Finding housing for your Erasmus
Accommodation is the biggest line in your budget and the most stressful part of the move. Here is how to get a roof sorted without losing a deposit to a stranger on the internet.
Dorm vs private rental
- •Dorm: cheaper, furnished, no guarantor, easy registration, and you meet people instantly — but limited places and little privacy
- •Private flat share: more freedom and often better located, but needs a contract, a deposit and usually a viewing
- •Whole flat alone: rarely worth it for one semester once deposit, furniture and utilities are added up
- •Short-term first: two weeks in a hostel or sublet while you view places in person beats a scam from home
- •If the university offers a dorm and you are unsure, take it — you can move out later, you cannot move in later
Where to search
- •The host university's own housing office and partner residences — always check this first
- •Erasmus Student Network (ESN) sections and the official incoming-student groups for your semester
- •Country-specific platforms rather than global ones: they carry the real local listings
- •Student-housing operators (purpose-built residences) for a furnished, contract-in-English option
- •Facebook groups work but are the main hunting ground for scammers — treat every listing as unverified
Scam warning signs
Exchange students are targeted precisely because they book from abroad, in a hurry, in a language they do not speak.
- •The landlord cannot show the property in person or on a live video call
- •Payment requested by Western Union, crypto, gift cards or a personal transfer outside the platform
- •Rent well below the local market, with a story about why
- •Pressure to pay a deposit today because 'ten other students want it'
- •Copy-pasted photos — reverse image search them before you send anything
- •A contract you are told not to worry about, or no contract at all
Contracts, deposits and utilities
- •Get a written contract, even for a room in a shared flat, and check the end date matches your semester
- •Confirm what is included: heating, water, electricity, internet, building fees
- •Deposit is typically one to three months — ask in writing how it is returned
- •Photograph and video every room on move-in day
- •Check the notice period and whether you can leave early or sublet if plans change
- •Ask whether the landlord will register you at the address; in many countries this is legally required within days of arrival
Before you fly vs after you land
- •Before: dorm application, short-term booking for the first two weeks, insurance, and a rough shortlist of viewings
- •Before: check whether you need proof of accommodation for your visa or residence permit
- •After: register your address, set up utilities or a local SIM, open a local account if the landlord requires one
- •After: get keys, meter readings and the inventory list in writing
- •Budget the deposit and first rent as one-off costs — they hit before your grant arrives
Frequently asked
- Should I book a dorm or find a private flat?
- If your host university offers a dorm place, take it for the first semester. It is usually cheaper, comes furnished, requires no local bank account or guarantor, and gives you a legal address for registration. Private flats give you more freedom but demand deposits, contracts in the local language and often an in-person viewing.
- How do I avoid rental scams as an exchange student?
- Never transfer money for a flat you or someone you trust has not seen, never pay outside the platform, and be suspicious of a landlord who is 'abroad' and cannot show the place. Prices far below market rate, pressure to decide today, and requests for Western Union or crypto payments are the classic warning signs.
- How much deposit is normal?
- One to three months of rent, depending on the country, plus the first month up front. Ask in writing how and when it is returned, and photograph every room, appliance and existing scratch on the day you move in.
- When should I start looking?
- Dorm applications often open and close months before the semester and are first-come, first-served — apply the day the portal opens. For private rentals, most listings appear four to six weeks before the semester, so book short-term accommodation for the first two weeks and search on the ground.
Put your rent as a monthly cost and the deposit as a one-off so your balance shows the real first month.
Add rent and deposit