Accommodation and services
Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city and a great place to live. We want to make sure you have an enjoyable semester or year with us and provide you with different services to help you settle in. On this page you can find information about accommodation, our weBuddy programme, public transport, learning German and other things to do on campus as well as links to the arrival guide and our online student administration system.
Accommodation
Student halls of residence
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Universities in Germany do not have their own halls of residences. These are run by the organisation 'Studierendenwerk Hamburg'. The HAW Hamburg is allocated a limited number of rooms, which we make available to guest students from our partner universities.
Guest students can say as part of their application to HAW Hamburg if they would like to be considered for a room in a hall of residence. Priority is given to students from overseas.
It is not possible to apply directly to the Studierendenwerk Hamburg for a room.
Due to a very high demand for rooms, it is only possible to get a room for one semester, even if you are planning to come to Hamburg for two semesters.
The monthly rent costs between €320 and €450 and includes bedding, kitchen utensils and an internet connection. You have your own room and share a kitchen and bathroom with a small number of students. Housing does not include a meal plan, but inexpensive meals are available in the cafeterias on campus (€2.50–€4.95/meal). Most students learn to cook during their semester abroad and share meals with other students in their apartment. It is a great way to get to know people.
Flat-sharing
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Shared apartments ('WGs' in German) are a popular alternative to the rooms in the halls of residence. In this case, several students share a private apartment. You can find a range of offers, including the languages spoken in the WG, on these pages:
www.wg-gesucht.de
Youth hostels in Hamburg
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If you need a place to stay for a few days before you can get into your room in hall or need somewhere to stay while you look for a room, Hamburg has several cheap options. The hostels have dorms as well as single rooms:
'Auf dem Stintfang' Youth Hostel
Alfred Wegener Weg 5 (U3 Landungsbrücken – great view of the harbour)
T +49.40.31 34 88
jh-stintfang (at) djh (dot) de
Youth Hostel Horner Rennbahn
Rennbahnstr. 100
T +49.40.65 11 671
jh-hamburghorn (at) djh (dot) de
Generator Hostel
Steintorplatz 3 (beside main train station and 1 stop on the U3 or U2 to Berliner Tor)
Website
weBuddy Programme
With our weBuddy programme we welcome our new international guest students and support them at the start of their studies in Hamburg. The programme starts with the Welcome Week(s), which includes lots of fun events to help you get to know the other exchange students, the university and the city. We also have events, parties and excursions during the semester.
When you register to study at HAW Hamburg, you can also sign up for a 'buddy'. Our HAW Hamburg students volunteer as buddies. They collect you from the airport or train station and bring you to your hall of residence. They help you with registration, opening a bank account and sorting out any paperwork – everything that is difficult in a foreign language and city. They will introduce you to your department and help with questions during the semester. Your buddy is your first friend at HAW Hamburg and will make sure you get off to a good start.
Semester ticket
Exchange students pay a semester contribution when they enrol at HAW Hamburg. As part of this fee you receive a public transport ticket, which allows unlimited travel on Hamburg's underground trains (U-Bahn, S-Bahn) and buses. You will find the system very easy to use and a great way to get around the city and to the university campus locations. Get the HVV app, so you always know how to get places and home again.
