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Living in Kiel - A guide for students and employees

Starting a new degree course/job brings with it many changes - one of the biggest is often moving to a new city. In Germany, accommodation is not automatically provided with admission to a degree course, but must be organized by the students themselves.

Whether it's a student dormitory, shared apartment or your own apartment - here you will find all the important information about finding accommodation and helpful tips for getting started.

 

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Own apartment - Independent, but more expensive

If you prefer to live alone, you can opt for your own apartment. This form of living offers maximum independence, but is usually the most expensive option. In addition to the basic rent, there are additional costs for electricity, water, heating and internet, which are not always included in the rent.

Apartments are often expensive and difficult to find, especially in the city center. An alternative can be to look for a place outside and further away from the campus - the well-developed public transport network in Kiel makes it easy to reach many parts of the city.

To rent an apartment, landlords often ask for documents and proof, e.g. proof of income (employment contract, scholarship letter or bank statements), a credit report (so-called Schufa), references from previous landlords and the so-called tenant self-disclosure. A SCHUFA report (data copy) can be ordered free of charge. 

 

Housing for help - housing in exchange for support

A special housing model is the “Housing for help” concept. Here, students live with families or older people at low cost or even rent-free in return for help with the household or garden. The rule of thumb is: one hour of help is provided per square meter of living space per month. Only additional costs such as electricity and heating have to be covered by the volunteer.

Further information on the website of the Studentenwerk

Finding accommodation - How to find a room in Kiel

Finding accommodation can be particularly challenging at the beginning of the semester, as many students are looking at the same time. To increase your chances, you should look for a room early on and use various channels to search.

 

Tips for finding accommodation:

  • Start early: Shared rooms and apartments are in particularly high demand in March/April and September/October.
  • Check Facebook groups: Many shared flats are looking for new flatmates directly there.
  • A personal viewing is worthwhile: If you are already in Kiel, it is often easier to get a room because you can introduce yourself in person.
  • Use different online platforms: It is often worth paying for a premium account because you will then see apartment ads that are only intended for premium users.

Transitional solutions

If you were unable to find long-term accommodation right at the start of the semester, there are various ways to bridge the gap.

For a few days: City Hostel Kiel , Kiel Youth Hostel , Ersti-Couch Kiel or vacation homes in and around Kiel

For a few months: Airbnb or apartments that are offered for interim rent

Note: International students and researchers can apply for a Wohnberechtigungsschein. This makes it possible to rent a socially subsidized apartment. These are apartments that were built with state funds and are only allocated to people on low incomes. The rent for such apartments is usually lower than that of other apartments.

 
 

Important terms relating to renting

Here are some important terms that you might come across when looking for an apartment and that you should know:

Vermieter*in: Person offering a room / apartment

Mieter*in: A person who occupies an apartment or room of a landlord / landlady in return for payment of a monthly rent.

Hauptmieter*in: The person who has concluded the official rental agreement for an apartment or house with the landlord and, if applicable, sublets individual rooms to subtenants.

Nachmieter*in: A person who takes over the tenancy agreement of a previous tenant so that they can move out early without having to comply with the notice period.

Kaltmiete: The base rent without additional costs.

Warmmiete: The rent includes utility costs such as water and heating.

Nebenkosten: Additional operating costs to the basic rent, which include heating, water, refuse collection and janitor services and are paid either as a lump sum or as an advance payment with subsequent invoicing.

Zwischenmiete: A temporary rental agreement in which someone uses a room or apartment for a limited period of time (e.g. 3-6 months) while the current tenant is temporarily absent.

Kaution: A security deposit, which often amounts to three months' cold rent and is repaid when you move out, provided no damage has occurred.

Kündigungsfrist: As a rule, the notice period for tenancy agreements is three months. 

Rundfunkbeitrag: A legally binding fee in Germany that finances the public broadcasters (ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio), regardless of whether their services are used. You can find more information here.  

Here you will find a  list of frequently used abbreviations relating to the topic of living.

 

Helpful documents

Illustrated dormitory dictionary 
The Studentenwerk has published a brochure / dictionary with all the important information and terms relating to life in a hall of residence.

How do I contact a landlord? 
This overview will help you to write your first email to your potential new landlord. It will tell you what information a landlord needs from you and how you can formulate it in German.

How to Avoid Housing Fraud – Tipps for international students 
Scammers often target students who are urgently looking for an apartment. In this document you will find important tips and information to protect yourself from housing scams.


Written tenancy agreement

A written tenancy agreement is mandatory. All details such as rent, additional costs, deposit and period of notice should be clearly regulated in it!

Housing options for students

Student dormitories - affordable and practical

One of the most popular forms of accommodation for students are the student dormitories of the Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein. Please note: PhD students are not eligible for the Studentenwerk dorms! Studentenwerk dorms offer:

  • Affordable rent incl. utilities & internet
  • Low deposit
  • Mostly furnished rooms
  • Laundry facilities
  • Communal areas

Demand for these rooms is very high, which is why it is advisable to apply as early as possible.

International students have the option of contacting the Studentenwerk  directly to reserve a room. There are also dorm tutors who themselves have experience abroad, usually speak several languages and have lived in Schleswig-Holstein for some time.

In general, the rooms of the Studentenwerk are not available for doctoral students. However, doctoral students with a scholarship may be able to obtain a place in a student dormitory through the International Center. Doctoral students can contact the Welcome Center (Jan Bensien, )

Shared flats (WG) - living with other students/researchers

Many students choose to live in a shared flat because it is a sociable way of living with other young people. In a shared flat, you usually have your own room but share a kitchen and bathroom with your flatmates. This can be a good way to make friends quickly, especially if you are new to Kiel.

The rent for a room in a shared flat can vary greatly depending on the location, size and additional costs included. While some shared flats are already furnished, you usually have to bring your own furniture. Note that some shared flats require you to pay a deposit, which can usually be up to three months' rent.

The search for shared apartments often takes place via online platforms such as WG-Gesucht or Facebook groups such as “Wohnungsmarkt Kiel”.


 

There are also other student dormitories in Kiel that are run by private or church organizations:

From abroad and questions about housing?

For international students and skilled professionals from abroad, the universities’ International Centers are available to answer questions.

Kiel University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule Kiel)
Jessica Hahnisch (International Student Advisor – Incoming Exchange),
+49 (0)431 210 1804 or jessica.hanisch@fh-kiel.de

Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel)
Jan Bensien (for international researchers),
jbensien@uv.uni-kiel.de
or +49 431 880 2727

Claudia Sheen (for international students),
csheen@uv.uni-kiel.de
or +49 431 880 7104

Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design (Muthesius Kunsthochschule)
Maud Zieschang,
international@muthesius.de
or +49 (0)431 5198 501