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Accommodation
There is a shortage of housing in Germany which means that accommodation is expensive, at least in the larger places. You often have to spend 40% of your monthly salary/fellowship on rent. This is particularly true for the kind of accommodation visiting researchers usually require: furnished or at least partly furnished, readily available and on a short lease. The relationship between supply and demand, particularly in towns where there are large numbers of students, changes radically in the course of the year. At the beginning of the semester the demand for accommodation is particularly high. We urgently recommend you to start looking for accommodation for yourself and your family in Germany as soon as possible; preferably several months before you begin your stay.
Insider Info: If an advertisement does not mention that the accommodation is furnished or partly furnished, you must assume that it will not contain any equipment or furniture.
In Marburg: Guesthouses
Philipps-Universität Marburg has two guesthouses with apartments for foreign guest academics in "Hansenhäuser Weg" in Marburg. These are available exclusively to postdocs and academics with appropriate academic qualifications. Applications are submitted via the respective inviting department. The length of stay is limited to a maximum of 1 year. The guest house in the "Alter Botanischer Garten" in Marburg is for short-term stays. It has 7 single and 3 double rooms.
For further information please contact:
Gästehausverwaltung
Philipps University Marburg
Biegenstraße 12
35037 Marburg
Phone: 0 64 21 / 28-2 61 10
gaestehaeuser@verwaltung.uni-marburg.de
Searching for Accommodation
Guesthouses
At some universities there are guesthouses for international visiting researchers. As there is huge demand for accommodation in these guesthouses you should make enquires at the earliest opportunity. Private Accommodation If you want to search for accommodation privately, you can consult the following websites:
It is worth reading the advertisements in the local newspaper and checking the notice boards at the university for offers.
You can also post your own advertisement on the websites mentioned above, for example, or in local newspapers and on notice boards. Furthermore, you can enlist the help of an agency to find accommodation. You should note, however, that in Germany it is usually the tenant/purchaser who pays the agent’s commission. A list of estate agents at your place of residence can be found in the Yellow Pages:
www.gelbeseiten.de (enter ‘Immobilienmakler’ and the name of the town)
List of abbreviations for accommodation search
If you want to search for accommodation in Germany privately you will discover that advertisements contain a lot of abbreviations. To help you search more efficiently we have compiled a list of abbreviations with English translations:
| Abbreviation | German | English |
| 2-Zi-Whg | 2-Zimmer-Wohnung | 2 room apartment |
| Abstellk | Abstellkammer | store room |
| Blk./Balk. | Balkon | balcony |
| DG | Dachgeschoss | attic rooms |
| D | Diele | hall |
| DU | Dusche | shower |
| EBK | Einbauküche | fitted kitchen |
| EFH | Einfamilienhaus | single family house |
| EG | Erdgeschoss | ground floor |
| EB | Erstbezug | first tenancy |
| G-WC | Gäste WC | seperate toilet for guests |
| HK | Heizkosten | heating costs |
| HH | Hochhaus | high-rise building |
| KM | Kaltmiete | rent excl. utilities costs (such as heating, cable TV, cleaning of communal areas, waste removal etc.) |
| Kaution | Kaution | security deposit |
| Keine zusätzl. Prov. | Keine zusätzliche Provision | no additional commission |
| KDB | Küche, Diele, Bad | kitchen, hall, bathroom |
| MM | Monatliche Miete | monthly rent |
| NK/NBK | Nebenkosten | additional costs such as heating, cable TV, cleaning of shared areas, waste removal etc |
| NR | Nichtraucher | non-smoker |
| OG | Obergeschoss | top floor |
| RH | Reihenhaus | terraced house |
| Stellpl. | Stellplatz | parking space |
| TG | Tiefgarage | underground parking |
| TL | Tageslicht | rooms with natural light |
| warm/WM | Warmmiete | rent incl. all utilities costs such as heating, cable TV, cleaning of communal areas, waste removal etc. |
| Wfl. | Wohnfläche | floor area |
| WG | Wohngemeinschaft | shared accommodation |
| WK | Wohnküche | open-plan kitchen |
| ZH | Zentralheizung | central heating |
For general information on accommodation in Germany (search criteria, lease, advertisements deposits, handing over property) visit the EURAXESS Germany website: www.euraxess.de/en
Insider Info: If you decide to search for accommodation using internet providers remember that agents use the internet, too. Check that you will not have to pay any additional agency fees or commission before you decide to go for an offer.
Searching for Accommodation in Marburg:
The ‘Oberhessische Presse‘ and the ‘MAZ‘ (Mittelhessische Anzeigen Zeitung) are two of the local newspapers/advertising papers with the largest distribution in which you can find housing advertisements for Marburg and surrounding areas. You can purchase them at kiosks and supermarkets. The ‘Express‘ (local magazine) appears every Thursday. It is free and can be found in all public places in town (e.g. in cafés and bars). It is often worth taking at look at the website of the local papers for current accommodation offers:
If you are looking for a room in shared accommodation in Marburg, the following websites may be useful: