Universities Dormitory

We strongly recommend students to consider applying to live in our university’s dormitories, because it is a great way to integrate into student life in Stuttgart, and it will bring living expenses down to a more affordable level. A single room costs between 270-450 EUR per month depending on size and furnishing. Students can book bedding, blankets and everything they will need in advance.

Please book your room in advance as our dormitories are very popular. You will find more information on the website of the Studierendenwerk Stuttgart.

Renting Privately

Renting privately is usually a lot more expensive than our state subsidized rooms and requires more administrative effort- many private landlords require a third party to act as a guarantor for the rent payments before they will agree to let a property to a student. A guarantor is a third party, such as a parent or close relative, who agrees to pay your rent if you do not pay it. Your landlord can ultimately take legal action to recover any unpaid rent from your guarantor. Your landlord may want to check that your guarantor is able to pay the rent in the same way that they’ve checked your ability to pay (for example, by carrying out a credit check). There is a legal requirement for a guarantee agreement to be in writing. The agreement sets out the guarantor’s legal obligations.

A private unfurnished room or small flat costs between 500 and 1,000 EUR per month. In Germany rooms and flats are unfurnished, unless specified differently. Furnished rooms are usually up to 30% more expensive. Please remember Stuttgart is the hometown of Mercedes Benz, Bosch and Porsche and the average income is about 40,000 to 50,000 EUR/year.

Shared Tenancy

If international students share accommodation with other tenants under one tenancy agreement (a joint tenancy), it is common for the guarantee to apply to all of the rent, and not just your share. It’s best to check the guarantee agreement carefully and ask the landlord or agent if something is unclear. As soon as the agreement is signed, the guarantor is bound by its terms and conditions. It may be possible to negotiate with the landlord for a variation to a guarantee agreement. This would ensure that the guarantor’s liability was confined to only the individual’s rent payments or any damage caused by the individual student.