Student housing can take many forms, and what makes a good housing situation for you might not make the best one for your fellow student. As a student, however, you can choose between many types of housing.

Dorms

One of the most affordable ways to live is in Denmark’s many dormitories. Unfortunately, they tend to have long waiting lists, so make sure to sign up well in advance, ideally at least 6 months and up to a year ahead of time. Some dorms have shared bathrooms and kitchens, while others might offer you more facilities for your own private use. If you don’t want to share a fridge and frying pan with your neighbour, then make sure to look into what specific dorms have on offer.

Also keep an eye on digital and physical notice boards at your place of study, as dorms sometimes post available rooms there.

Collective housing

If you want to ensure someone is always there to greet you when you come home after a long day on campus, then maybe collective housing is right for you. On Bofællesskab.dk, you can find a list of several different collectives. You can also look for collectives on Facebook, for example by joining Facebook groups or searching for postings.

Youth housing

Many housing associations and municipalities have affordable youth housing and student housing on offer. You can sign up for waiting lists long before you begin your studies, and it is often free to do so, but mind that the waiting times can be long.

Note that several municipalities offer a housing guarantee for new students. Read about the guarantee in Copenhagen, Aarhus or Aalborg. New students in Odense are covered by the “Tag over hovedet” guarantee. Always check whether there is a guarantee in your own study city.

Renting a room

Many private individuals rent out part of their apartments. This often means that you will be renting a single room, and the rest of the apartment will be shared between you and the owner of the apartment. Make sure to check what the price includes before you sign a contract. You can quickly rack up expenses if you must pay for internet, television, etc. in addition to your rent.

You can also search on Facebook and join relevant Facebook groups.

Renting housing

If just a room is not enough, you can also rent an apartment yourself. You can potentially share it with a friend and pay less rent that way. Keep in mind that when you rent, the landlord can typically require a deposit of up to three months’ rent as well as up to three months of prepaid rent.

When you move out of the apartment, you should not count on getting your full deposit back, since the money may be used if the walls need repainting or something similar.

You can find rentals on Lejebolig.dk, Boligportal.dk, Bolighub.dk or Boligsurf.dk. Not,e that most rental portals require a paid subscription.

When you have found a rental apartment or a room with your own rental contract, you should check whether you can get housing benefits. This depends on, among other things, the housing, rent, income and who is listed on the contract.

Parents footing the bill

It is a rare student who can afford to buy their own apartment. If you’re lucky, your parents may be willing to buy one for you. You can check the rules on parent purchase here. You can find many cooperative flats on Selvsalg.dk as well as condos on Boligsiden or Boliga.

Extra tip: Suburban living

The more central, the higher the rent tends to be. That is why it can be a good idea to live a little outside the inner city if you want to save on housing expenses.

If you’re studying in Copenhagen, then consider Gladsaxe, Hvidovre or Rødovre. If you’re studying in Aarhus, consider Hasle or Christiansbjerg. Odense has suburbs such as Bolbro, Dalum, Hjallese or Næsby. Last but not least, if you’re studying in Aalborg, you can look for housing in Gug or Nørresundby.

Extra tip: Watch out for scammers!

When the housing search becomes intense around the beginning of the semester, tempting housing ads can quickly show up in the wrong places. Be extra careful if a home seems unusually cheap, if the landlord pressures you to pay quickly, or if you are not allowed to see the home in person. Never pay a deposit, prepaid rent or rent before you have seen the home, received a signed rental contract and checked that the landlord actually has the right to rent out the home. Only transfer money via a bank account, so you have documentation. The police have collected advice on how to avoid scams involving holiday and rental homes here.

Good luck with the housing hunt! 🤞