Living in Düsseldorf
In Germany, students either live in a student residence halls or in private accommodation. It is advised to look for a flat or room before you arrive in Düsseldorf.
How to find a flat?
Flats on the private market are usually more expensive than rooms in student residence halls. Most landlords require a deposit of up to three months' rent, which you have to pay at the beginning of the lease and get it back at the end of the lease if nothing is damaged in the flat.
If you are looking for a flat on private housing market, we recommend you to take a look at our Accommodation Guide, which contains links to platforms for finding accommodation and tips on what you should bear in mind when searching.
Note: In smaller towns and communities outside Düsseldorf (e.g. Mönchengladbach) rents are generally cheaper in comparison to Düsseldorf. Look for an accommodation there as well. Transport connections by bus and train are usually well organised (from Mönchengladbach main station to Düsseldorf main station, for example, it takes about 30 minutes). With your semester ticket, you can use public transport throughout NRW free of charge.
Shared Flat as a Model of Living
Shared flat (short WG) is a typical form of student accomodation in Germany. Here you rent a flat with other people in which each person has their own room. You share the kitchen and bathroom. You share the rent among yourselves. This means that a WG is generally cheaper than renting a flat on your own.
Shared flats are best found via large portals on the Internet.
Student Residence Halls
There are halls of residence close to HHU and directly on campus. As not all students get a room there, we recommend that you apply for a place in a hall of residence at the Studierendenwerk Düsseldorf as soon as you have applied for a place. Apply here and secure a place on the waiting list.
Once you have been accepted by the university, please complete your application as soon as possible: Offers of accommodation will only be sent to students whose applications are complete. Applications are processed in the order in which they are received. You will receive an offer of accommodation as soon as a place becomes available in the halls of residence of your choice.
Please be aware! Not all dormitory rooms are furnished! An overview of the residence halls, size and cost can be found on Düsseldorf Student Services'website.
You must pay a deposit of one month's rent for your flat in the student residence hall before the start of the contract, which you will get back at the end of the rental period if nothing is damaged in the flat.
You must transfer the first month's rent before the contract begins!
Tip: In addition to applying for a room in one of the Studentenwerk's halls of residence, we recommend that you also apply for a room in one of the Evangelische Studierenden-Gemeinde Düsseldorf's halls of residence.
You can find more information about accommodation in Düsseldorf here.
First Nights in Düsseldorf
If you come to Düsseldorf and have not yet found a room, hostels (like youth hostels) are an inexpensive place to stay. We recommend that you search under keywords such as "Jugendherberge Düsseldorf" or "Hostels" in the internet and book in advance. Some hotels and guesthouses also offer inexpensive overnight accommodation.