Housing

General

Studenten zitten aan de gracht in stad Groningen

Finding a new place to live can be difficult, especially when you are moving to abroad for the first time. Every year, 20,000 students, of which 10,000 international students, start their studies at Hanze UAS and the University of Groningen. Almost all these students are looking for an accommodation in the same period, therefore you should start looking for accommodation as soon as possible.

Our advice

Please do not underestimate the challenge of finding accommodation. Start your housing search straight away and make this your top priority before your school year begins. Make sure you have arranged accommodation in Groningen before the 1st of August. If you decide to come to Groningen without a place to stay, you will likely be depending on staying at hostels or hotels for a longer period. This comes with high costs, discomfort and stress. If you do not have a room on August 1st, we advise you not to come to Groningen.

Tips on how to start your search:

Tips for finding accommodation, how to prepare and start your search:

Tips for finding accommodation

Tip #1: Start your search as soon as possible

Groningen is a popular university city with high demand for student housing. We strongly advise you to start searching for a room as soon as you have received your letter of acceptance.

Tip #2: Use your network

Reach out to friends, social media, and agencies for housing options. Get in touch with students who already live in Groningen. Let everyone know you're looking for housing in Groningen. Also see Tip #6

Tip #3: Don't be too picky

Be flexible with facilities and pricing and don’t be too picky. The average room in Groningen has a rental price of €500,- per month.

Tip #4: Expand your search area

Consider living outside of Groningen. For example, the cities of Assen (15 min. by train) or Leeuwarden (35 min. by train) are nearby.

Tip #5: Be persistent

Finding a room may take months, so don't give up too soon. However, due to the current housing market we do advise you to not come to Groningen if you haven't found a room before the 1st of August.

Tip #6 Use your common sense

Beware of scams and only use official websites and companies for your search. Avoid identity theft: never send a copy of your passport to strangers. Do not send money without receiving a contract or lease. When you do transfer money, the bank account number must start with NL.

Student housing in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, finding accommodation is the students' own responsibility. The university does not own student housing. We do reserve accommodation with housing providers, therefore go to ‘Where to look? in the drop-down menu below. You can find more information about housing in the Netherlands at www.athomeingroningen.nl.

How to prepare and start your search

Are you trying to find accomodation as an international student? Watch the video! Viliam, Elena, Ariana and Nyasha will give you some top tips on how to search effectively and improve your chances.

On the website athomeingroningen.com you can find some useful information to help you start your search. The website shows you a selection of available accommodation in Groningen and provides a list of multiple companies that offer homes in Groningen. In addition, you can find information about the housing system in Netherlands, local law, contracts and financial matters.

There are several agencies you can contact. Most agencies will ask for a registration fee upfront and once you have accepted an offer, they will ask for a mediation fee equal to approximately one month's rent. You can find an overview at athomingroningen.com.

Register at SSH

SSH Groningen is a non-profit housing corporation and acts as an intermediary in finding temporary and fully furnished accommodation for bachelor/master and exchange students. Hanze UAS reserves rooms for students at SSH, but the number of rooms available is limited. Each year, approximately 25% of our incoming students can make a reservation at SSH. So, if you wish to rent your room through SSH, register and make your reservation on time.

About the rooms of SSH

SSH has several international student houses with furnished rooms, most of them with shared facilities. There is a (Dutch) residence assistant in each SSH housing facility. The residence assistant will welcome you in the building when you arrive. You can rent a room in an international student house for a maximum period of 12 months. After this period, you have to find another room yourself.

Procedure

Make sure you follow the correct procedure to ensure you are registered. Before you can apply for a room you need to be registered with SSH. The housing officer will approve your registration if you have enrolled yourself in the system for student administration. Please note that you do not have to fill out your student number when registering at SHH; you can leave this field open (unless you already know your student number). The Housing Manager of Hanze UAS will be asked to confirm that you are a new student, and that you are either accepted or provisionally accepted. This might take a few days. After this confirmation, you will be able to book a room.

The website of SSH will open for registration:

For bachelor and master students on 17 April. You can also see the available rooms.
For exchange students on 25 april. You can also see the available rooms.

You can make a reservation:

For bachelor and master students (Full Year) on 24 April
For all other bachelor and master students (f.i. Double Degree) on 25 April
For exchange students Fall Semester on 15 May
For other exchange students (Full Year, KA171) students on 16 May

If you have made a reservation and it transpires that you cannot come, it is possible to cancel your reservation under certain circumstances. Cancelling your reservation within four weeks before the start date of your contract due to new or existing corona measures is no longer regarded as a valid reason by your educational institution. Cancellation is only possible in extenuating circumstances (see Terms & Conditions) and always subject to approval by your educational institution. Your paid rent will be reimbursed by SSH. You do have to pay the student cancellation fee and reservation fee when you cancel your reservation.

Staying with a host or guest family will provide you with a soft landing in town and is the perfect way to get in touch with the Dutch culture and language. You will have your own private room and shared facilities like a kitchen and bathroom. Hospi Housing has a big network of verified hosts and guest families. You can apply and use their platform for free on their website.

Contact

If you have any questions about housing or if you are experiencing problems with finding accommodation, please contact our Housing Manager at: [email protected]. You can also visit our International Office if you need advice about finding a room in Groningen.

International Office

Zernikeplein 7 room T6.01 / T6.02
Open between 10.00 and 14.00

Housing

If you have any questions about housing or if you are experiencing problems with finding accommodation, contact our Housing Officer.

[email protected]