General Information about Housing in Germany

Housing in Germany is in short supply and, at least in the big cities, very expensive. You frequently have to spend 40% of your salary on rent. One of the ways of finding accommodation is by applying to the Foreign Students' Advisory Office at your university or research institution for a flat in a university guest house. Sometimes the Foreign Students' Advisory Offices, or whichever office is responsible for foreign guests, will arrange for flats with private landlords. Read the advertisements in the local newspapers. In addition, there are notice boards at universities where advertisements are posted. In many university towns there are agencies arranging "shared accommodation" ("Mitwohnzentralen"). Estate agencies ("Maklerbüros") are certainly the most expensive option. Last but not least, your can post your own small-ad.