Shared flat castings and flat viewings – these are what many first-year students are currently busy with. Because no sooner have they received their admission to university than the search for accommodation begins. A brief guide to living in Oldenburg with useful tips for those looking for a flat.
Admittedly, the Oldenburg housing market has seen more relaxed times, but with a little patience, it’s certainly possible to find something. First-year students in Oldenburg have not yet had to resort to tents and sports halls – as has happened in other university towns. In 2011, accommodation in Oldenburg cost students an average of 237 euros ‘all-inclusive’. The Oldenburg Studentenwerk, with rents including heating starting from 150 euros in some of its ten halls of residence, is still well below this average and offers the largest and most varied range of accommodation in the city. It makes sense to apply immediately after receiving your place at university, as accommodation can become scarce at the start of the winter semester.
Accommodation offers from fellow students can be found not only on the various notice boards but also online on the university forum. Here, offers and requests can be posted. However, there are other ways to find your own flat or a place in a shared flat: the Oldenburg housing association GSG offers special accommodation for students at reasonable rents; available properties can be found on a dedicated website.
The Catholic University Community offers accommodation for ten students at the Oscar Romero House, not far from the university. Rooms and flats – mostly furnished – are also arranged by the flat-sharing agency HomeCompany, though a fee applies.
Further options are available through local estate agents, various online portals and classified adverts in the print media, such as the *Nordwest-Zeitung*, the *Hunte-Report*, the *Sonntagszeitung*, the weekly newspaper *DIABOLO* and the events magazine *Mox*. If you’re in the area, you should definitely take a look at the AStA’s noticeboard (Haarentor campus, central area, room M1-153).
