The cost of a place in a German student hall (Studierendenwohnheim) consists of rent, running costs and a deposit. Many student services (Studierendenwerke) combine rent and running costs in one flat-rate payment, so you pay a single monthly amount. This guide explains how these costs are built up so that you can compare offers and read the tenancy agreement. Each student service publishes its own prices on its website.
In short: In a student hall you usually pay an all-inclusive rent made up of base rent and a flat rate for running costs. In the 2025 general rental terms of the Studierendenwerk Göttingen, the flat rate covers, among other things, heating, hot water, water, electricity and internet. A deposit is added which, under section 551 BGB, may not exceed three months’ rent excluding flat-rate running costs. Last updated: November 2026.
The key points
- Each student service sets its own rents, so prices differ by town and building.
- A flat-rate rent is common: base rent plus a running-costs flat rate for heating, water, electricity and other items.
- Under the rental terms the flat rate can change, even without your consent, and has to be reduced if costs fall (Göttingen example).
- Under section 551 BGB the deposit is capped at three months’ rent excluding flat-rate running costs, and it does not bear interest in a student hall.
- Hall contracts can be fixed-term and have their own rules on notice and handover.
What are the cost components of a student hall?
The table shows the typical items. The right-hand column shows how the item is regulated in the 2025 general rental terms of the Studierendenwerk Göttingen. Other student services and private halls differ, but the structure is comparable.
| Item | Content | Example: Studierendenwerk Göttingen |
|---|---|---|
| Base rent | Payment for the room or apartment | Part of the flat-rate rent (section 3 no. 1) |
| Running-costs flat rate | Heating, hot water, water, sewage, waste collection, electricity, internet, cleaning, maintenance | Included in the rent (section 3 no. 1.1) |
| Furnishing | Inventory according to the inventory list | Take over as listed, treat with care (sections 14, 17) |
| Deposit | Security for damage, missing inventory, keys and claims | Paid in two instalments, may be offset, no interest (section 5) |
Source: General rental terms of the Studierendenwerk Göttingen, 2025, retrieved November 2026 (in German).
What does the flat rate include?
Running costs (Betriebskosten) are the ongoing costs arising from the building which the landlord may pass on to you under the contract. In halls they are often bundled in a flat amount. In the Göttingen example they include heating, hot water, water, sewage, waste collection, electricity, internet, cleaning and maintenance. A separate user policy applies to internet use (section 10).
Check in your own contract which items are really included. If electricity, for example, is not part of the flat rate, you have to register and pay for it separately. A guide to this is Strom in der WG: Wer den Vertrag hat und wie du den Tarif wechselst (in German). How the broadcasting fee works in halls is covered in Student Broadcasting Fee: Exemption, Dorm and Shared Flat.
Can the student service change the flat rate?
For rooms in student and youth halls, section 549(3) BGB disapplies certain tenant protection rules, including those on rent at the start of a tenancy, rent increases and protection against termination. Which changes are permitted is therefore governed mainly by the rental terms. In the Göttingen example, the student service may adjust the flat rate at its reasonable discretion without the tenant’s consent. The change takes effect at the start of the rental month after written notice. If running costs fall, the flat rate has to be reduced accordingly (section 3 no. 1.2 to 1.4).
This also means the rent brake does not apply in a hall. How it works for rooms in shared flats is explained in Gilt die Mietpreisbremse für WG-Zimmer? (in German).
How high can the deposit be?
Section 551(1) BGB caps the security at three times the monthly rent, excluding running costs paid as a flat rate or as an advance payment. You may pay it in three equal monthly instalments, the first due at the start of the tenancy. There is no duty to pay interest in a student or youth hall. The landlord must keep the deposit separate from his own assets.
Assumption for the example: the base rent without the running-costs flat rate is 250 euros. The deposit may then be at most 750 euros. The example only shows the logic. The actual amount is set by the rental terms of your hall. In the Göttingen example the deposit may be offset against damage, missing inventory or keys, and the bank account has to stay open for three months after the tenancy ends so that the refund can be paid. General rules on getting the money back are in Mietkaution zurückbekommen nach dem Auszug (in German).
How do payment, term and moving out work?
The list below sets out the rules from the Göttingen example. It shows which points you should look for in your own contract.
| Point | Rule in the example | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Due date | In advance, by the third working day of the month, by direct debit or transfer | Section 4 |
| Term | Regular residence period eight semesters, extension on application | Section 2 |
| End of the contract | At the end of the term, without notice, no tacit extension | Section 6 |
| Notice by the tenant | By the third working day of a month, effective at the end of the month after next | Section 6 no. 2.1 |
| Handover | By 10 a.m. on the last day of the month, cleaned, with inventory and all keys | Section 7 |
| Inspection | Agree a date at least two weeks before moving out | Section 14 no. 5 |
Source: General rental terms of the Studierendenwerk Göttingen, 2025 (in German).
The last point matters: if you do not agree an inspection date, under the example the student service’s own finding of damage is deemed accepted. So plan the date in good time. How a hall contract ends in practice depends on its fixed term.
Hall or shared flat: what counts in a cost comparison?
Always compare the total monthly cost, not just the base rent. In a shared flat, utilities, electricity, internet and the broadcasting fee often come on top separately, while in a hall several of them are included in the flat rate depending on the contract. A decision aid is Student Dorm or Shared Flat: Which Suits You Better?. Search strategy and overall costs are covered in Affordable student housing: strategy, portals and costs.
Frequently asked questions
Are electricity and internet always included in a hall?
No. At the Studierendenwerk Göttingen both are in the flat rate, other halls may regulate this differently. The tenancy agreement with its rental terms decides.
May the student service raise the rent during the term?
The statutory rules on rent increases do not apply to student halls under section 549(3) BGB. The rental terms govern which adjustments are allowed. In the Göttingen example the flat rate may be adjusted at reasonable discretion and has to fall if costs fall.
Do I earn interest on my deposit?
In a student or youth hall there is no duty to pay interest under section 551 BGB. The Göttingen example also excludes interest.
Is a hall room covered by the rent brake?
No, the rule on rent at the start of a tenancy does not apply to space in student and youth halls (section 549(3) BGB).
What to do next
- Get the general rental terms and the current price list of your student service or hall.
- Check which items are in the flat rate and which you pay separately.
- Note the deposit, instalments, term, notice period and handover date.
- Compare the total cost with a shared-flat alternative.
- If you have questions about insurance and finances during your studies, personal advice is available from Academycon: So arbeiten wir (in German).
Related reading
- Wohnen im Studium: Miete, WG, Wohnheim und Wohngeld im Überblick (in German)
- Student Dorm or Shared Flat: Which Suits You Better?
- Lärm im Studentenwohnheim: Welche Rechte du hast (in German)
- Mietkaution als Student: Höhe, Raten und Anlage (in German)
- Student Contents Insurance in Shared Flats and Dorms: When It Pays
Sources: General rental terms of the Studierendenwerk Göttingen, 2025 (in German); Section 549 BGB, Provisions applicable to residential tenancies, retrieved November 2026 (in German); Section 551 BGB, Limits and investment of rental deposits, retrieved November 2026 (in German)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
