FAQ Housing
Please find below some answers to the most frequent questions related to living in halls of residence as a student. If you cannot find an answer to your question, please contact the department responsible for your hall of residence.
1. Application / application procedure
Who can apply?
Anyone who studies at a university supervised by the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim and is interested in a place in a dorm at his university location.
How can I apply?
You can only submit your application online. Multiple applications do not increase your chances of receiving an offer.
Can I apply even if I do not yet have a notification of admission or an enrolment certificate?
You can send in your application to the Studierendenwerk online without a notification of admission or an enrolment certificate. Please send in the notification of admission or enrolment certificate as soon as you receive it – preferably by e-mail to:
Hohenheim: info [dot] hoh [at] sw-tuebingen-hohenheim [dot] de
Tübingen and other locations: wohnheimverwaltung [at] sw-tuebingen-hohenheim [dot] de
In order for us to be able to process your application, it is imperative that you have the letter of admission or the certificate of study for the semester to which your application refers (i.e. if you wish to apply for the winter semester, you must also have the corresponding certificate for the winter semester in question).
When is the deadline/closing date for applications?
You may only start applying 6 months before you would like to move in. We recommend that you send in your application about 3-4 months before you wish to move in, if possible.
Generally, the rental agreements start at the beginning of a semester, i.e. on 1 March / 1 April or 1 September / 1 October in any year. There is not normally a closing date for applications. We allocate rooms as long as they are available.
Does my application mean I will definitely receive a room in a hall of residence?
Your application indicates your interest in renting a room, a flatlet or a flat. This does not give you any rights to accommodation or a particular room/flatlet/flat. The number of free rooms in the halls of residence will determine whether we can consider your application or not.
Based on experience, the demand in the summer semester is not as great as in the winter semester. There is therefore a better chance of obtaining a room or a flat for the summer semester.
How can I apply for a couples or family flat?
- Each adult must complete a separate online application.
- For applications from couples and families at least one person needs to be enrolled or at least admitted.
- Only complete applications are considered for the allocation of flats. Please fill out one application per person. As soon as you receive the admission or the enrollment certification please send it to the administration office of the facility management.
- Highest priority during allocation is given to couples who are both admitted or enrolled. If there are still free flats afterwards, families and couples are considered, where only one person is admitted or enrolled.
- The offers are usually sent out 1-2 months before the start of the contract, but sometimes even on short notice.
What happens after I have submitted my application?
Once you have successfully completed your online application and sent it in, you will receive an e-mail with your application data and further information. We will also send you an e-mail with a link at regular intervals. If the link is not confirmed within 5 days of you receiving the e-mail, we will NOT continue to consider your application when allocating rooms.
People applying for flats for couples or families will not receive the e-mail with the link.
When are offers of rooms or flats sent out?
You are not short-listed until your application is complete (i.e. online application + notification of admission or enrolment certificate). The allocation of the dormitory rooms starts 6 – 8 weeks before the start of the Semester per e-mail.
How am I informed?
As soon as we can offer you a room or a flat, we will inform you by e-mail. Please inform us of any changes in your e-mail address. Please check your incoming mail regularly, as the offers are only valid for a short time.
Important: please note that e-mails are often classified as spam and therefore do not appear in your normal inbox.
What happens if I do not accept an offer or reject it?
If this is the case, your application is discarded. However, you may reapply in the following semester.
Can I inspect the rooms before signing a rental agreement?
You cannot inspect the rooms, as rooms or flats in halls of residence are occupied all the time. You will find detailed descriptions of the accommodation on our website.
You can visit the halls of residence on your own and view them by ringing the bell and asking the students living there to show you round. If you do not meet the current tenant, you can try on the floor above or below, as the rooms or flats are usually similar or have an identical design.
2. Moving in
When can I move in?
You cannot move in until midday on the first day of your rental agreement and only on weekdays when the caretakers are working. If your agreement starts on a Saturday, a Sunday or a public holiday, you cannot move in until the next working day. You will find more details in your written offer.
By the way: if you do not move in on the first day of the month, but a few days later, you will save yourself and the caretaker stress caused by certain dates.
Do I have to pay a deposit?
YES. Tenants have to pay a deposit before they can gain access to the rented premises; the amount is set in the rental agreement. You will only receive the keys from the caretaker concerned if you can provide evidence that you have paid your deposit.
What do I need in order to pick up the keys?
You will receive the keys from the caretaker concerned once you provide evidence that you have paid your deposit (bank statement, paying-in slip…).
Does the tenant have to personally pick up the keys?
It is normally necessary for the tenant to be present in person. In exceptional cases, a third party may pick up the keys if they have a power of attorney. However, they must also provide evidence that the deposit has been paid.
What can I do if I do not like my room after moving in?
You have the chance to make an application to move to a hall of residence of your choice. A one-off relocation fee will be charged for any move.
Do halls of residence have phone, Internet and TV connections?
YES. Nearly all the rooms and flats have a phone, Internet and TV connection now. The Studierendenwerk provides telecommunications lines (including Internet access) in most of the rooms and flatlets/flats as a free additional service. At the locations is an Internet connection through the university network. You can find further information about Internet access here.
The Internet is a voluntary service provided by the Studierendenwerk.
Are there any parking spaces?
You can rent parking spaces at some residential complexes or individual buildings. There are often parking spaces in the vicinity too. You will find precise details in the individual descriptions of the halls of residence on our website.
Are crockery and cutlery available?
The Studierendenwerk does not provide crockery and cutlery. The residents themselves equip the kitchens with these items. We therefore recommend that you bring your own crockery and cutlery with you.
How do I receive my post at the hall of residence?
Important: please always specify your hall and room number in your address, as it will not be possible to deliver your post otherwise.
3. Living
How long can I stay in a hall of residence?
The normal time in halls of residence run by the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim for first semester students is 6 semesters, although any previous time spent in a hall is included if you move back into a hall of residence run by the Studierendenwerk again.
Exchange, master’s degree and Erasmus students are exempted from this rule. The time spent, which might be less than 6 semesters, is governed by the relevant agreement at the university site.
When and how can I terminate my rental agreement?
Generally, the rental contract is restricted to the term specified in the agreement and ends when this expires without any need for you to terminate it. The rental contract may, however, be terminated early with a period of notice of 2 months to the end of any semester.
Any notice of termination (termination form) must be made in writing, i.e. with a legally binding signature. The time when the Studierendenwerk receives the notice of termination determines whether the deadline has been met or not.
When do the semesters end?
The end of the semesters are on the following dates (see your enrolment certificate too):
- University:
31 March or 30 September in any year - University of applied sciences:
28/29 February or 31 August in any year
How and when do I pay the rent?
The rent will be debited from an account named by the tenant by direct debit at the latest on the 3rd working day of any month. Direct debits are only possible from an IBAN-account of one of these countries: https://www.iban.de/iban-laenderliste.html.
Does the rents include heating or not?
The rent generally includes heating, water, electricity and waste collection charges. The only exceptions are the family flats on Eugenstrasse 57/ 1-3 in Tübingen!
What do I do if any damage occurs or I find a fault?
YYou must immediately inform the relevant caretaker about a fault or any damage. Please do so in writing using a fault report. You can either personally hand in the completed fault report to the caretaker concerned or put it in his or her letterbox.
You will find the fault report online on our website (fault report) or on display in your hall of residence or you can obtain it from your caretaker.
What do I do if I lose my keys?
Please contact the relevant caretaker during working hours. Outside working hours, contact the emergency number on the notice board in your hall of residence.
Verbraucherstreitbeilegungsgesetz
The Studierendenwerk Tübingen Hohenheim is neither willing nor obliged by law to participate to the dispute settlement procedure according the “Verbraucherstereitbeilegungsgesetz” (VSBG) . However the law requires the landlord to refer to the responsible dispute settlement officials:
The Allgemeine Verbraucherschlichtungsstelle des Zentrums für Schlichtung e. V. Is located in , Straßburger Str. 8, 77694 Kehl.
Washing machines and driers
Washing machines and driers are available for use in the accommodation and houses – normally for a fee. In most cases, you make a cashless payment using your student pass.
If you do not have this kind of chip card, you can obtain one at the information points (InfoPoints) in the canteens run by the Studierendenwerk in return for a deposit. You can top up your student pass and the chip card at various cash top-up machines. You will find more information on the subject of “Cashless payments” here.
The washing machines and driers are voluntary services provided by the Studierendenwerk.
Are my personal things insured in the hall of residence?
The Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim has taken out a household contents insurance policy for all the students living in the halls of residence that it operates. You can find more information on our website at the menu entitled “Insurance”.
Do I need to pay radio and TV licence fees?
In principle, each tenant or each flat must pay any costs incurred in conjunction with radio and TV licence fees. You will find some information on fees and the possibility of exemption from radio and TV licence fees here.
What do I need to keep in mind about smoke detectors?
There are smoke detectors in the rooms in the halls of residence or in the hallways (escape routes) as a fire protection measure. You can download the instructions for the smoke alarms here:
4. Moving out
What do I need to do after a notice of termination?
Agree a date with your caretaker about 14 days before you wish to move out. Clear your room or your flat in line with the general rental conditions by the agreed moving out date so that the caretaker can complete the inspection of your room or flat and you can hand over the keys.
Important: the tenant must be present in person for this. In exceptional cases, a third party may hand over the keys by means of a power of attorney.
When do I get my deposit back?
We will return the deposit to an account that you name about 2-3 months after the end of the rental contract and the settlement of the tenant accounts if all the obligations arising from the rental agreement have been met.
What happens to my post after I have moved out?
The Studierendenwerk will not forward any post. Please submit a forwarding request with the German postal service in good time.
5. Miscellaneous
What special offers are available for students on public transport (e.g. semester ticket)?
You can obtain information about this on the Internet sites of the local public transport service operators at your university site. There is a semester ticket for students at most university sites.
You can find more information on our website at the menu item entitled “Advice & Social Matters/Semester Tickets”.
Scam attempt by SMS
Every now and then, students receive text messages asking them to contact the Studierendenwerk or the hall of residence administration under a foreign mobile number. We only contact students by email or directly by phone. Our email addresses and telephone contacts can be found on this homepage.
Caution with the data - private accomadation service
Through our private accommodation service, offers of accommodation are posted online. As with all online forums, there may be SCAM offers. Please be careful, especially if you are asked for money or copies of your ID in advance.
Contact
Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim
Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts
Friedrichstraße 21
72072 Tübingen
Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts
Friedrichstraße 21
72072 Tübingen