: Mietvertrag