Cost of Living
According to calculations of the International Office, you will need about 600 EUR per month to cover the cost of living and studying in Osnabrueck.
Approximate basic expenses:
- Books, copies, and other study materials: 25-50 EUR per month
- Rent: 150-250 EUR per month
- Housing deposit: normally, you must pay a deposit for an apartment or room, which will be returned to you when you move out. Private rooms or apartments usually require a deposit of three months’ rent. Student dormitories require a deposit of 250 EUR for a room and 500 EUR for an apartment. Students in exchange programs must put down a deposit of 400 EUR.
- Health insurance: approx. 78 EUR per month
- Food: the student canteens offer low-cost lunch menus (between 1 and 3 Euro a day). An additional 75-130 EUR per month is required for meals at home.
- Semester fees: 245,37 EUR per semester (or 170,37 EUR per semester for students from partner universities and international grant recipients)
- Study fee: 500 EUR per semester (not for exchange students)
Opening a bank account
We strongly recommend you to open a bank account in Germany to pay your rent and your daily cost of living. By showing your matriculation certificate, your passport and your residence permit most banks will allow you to open a free student account.
If you take part in the Welcome Week you will receive assistance in opening an account.
Scholarships
The International Office offers advice on scholarships for international students. Please also consult the following websites:
Financial Hardship
One-off Financial Aid
Students from developing or transition countries who are in the final phase of their studies and face financial hardship are eligible to apply for one-off financial aid at the beginning of the semester. The amount granted does not need to be repaid. Please adress the International Office.
Student loan from the Student Welfare Services
Students from all countries who face financial hardship are eligible to apply for a student loan of up to 1.000 Euro from the Student Welfare Services ("Studentenwerk Osnabrueck"). The loans are interest-free and have to be paid back within six months. A fee of 2% is subtracted from the loan. Two guarantors must be named. Please adress the Secretary’s Office of the Studentenwerk Osnabrueck.
Student loan from the “AStA”
Students from all countries who face financial hardship are eligible to apply for a student loan from the AStA. The loans are interest-free and have to be paid back within six months. Two guarantors must be named. Please adress the AStA.
Financial Aid from the Protestant Student Congregation
The Protestant Student Congregation (Evangelische Studierendengemeinde, ESG) offers advice and – under certain premises – financial aid to foreign students, who are in financial distress. Please address the university chaplain Dieter Wackerbarth.
Accomodation
Especially at the beginning of the winter semester, it can be very difficult to find an affordable room or apartment in Osnabrueck. So start your search for an accomodation as early as possible – at the latest after receiving your letter of admission!
Students’ Halls of Residence
The Student Welfare Services (Studentenwerk Osnabrueck) offer rooms in halls of residence for about 2.000 students. The rent ranges from 140 EUR to 250 EUR per month.
If exchange students and scholarship holders sign up with the International Office early enough, they can get rooms in the students’ halls of residence. Please fill in the respective application form and send it to the International Office along with a passport-size photograph before the deadline, i.e.:
- by July 1 for accommodation in the subsequent winter semester
- by January 1 for accommodation in the subsequent summer semester.
Period of Tenancy
Rooms in the students’ halls of residence can only be rented for an entire semester or academic year, i.e.:
- from October 1 to March 31 (winter semester),
- from April 1 to September 30 (summer semester), or
- from October 1 to September 30 (academic year).
Deposit
If you rent a room in one of the students’ halls of residence, you will have to pay a deposit of 400 Euro before you move in. The deposit will be fully repaid to you after you move out, if the hall's caretaker confirms that have left your room in a clean and orderly state.
Rental Obligations
If you cannot come to Osnabrueck as planned, but have already signed the rental agreement, you should inform the International Office immediately. The International Office and the Student Welfare Services will then attempt to find a new tenant for your room. However, you will have to pay for any loss of rent, which results from vacancy.
Residence Tutors
The Student Welfare Services, the University of Osnabrueck and Osnabrueck University of Applied Sciences run a tutorial programme for international students in the halls of residence. Five student tutors help international students in case of questions and problems. Their tasks include:
- helping international students to socialise with other students
- helping international students to overcome language barriers
- advising international students on leisure activities
- advising international students on residence permits, work permits, health insurance, and financial support
Information on the addresses of the tutors and their visiting hours are available at the International Office.
Options for Other International Students
International students who are not exchange students can directly apply for a place in the halls of residence at the Student Welfare Services. If you wish to apply for a room or apartment, or would like to obtain further information please contact
Wohnraumzentrale des Studentenwerks
Ritterstrasse 10
D-49074 Osnabrueck
Tel: +49 (0)541 33107 0
E-mail: wohnen@studentenwerk-osnabrueck.de
The Housing Office of the Student Welfare Services can also aid you with finding private housing.
Private Housing
Due to the high demand for accommodation at the beginning of every semester, new students must take into account that they might not immediately be offered a room in one of the students’ halls of residence, which are run by the Student Welfare Services. Therefore, you will find further tips and addresses to help you find a suitable accommodation below.
Please note that in general, private apartments and rooms are more expensive than in a students’ hall of residence. A single room in shared housing (“Wohngemeinschaft = WG”) or a small apartment will cost at least 180 Euro per month. If you contact Osnabrueck landlords or housing associations together with other students to obtain a larger flat for sharing, please make sure that every tenant receives an individual written housing contract.
Hermann Ehlers House Osnabrueck
Apart from the halls of residence, which are run by the Student Welfare Services, the Hermann Ehlers Foundation also operates a hall of residence. To apply for a room, please address:
Hermann-Ehlers-Haus Osnabrueck
Martinsburg 29
D-49078 Osnabrueck
Tel. and Fax: +49 (0)541 46018
Application forms are availabe on the Website of the Hermann-Ehlers-Haus.
Notice Boards
Many students use the notice boards in the school buildings and the canteens of Osnabrueck University to search for new roommates or next tenants. So this is one of the first places to go if you are looking for cheap student digs! Of course, you can also hang out your own housing advertisements on these notice boards.
Furthermore, you can find housing advertisments on the University’s virtual notice board and have your housing advertisment published online.
Housing Associations
The companies OWG and WGO offer numerous housing facilities in Osnabrueck. However, please be aware that they charge a membership fee (which will be returned to you one year after you have moved out).
Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft Osnabrueck eG
Katharinenstraße 10
D-49074 Osnabrueck
Tel: +49 (0)541 335340
Fax: +49 (0)541 3353444
Osnabruecker Wohnungsbaugesellschaft mbH
Hasetorwall 17
D-49076 Osnabrueck
Tel: +49 (0)541 424324
You will also find the rooms and apartments that are offered by these housing associations on the website “Immobilienscout 24” together with many other private housing advertisements.
Roommate Referral
If you are looking for a quick, temporary solution, the Osnabrueck roommate referral service (Mitwohnbuero) is a good place to go. They will quickly help you to find shared housing. However, please be aware that they charge a fee for their services. The fee varies, depending upon the length of your lease and the amount of your rent.
Mitwohnbuero Lunau Osnabrueck
Am Pappelgraben 9
D-49080 Osnabrueck
Tel. +49 (0)541 22 4 66
Fax. +49 (0)541 22 4 44
Newspapers
Please check the housing advertisements in the local press on Wednesdays and Saturdays or put an advert in the paper yourself:
Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung
Große Straße 17-19
D-49074 Osnabrueck
Tel: +49 (0)541 310 0 (general information)
Tel: +49 (0)541 310 310 (advertisments)
You can also ask for the housing part of the “Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung” to be sent to your home address: +49 541 310 580 (subscription service).
Next to the daily newspaper “Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung”, the following papers are distributed free of charge to all households in Osnbrueck and also contain housing advertisments:
On Wednesdays and Sundays:
Osnabruecker Nachrichten
Erich-Maria-Remarque-Ring 14
D-49074 Osnabrueck
Tel: +49 (0)541 94040 0
Fax: +49 (0)541 94040 33
On Sundays:
Osnabruecker Sonntagszeitung
Seminarstraße 35
D-49074 Osnabrueck
Tel: +49 (0)541 28188
Fax: +49 (0)541 29007
E-Mail: anzeigen@os-sonntagszeitung.de
Short-stay periods
The following guesthouses offer beds for short-stay periods:
Penthouse Backpackers
Moeserstr. 19
D-49074 Osnabrueck
Tel: +49 (0)541-6009606
E-mail: info@penthousebp.com
Jugendgaestehaus
Iburger Straße 183A
D-49084 Osnabrück
Tel: +49 (0)541 54282
Fax: +49 (0)541 54294
E-Mail: osnabrueck@jugendherberge.de
A youth hostel membership card is required for the Jugendgaestehaus. This card is valid in 40 countries, and costs 12 Euro for students under 27 years and 20 Euro for those over 27. If you do not yet have such a youth hostel membership card, you can buy it when you check in.
It is recommended to make a reservation by phone in both houses.
Furniture
You can find furniture advertisments on the notice boards and in the newspapers mentioned above. Furthermore, you can find furniture for your new apartment at “Moewe”. This community service project offers a large selection of low-priced (partly second-hand) furniture and household goods.
Moewe gGmbH
Hauswoermannsweg 88
D-49080 Osnabrueck
Tel.: +49 (0)541 506 880
Fax: +49 (0)541 506 8820
E-Mail: info@moewe-osnabrueck.de