The private housing market

If you are in Bochum for a shorter stay or are looking for a place to stay for only the first few nights, hotels, hostels and private rentals are a good option. As per usual, in this case you will pay per night. Often breakfast, towels and bed linens are included in the price.

Conditionally some landlords also offer long-term accommodation. We recommend you communicate your needs to your landlord to see which options are available to you.

If you are staying in Bochum for a longer period, you should start looking for accommodation well in advance.

By the way: If you haven't found a suitable flat in Bochum, you can also look in neighbouring cities such as Herne, Witten, Hattingen, Essen or Dortmund. The good public transport connections in the Ruhr region make commuting possible.

RUB AStA has created a housing exchange portal on their website. There, you can search and place an advert:

• AStA's accommodation offers

Offline

You can find flat listings in various newspapers, incl. the "Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" WAZ, and the local "Stadtspiegel Bochum" (The "Stadtspiegel" is distributed to all residents of Bochum on Wednesdays and Saturdays and displayed in various public places).

It can also be worthwhile taking a look at the various bulletin boards in the cafeteria and departmental buildings on campus.

Online

The large national accommodation marketplaces have a wide range of offers and many filter options. Some of the largest platforms are listed on "Immobilienportale".

Specialised housing websites such as portals for shared living in WGs (Wohngemeinschaft) or for temporary rentals (Zwischenmiete) can be especially helpful.

One could also find a suitable solution on social media platforms by searching for relevant key terms.

The city of Bochum as well as local housing associations and cooperatives also list housing opportunities on their websites.

Having trouble finding a suitable apartment in Bochum?

Tip: Look in neighboring cities Herne, Witten, Hattingen, Essen and Dortmund. Because the Ruhr area is so well connected, commuting to Bochum from these neighboring cities is easy.

The internet can be a great way to look for accommodation from abroad, but it can also be a way for people to scam potential renters. Please keep our tips in mind while searching. If an ad seems too perfect to be real – it probably isn’t.

You should be alerted if…

• ... an upfront payment is required:

This is very unusual in Germany. Scammers may request payments, such as a security deposit or rent in advance before you have signed a contract or seen the accommodation. Usually, you pay your rent monthly. In most cases, a deposit is due with the first monthly rent. The deposit can be no more than three net cold rent payments.

• ... you spot a high-quality accommodation, for a very low rent:

If the offered accommodation is particularly nice and cheap, but located in an area where the rent is usually a lot higher, it may be a scam. To get an idea of the common rent level in Bochum, please refer to the rent index provided by the city.

• … the owner/landlord refuses to show you the accommodation:

Scammers will find excuses why they cannot show you the accommodation. They are often hard to contact aside from e-mail and decline video or phone calls.

• … contract details are confusing:

Foreign bank details that do not align with the personal information of the owner/landlord are a reason to be suspicious. A contract alone is not enough proof for a legitimate offer. If you are already unsure about an offer, you should not send out any sensitive data, like a copy of your passport etc.

*These are some tips to guide your search for accommodation, not an exhaustive list. Despite all efforts, errors may occur. We accept no liability whatsoever for the information provided here.
Detailed information on scams and further tips can be found on the websites of the Police or the European Consumer Centre Germany.

As of: February 2024.