As many of you need to secure a room on the private market and there currently is a shortage of student rooms, we can imagine that this process can quite be a struggle.
While we are not in the position to fix the housing shortage we will answer some of your frequently asked questions on this page, and share some final tips and tricks to support you in your search.
Below we also list the housing providers which currently still offer housing. We will adjust this list on a regular basis so please make sure to check this page regularly for the latest updates.
In case you have a question which is not listed in the FAQs please feel free to contact us via studenthousing@eur.nl. Good luck!
Final tips and tricks
- https://housinganywhere.com/s/Rotterdam--Netherlands (use the sign-up link to get priority access.
- https://www.pararius.nl/huurwoningen/rotterdam
- https://kamernet.nl/en/for-rent/rooms-rotterdam
- http://www.perfectrent.nl/
- https://www.niya.nl/
- https://holland2stay.com/ (look in Rotterdam & Capelle a/d IJssel)
- https://directwonen.nl/en/rentals-for-rent/rotterdam
*Disclaimer
The EUR is not responsible for the content of any of the mentioned websites and shall not be liable for any errors or illegitimacy on these websites. Check the topic “Don’t get scammed” on how to avoid scams.
Not all housing agents or landlords can be trusted. If you have any doubts concerning your rental agreement, strange fees or the landlord’s behaviour, please reach out to us via studenthousing@eur.nl.
Below some pointers to keep in mind:
- Google an address and look it up in Google Maps to figure out if it legit;
- Google the name and/or contact details of the landlord to see if something strange appears;
- Never pay a deposit via Money Gram of Western Union, those payment methods are mostly used by scammers. A money transfer via Bank or Creditcard is much more secure;
- If you stay in the Netherlands for more than 4 months you must register at the City Hall of the City where you are staying. So if this is the case make sure registration is possible;
- Get informed about the cancellation policy; what is the policy that if due to circumstances you have to terminate your stay earlier?
- If you have to pay a deposit make sure to know what the terms & condition are for regaining your deposit at the end of your stay.
- And always keep in mind: When something seems too good to be true, it unfortunately in most cases is!
Also on the website of Kamernet you can find some useful articles about housing and among others how to recognize a scammer.
Stadswonen Rotterdam
We would advise you to register at this moment already at Stadswonen Rotterdam. This is not for now but for your second year.
Stadswonen lets over 6,000 good-quality, affordable rooms, studios and flats to students and people starting out on the Rotterdam’s housing market. Because the (unfurnished) rooms they offer are appointed to a tenant based on the longest registration period I would advise you to register as soon as possible. At this moment the waiting time is around 10 months for a room for a studio the waiting time is even longer. So the longer you have been registered, the better your chances are of finding the right housing unit. You will have to pay a one-time reservation fee of € 25,-
SSH
Also for your second year. SSH also offers rooms on the regular market, which are also just like Stadswonen Rotterdam appointed to a tenant based on the longest registration period. They have fewer rooms than Stadswonen but I would also advise you to register at SSH. https://www.sshxl.nl/en. You will have to pay a one-time reservation fee of € 20,-
FAQ's
Since our schools are not offering online education as default, you are expected to be present on campus at the start of the semester.
We advise you to not travel to Rotterdam when you haven’t found a place to stay. If you decide to start your study without having secured housing, please note that you may find yourself in hotels or hostels for a long period of time, which may result in high costs, inconvenience, and stress. Unfortunately, Erasmus University will not be able to help you find a place to stay.
At this point we don’t expect many cancellations anymore so therefore we don’t make use of a waiting list.
Rent benefit is a form of compensation on high rents provided by the Dutch government to residents on a low income. Want to know more? Read more on the following website and see if you and the accommodation you are about the rent qualifies you for rent benefit.
How much money you will actually need depends on your lifestyle. We strongly recommend you to make a budget plan.
Experience has shown that students living and studying in Rotterdam spend approximately €1,000 a month. This amount is needed to cover daily expenses, meals, accommodation costs, insurance, study books etc. The estimate below does not include tuition fees and unforeseen costs, and should be used as a general indication of the costs of living in the Netherlands.
The costs for housing, for example, may differ considerably. Also, if you plan to travel during your stay, you will obviously need more money.
Read more about this topic here!
Most students prefer to live in the neighborhoods Kralingen, City Centre, Delfshaven and Noord. But overall, all neighborhoods in Rotterdam are great to live in. Also the above mentioned neighborhoods are because of their popularity also the most expensive ones to live. So we would definitely advise you not to only focus on these neighborhoods but also expand your horizon. Keep in mind that Rotterdam has excellent public transport so you can easily commute from one part of Rotterdam to the other.
We also recommend students to search not only in Rotterdam, but also in other close by cities like Capelle aan den IJssel and Schiedam.
If you will be living in the Netherlands for more than 4 months, you must register at the City Hall in the town in which you are living. Read more about the requirements on the following website: https://www.eur.nl/en/education/study-rotterdam/living-here/city-hall
At the start of every semester, we provide our international students the opportunity to register at the City Hall during the One Stop Shops on campus. So make your appointment today!
For certain neighborhoods and streets in Rotterdam you need a housing permit. You can find a list of those neighborhoods and streets on the Municipality website of Rotterdam: https://www.rotterdam.nl/loket/huisvestingsvergunning/