Living in Hamburg
With one of the largest ports in the world, Hamburg is Germany’s „Gateway to the World“ fusing a rich history with a modern, international environment, creating a unique ambiance and culture. Some neighbourhoods like St. 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 on the bordering Alster Lake like Neustadt, Rotherbaum and St.Georg. You can use the city's map to see where the districts are located. Apartment hunters with limited budgets should explore alternatives outside the city center. It is recommended to start looking for accommodation as soon as you can! Vacant dorm rooms provided by the student services like Studierendenwerk fill up quickly and searching on the free market may take months.
Does the University offer student residences?
No. Not like in other countries. There are some student residences for all students in Hamburg offered by the Studierendenwerk Hamburg. Unfortunately, there's only a limited amount of student residences available. A certain amount is usually kept for international students, but you should definitely apply asap since there are always more applications than spaces. To apply for a room in one of the student dorms check Studierendwerk Hamburg's tenant application website via Landing page Studierendenwerk if the link is broken.
Our advice: apply online as early as possible for all possible rooms/apartments -- at the latest once you have enrolled in the study program - around May. You can apply for 7-8 months in advance - see drop down box and click on the ws... = winter semester - it is not binding to rent a room if offered one. If you need a support letter that you are accepted / enrolled / preliminarily enrolled - please ask the IAS Team.
Is it difficult to find a room in Hamburg?
The housing market in Hamburg is quite competitive and it can be difficult to find a cheap room in Hamburg. You should therefore start your search early. Students usually live in shared accommodation (Ger: Wohngemeinschaft, short: WG), small apartments or student residences. Prices for small rooms start at 250 Euros per month, but most commonly reach above 400 Euros. It is also important to check which bills are already included in the rent as electricity, phone or internet bill are generally excluded.
You will find numerous communal housing cooperatives, housing companies and private landlords in Hamburg. Check out the following online real estate portals for vacancies:
Do you want to be a roommate rather than rent your own apartment? The following portals and exchange platforms for shared housing are popular among students:
You can also resort to the traditional ways of looking for an accommodation via University notice boards or apartment ads in local newspapers.
Our advice: get in contact with people of your batch and the years before and find a group to share rent with for a big flat or house.
Does a place in the IAS Master guarantee a space in a student hall of residence?
No, a place in the IAS programme does not automatically include a space in a student hall of residence! You have to apply for a room separately. Please understand that the IAS team can also not give much assistance when searching for a room (especially regarding guarantor agreements, etc). Please contact the student services of the University of Hamburg in case you need help.
Our advice:
If you can afford to arrive in September you should do so. Do not leave your housing situation until the last minute. Apply online for student housing and start looking for a flat as soon as possible. Look for a group of people to share a flat/house with. Most costs center around 250 - 500 Euro for tiny rooms and tiny flats per months. In average people in Hamburg look for flats around 3 - 6 month to find a suitable flat for themselves.
