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Accommodation
Find housing and avoid unsafe rental situations.
In short
Start your housing search as early as you can, many Dutch student cities have far more students than available rooms, so a cautious, documented approach matters more than speed.
Where to look
- Your institution's housing office, often the safest and most direct starting point.
- Recognised student housing providers for your city (for example SSH, DUWO or Woonstad, depending on where you're studying).
- Established listing platforms, be cautious of one-off offers on social media with no verifiable history.
Before you pay anything
- Never transfer a deposit before viewing the room, in person or by a verified video call.
- Always get a written contract before you pay anything.
- Check whether the room is registered for municipal registration (inschrijving), not all rooms are.
- Confirm who the actual landlord is, and that they have the right to rent out the property.
Registration matters
Without a valid, registrable rental address, you often can't complete municipal registration or get a BSN, so confirm registration is actually possible before you sign anything.
Official sources
- Renting a house· Government of the Netherlands