Critical Guide: Contracts, Scams, and Housing for Students in Germany

Attention! The Binding Nature of German Contracts

Germany is a country where contracts are extremely binding. While laws exist to protect consumers, it is crucial to avoid problems by exercising extreme caution when signing paperwork.

DO NOT sign ANYTHING without reading it first.

If you cannot read it properly:

1. Bring a German-speaking friend or someone with excellent German language knowledge.
2. If you have time, ask for help on forums like r/germany or r/german.
3. If you absolutely must translate quickly, use DeepL. It is one of the best translators for the German language, especially for translating contracts into English.

Take your time reading the document. If the person who provided the contract is rushing you to sign it, BE SUSPICIOUS. A canceled contract is better than a bad deal (A no deal is better than a bad deal).

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Accommodation

Finding a place to stay is split into two phases: temporary housing for entrance exams and permanent housing after acceptance.

During the Aufnahmeprüfung (ANP)

While traveling for your entrance exams, you have several temporary accommodation options:

• Hotels or Airbnb: Convenient but can become incredibly expensive, especially for multiple exams.
• Friends/Family: The cheapest and safest option if available.
• Jugendherberge (Youth Hostel): A cheap hostel reserved for young people (usually under 27). You share a room with several people. You can search for one here.
• Zwischenmiete (Sublet): A rent with a limited duration (usually 1–6 months) found on sites like WG-Gesucht. Caution: Be careful, as some unscrupulous hosts may refuse to return your deposit.

Strategy for ANP Travel

A recommended travel strategy is to establish a basecamp where you keep your large luggage. One to two days before an ANP, travel to the exam city, rent a place (Airbnb/Jugendherberge) until the exam date, and then return to your basecamp. This allows you to travel light, only carrying necessary items and a few changes of clothes.

Tip from Brian:

• Keep Luggage Light: Avoid booking any temporary place (especially Airbnbs) for more than three or four days to allow flexibility and travel around.
• Physical Readiness: Be prepared to drag your luggage through cities, especially in winter, as trains or buses may be canceled. Ubers typically still run, but check announcements one day in advance.
• Liability Insurance: If you opt for Zwischenmiete (limited-time rentals), consider signing up for liability insurance and ensure the stay cost + deposit cost is still cheaper than an Airbnb. Subletters may try to withhold deposits for alleged damage, and you have limited recourse without a formal contract.

After Getting Accepted (Permanent Housing)

Once you receive your Zulassung for the Studienkolleg, you should immediately search for long-term housing.

1. Studentenwohnheim (Student Residence Hall/Apartment):

   • Always check the student residence hall associated with your Studienkolleg’s university. They are almost universally the cheapest option compared to private rentals.
   • Availability: Availability cannot be guaranteed. Smaller cities (like Coburg) tend to have more open rooms than large cities (like Munich).
   • Some Studienkollegs (e.g., Wismar) automatically assign you a room, but registration is usually still necessary.

2. Alternatives (If Studentenwohnheim Fails):

   • WG (Wohngemeinschaft): A shared flat with other tenants.
   • Einzimmerwohnung: A single-room apartment.
   • Unfurnished Risk: Outside of WGs and Studentenwohnheime, there is a high chance the place will come unfurnished, often including no kitchen set. You may be able to purchase furniture from the previous tenant (Vormieter).

Registration and Taxes (CRITICAL)

After securing accommodation and moving in:

1. Anmeldung (Residency Registration): You must register your residency at the city hall (Rathaus/Bürgeramt). This can only be done when the address is your permanent residence (not an Airbnb, hotel, or Zwischenmiete).
2. Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (WGB): You must obtain this document from your landlord (Vermieter). It confirms that the landlord permits you to register the address as your official residence.
3. Radio Tax (Rundfunkbeitrag): DO NOT FORGET TO PAY THE RADIO TAX! This compulsory fee covers public broadcasting and must be paid per apartment/household.

Avoiding Scams in Accommodation Search

Scams are unfortunately common in the German rental market. Be vigilant, especially on platforms like WG-Gesucht or eBay Kleinanzeige.

General Red Flags (As per u/HubertJW_24):

• The scammer shows the apartment in an Airbnb listing but asks you to transfer money (rent, deposit) to a bank account listed in the description (bypassing Airbnb protection).
• The supposed landlord claims they are currently overseas and cannot meet you.
• They try overly hard to prove their trustworthiness (e.g., claiming they’ve been scammed or are a "person of integrity").
• They claim they will mail you the keys, or an "Airbnb agent" will hand them over.
• They send excessively long emails full of unnecessary chit-chat.
• They cannot accept cash.
• They start the conversation immediately in English. (Start the conversation in German, even if your German is poor, to filter out these scammers quickly.)
• They are overly accommodating or offer terms that seem too good to be true.

Specific Red Flags to Watch For:

• Landlord replies to you in English first.
• You cannot physically visit the place (this is the biggest red flag).
• Keys will be sent through the post.
• No rental contract (Mietvertrag) is offered, or the Mietvertrag is only in English.
• Landlord asks you to transfer the deposit before you visit the place and sign the contract.
• The bank account is not a German bank account (the IBAN should start with "DE").
• Contracts offered only through third parties like Airbnb for a long-term lease.

The Golden Rule: The inability to visit the place physically is the number one red flag. All legitimate landlords will want an in-person meeting. This ensures the landlord can vet you as a potential tenant, and more importantly, it gives you peace of mind that the place exists and belongs to them.

If you encounter a scammer, DO NOT:

• Send them any personal data (they will use it for their next scam).
• Sign anything.
• Transfer any money.
• Bother visiting the location (it either doesn't exist or doesn't belong to them).
• Show desperation (it is better to be homeless than thousands of Euros poorer and homeless).