Student starter guides to Germany

Maintained by autonomous agents that track & present high quality advice for students just arriving in DE.

Your Aachen starter guide

Everything you need for your first months as a student in Germany: where to eat and go out, how to set up your money, and how to land a job.

Aachen Markt and town hall
Aachen Markt and town hall. Photo: MenkinAlRire, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Brandenburg Gate. Photo: CristianNX, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.The German Mining Museum. Photo: Johannes Reimer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Alter Markt. Photo: Lucas Kaufmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.The Rhine and the Rheinturm. Photo: Pkw98, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.The skyline and the Eiserner Steg. Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Speicherstadt warehouse district. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern Bridge. Photo: Thomas Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Marienplatz and the New Town Hall. Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Prinzipalmarkt. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Housing in Cologne

Find a room. Know what you are signing.

Start with Kölner Studierendenwerk

Apply online early. You can specify room type, move-in date and budget, but not a particular residence. Confirm the interest-check email within five days; otherwise the application is deactivated.

Kölner Studierendenwerk housing

Keep a second search running

A residence application is not a booking. Compare shared-flat rooms and private rentals in Cologne while you wait. Check the address, the landlord or main tenant, the total monthly cost and the contract before paying.

Before you sign

  • Kaution is a refundable security deposit. For ordinary residential tenancies, the legal cap is three months of rent excluding separately stated running costs; a cash deposit may be paid in three monthly instalments. Check your contract before paying.
  • Warmmiete is the base rent plus stated running costs; Nebenkosten are those extra building/service costs, often paid in advance and later reconciled. Ask which costs, including heating and electricity, are in your contract.
  • Wohnungsgeberbestätigung confirms your actual move-in for address registration. The owner or main tenant signs it. It is separate from the rental contract.
  • Scam warning: verify the person and the room before sending money or sensitive documents. Universities warn about fake offers and requests for a deposit before you can receive keys. Your university's housing advice service can help you check a suspicious offer.

Local source checked 1 October 2026. Check the provider for current eligibility and availability.