Find a student room
Planning on studying at HAN University of Applied Sciences and looking for a cosy student room? Here you can find tips and advice about searching for student housing in the Arnhem and Nijmegen area.
Start your search early!
Finding student housing in Arnhem or Nijmegen is difficult. That's because there’s currently a housing shortage in the Netherlands. So, start searching for a room early. We recommend 6 months in advance. Are you starting in September and still haven't found a room by July? Then you should consider your other options.
Please note: Are you paying the financial guarantee including accommodation? You'll get a room through HAN Housing in your 1st year or semester of study. Exchange student? You'll also get a room through HAN Housing. Go to the HAN Housing site for more info.
Student housing
Where to look for accommodation
Find link lists to sites that advertise rooms, apartments and houses.
Tips and tricks
Tips and tricks to help you find and secure your student accommodation.
Scamming
Because of the housing shortage, scamming on the housing market is an issue.
Furniture, bed linen, kitchen utensils etc.
Check out these shops for furniture, bed linen, kitchen utensils or other furnishings for your room.
Legal support for renters
Conflict with your landlord? In both Arnhem and Nijmegen you can go to offices for support and advice.
Contact
Contact us at the HAN Housing Office. We're happy to help with all your questions!
Where to look for accommodation
Here you can find link lists to sites that advertise rooms, apartments and houses. Please note that we do not make any guarantees about these sites or what they offer.
Tips and tricks
The market for student housing is very competitive. Here are some tips and tricks to help you find and secure your student accommodation.
- Don't just focus on Nijmegen or Arnhem alone, but also on the neighboring towns and villages, like Lent, Malden, Weurt (near Nijmegen), and Velp and Westervoort (near Arnhem). Maybe also in Germany (if you're going to study in Nijmegen).
- Be aware of scamming.
- Note that the prices advertised are usually purely the rent. They don't include gas, electricity, water and Internet. You generally have to pay for those things separately.
- Let as many people know that you are looking for a room: friends, classmates, neighbors etc. The best way to find a place is through people you already know.
- Place your own advertisement on different Facebook pages. Be creative in your ad, just saying you're looking for a room is usually not enough. And be aware of scammers!
- Are you applying for a viewing ("kijkavond") of a room in a Dutch student house? Get a friend to help you write the text in Dutch - you'll have a better chance of getting invited. And be creative in what you say so you stand out!
- Have you been invited to view a room at a Dutch student house ("kijkavond")? Make sure you bring a small gift! A six-pack would be enough, for instance.
- Seen an interesting place advertised through a real estate? Call straight away!
- Want to apply for a place through a real estate? Get a friend to help you with a text in Dutch - you'll have a better chance of a positive response.
- Consider joining up with 1 or 2 other students and searching for a place together.
- Consider making a video of yourself when applying for a place / viewing.
Scamming
- Be aware of scamming on the housing market. This is especially an issue now because of the housing shortage. Use your common sense: if it's too good to be true, it usually is.
- Read this useful article on the "I am expat" website: 5 ways to avoid getting scammed when looking for a place in the Netherlands.
- SAM, the journalistic podium of HAN University of Applied Sciences, also has an interesting article related to scamming: A happy home, but not for international students.
- Also, you might like to become a member of this facebook community dedicated to exposing scammers.
Furniture, bed linen, kitchen utensils etc.
Please note that the rooms you find on housing sites are not always furnished. Need cheap furniture, bed linen, kitchen utensils etc? Check out the following shops, which have locations in the city centers: ACTION, HEMA, XENOS.
Ikea stores are not located in the city centers, but you can order online and have products delivered: IKEA
Prefer to furnish your room in a carbon neutral way? Buy second hand!
There are many second hand stores, or ‘kringloopwinkels’, in The Netherlands. These stores are especially useful for home goods like pots and pans but some also sell towels and sheets. They often also have a delivery service for furniture. Definitely worth a try! Just search for ‘kringloop’ online or use this helpful overview.
Legal support for renters
Conflict with your landlord? The municipalities of Arnhem and Nijmegen have offices where renters can go to for support and advice. Free of charge! For example, if you have a conflict with your landlord about the price of the rent or about maintenance. The Huurdersbalie Arnhem website is only in Dutch, but you can find their phone and email address and make an appointment.
Contact
Contact us at the HAN Housing Office.
We're happy to help with all your questions!