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Housing for Students

Finding student accommodation

Are you looking for accomodation? Explore the housing options in the Leiden region.

Moving to a new country and starting your studies can be an exciting time. However, the searching for student accommodation is sometimes time-consuming and difficult, and it can be difficult to know where to begin. You can find more information on this page about what to take into consideration when looking for student housing, what your options are, and what you can do to give yourself the best chance of success. 

Please note that it is a requirement to register at a residential address to receive your BSN (Citizen Service Number), which you will need for living in the Netherlands. Make sure that the accommodation that you find allows you to register at the address, as not all places do. Living at an address you are not registered at is not legal in the Netherlands, and can result in consequences such as fines.

If you're a student at Leiden University, don't forget to take a look at their website for helpful advice on how to request housing via Leiden University's website.

Advice for finding student housing

1. Start Early - don't leave it too long to begin looking for student housing. This means already familiarising yourself with housing websites and requesting to join Facebook student housing groups in advance.

2. Be Open-Minded - finding student accommodation doesn't mean that you have to stay in the same place for the entirety of your studies. It's good to know what you want, but make sure your list of requirements isn't too long.

3. Work Together - if possible, ask friends and family to help you look as well. Sometimes having an extra pair of eyes to look out for available properties - and red flags - can be a huge asset if you're struggling. Talking about your search to others may also unexpectedly give you some new leads. 

Hooglandsekerkgracht in Leiden

Helpful Websites For Finding Student Housing

Facebook groups for finding student housing

Another way to find affordable student housing is to search on different social media platforms. Facebook, for example, has different groups in which people can post about available rooms. However, always make sure to do some research on any room or apartment before putting down a deposit or signing a contract. There are often scams on social media housing groups, so it's important to be cautious.

Visit the Student Housing Leiden and Leiden Housing Facebook groups to look for student accomodation. You can post in the groups if you are looking for a new room, but you will also find posts by people looking for a new roommate! 

Keys in a door.

Broaden your search area

Although it may make the most sense to begin your house search directly in Leiden, if you're struggling to find housing it can help to broaden your search area. Many nearby municipalities are within easy commuting distance of Leiden - municipalites such as Leiderdorp, Voorschoten, Zoeterwoude, and Oegstgeest have frequent bus connections to Leiden. Living in a smaller municipality can mean more affordable rental prices, too.

You can also consider looking for accommodation in larger cities such as The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Haarlem, which are all easy to reach by train from Leiden. 

Read more about our advice on finding housing

Important

If you are an international student moving to the Netherlands for the first time, universities are warning you to not come unless you have a place to live. This is because you will need accommodation in order to receive your BSN (Citizen Service Number), which allows you to then do many important things in the Netherlands (such as opening a Dutch bank account). You can learn more about international students being asked to delay their studies due to housing struggles in this article by our partner, Dutch News. 

More About Studying in Leiden

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