Working and Researching in Heidelberg Accommodation in Heidelberg
Heidelberg is an attractive place to live. There is a very large demand for apartments and furnished rooms, especially at the beginning of each semester in March/April and September/October. It is recommended to begin to look for accommodations ahead of time and if possible several months before coming to Heidelberg.
Rents in Heidelberg are high in comparison to other German cities. Der Mietspiegel der Stadt Heidelberg gibt einen Eindruck über die aktuellen Mietpreise. The rent index of the city of Heidelberg gives an impression of the current rents.
Heidelberg University has four guest houses for visiting scholars and their families. There are apartments of various sizes (1-4 rooms) as well as handicapped-accessible apartments. All of the apartments are fully furnished. The guest houses are located on the campus in the direct vicinity of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), several University hospitals and the Max-Planck Institutes for Medical Research and International Law. The institutes in the city center can be reached easily using public transportation.
Hints and Tips (Private Accommodations Market)
Finding a room or apartment in Heidelberg can take a long time. We recommend to begin your search as early as possible and make use of many different sources of information and accommodations.
- Abbreviations: Apartment advertisements often use a lot of abbreviations to provide the necessary information (list of the most common abbreviations, see below).
- Classified advertisement: It is possible to search for an apartment with a classified advertisement (print and/or online).
- Real estate agent: The safest but also most expensive route to finding accommodations is to use the services of a real estate agent. An additional charge of up to 2-3 months rent as a commission (Courtage/Provision) for renting an apartment through an agent is not uncommon.
- Colleagues: Sometimes a research supervisor can help finding an apartment. News of apartments becoming available is often passed on by word-of-mouth.
- Notice boards: There are large notice boards where people advertise apartments and rooms for rent located in the University cafeterias, in the institutes and in copy shops.
Information sheets
Further sources for finding accommodation
Registering your residence
Everyone who takes up residence in Germany must register at the local administrative office (Bürgeramt), regardless of the length of their stay. You must register yourself and all of your family members within 14 days of moving into your new accommodations. It is possible to register at any of the ten local administration offices (Bürgeramt) located in the various parts of the city. Registration is free of charge. When you register, you will receive a certificate of registration (Meldebescheinigung) that you will also need show at other offices, for example when applying for a residence permit and opening a bank account.
When moving to a different address within Heidelberg or to a different city, please remember to re-register at the new address. When you leave Germany you must de-register.
Documents necessary for registration at a Bürgeramt:
- Proof of identity for all family members to be registered (passport or personal identification card)
- Confirmation of residence from your landlord
For short term stays up to 3 month registration of residence is voluntary:
Exception (according §27 Meldegesetz) for persons, who regularly live abroad and have not registered residency in Germany yet must register residency at the latest after 3 month stay in Germany.