Where to Find Accomodation?
Finding accomodation in a new city can be tricky but perhaps you can find your cozy place through one of these resources we have compiled for you.
DUWO
Duwo is the largest student house corporation in the Netherlands.
The system goes as follows: you sign up to be on a waiting list for a student room in your preferred city that will be offered to you at a very reasonable price. Duwo is useful if you know that you are applying/going to a university a year or more in advance as the waiting list can take up to 2 years. Rooms are given in priority of how long you have been on the waiting list. Another way to enter Duwo housing is by finding an offer on other channels like Facebook or kamernet as the housemates have the option to choose the future tenants. In the case you get chosen by these housemates you can skip the waiting list and pay the Duwo sign up fee.
Fee: 40 euros to apply
Use when: You have a lot of time to apply beforehand so you can get aq good quality and cheap room in the Hague.
The Housing Office is the official office set up by Leiden University to help students find accommodation.
It can be helpful as the different houses are located close to each other and it is a great way to meet other students, plus the prices are usually very convenient.
To apply for housing you need to select the housing option on your Usis application, then pay a 350€ fee and submit proof of payment through the housing contact form. After your payment has been confirmed you will receive three different housing options within different price ranges and you can rank them based on your preference: these include a private studio, a private room with shared facilities (kitchen and bathroom) and a shared room with shared facilities.
After submitting your application you will be placed on the housing list, and once the housing deadline has passed the Housing Office will begin allocating rooms, based on when the payment was completed. Once the office sends the final offer you have 5 days to accept or decline it.
Fee: 350 euros to apply and a deposit
Use when: you apply early for the university, need cheap accommodation and want to live close to other students. However, spaces fill up really fast and it’s much easier to get an offer if you’re a non-EU student.
University Housing Office
Kamernet
Kamernet is an easy-to-use platform for tenants and landlords to get in touch. It is most often used by current tenants looking for a new roommate.
The rooms are often reasonably priced and there is a higher chance that the room is already furnished. The landlords are vetted and there is a high response rate when you send a message of interest.
If they are interested in you as a tenant or roommate they will invite you to a viewing soon after and you must be. In this case, you will have to balance asking questions about the room as well as seem like an appealing tenant/roommate. The pitfall of the platform is that often Dutch tenants are looking for other Dutch-speaking tenants, however, this is not always the case.
Fee: €21 for 15 days€34 for 1 month
Use when: you are looking for a (furnished) room and want to share your space with roommates.
Facebook can be a great tool to find a room in The Hague, as most people post their offers there and lots are posted every day.
Most people provide a description of the space with pictures and information on the price, and then you can contact them via private message and try to arrange a viewing. Tenants receive lots of requests quickly so it’s important to contact them shortly after the room is posted. It can be useful to also include a short description of yourself when you message the tenant, giving some information about you and what kind of roommate you would be.
Facebook is useful because there are a lot of options coming in every day and contacting those offering is free and fast. However, it is a tiring process of surveilling the Facebook groups, sending many messages and limited responses. Additionally, there are scammers operating and it’s important to recognize some red flags and avoid dangerous situations. If you can’t be in the Netherlands for viewings ask the flatmate if you can skype/video call so that they can show you the house, however, going to viewings in person is definitely the best choice.
You can also check out the page “Dutch housing scammers exposed” and see whether the profile that posted the offer is mentioned there.
Fee: n/a
Use when: you are looking for any type of rooms (studio, shared flat, apartment) and have a lot of time and patience to go through the groups.
Most prominent groups:
Pararius
Pararius is one of the biggest housing platforms in the Netherlands. Rental agencies post housing offers, together with pictures and a description of the house, and they can be contacted directly through the website.
Pararius can be useful, especially when looking for an apartment rather than a room, but a number of the offers that are posted are only available for couples/families and not for students, so it’s always important to ask before scheduling a viewing. Most of the houses that are offered are not furnished, so it’s also important to understand what the house is provided with.
Registration on the website is free, and users can create a profile specifying what kind of property they are looking for. The downside of using Pararius is that not a lot of landlords are willing to rent to students, and it can be hard to get a reply from the agencies because of the high demand.
Fee: n/a
Use when: you are looking for a whole apartment and want to start renting ASAP. Being in the Hague is very useful as agencies want to organise viewings
Simple Stay is an online platform that helps students find accomodation in different Dutch cities, including The Hague.
Simple Stay is an online platform that helps students find accomodation in different Dutch cities, including The Hague.
You can sign up through their website (starting from April 15th) and specify what kind of accommodation you’re looking for. As of now the early bird sign up (completed before the 1st of July) costs 250€, and the late sign up (completed after the 1st of July) costs 350€. Within 5 days after completing the payment you will receive an “intro call”, and receive your housing offer in the period between the 1st of July and the 15th of August.
Fee: 250€/350€ depending on when you apply
Use when: you’re looking for a room in a shared apartment, can’t attend viewings in person and want to delegate searching for a house to someone else
Simple Stay
Roomplaza
Roomplaza is a website that offers both studios and rooms in shared apartments for students.
To use the service you need to sign-up and pay a 25€ fee, then start looking based on when you would like to move in and whether you’re looking by yourself or with other people.
Each offer comes with pictures and a short description of the house, together with a checklist of the different appliances that can be found in the flat. Once you find something that looks good you can make an inquiry and apply for the room. If you are chosen by the landlord a 200€ housing fee is requested, as well as a deposit for the room.
Fee: 200€ housing fee + 25€ to sign up for the service
Use when: you are looking for a room in a shared apartment and are looking with a group. It can also be useful for students that can’t attend viewings. However, there are some extra costs that come with using the platform and the rooms are on the pricier side.
If you haven’t found accomodation before the start of a new semester, don’t panic!
There are a variety of temporary and short stay opportunities in The Hague, specifically for these occasions. While they are more expensive, they are a good solution to tie you over until you find a room/apartment of your own.
Use when: You are still looking for a nice place, but need a place to stay in The Hague short term.
Temporary Accomodation
Most popular temporary accomodation: