Photo credit: Anna Logue

Housing in Mannheim

Wasserturm — Photo credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH / Hyp Yerlikaya

Mannheim has about 300,000 inhabitants from 167 nations. Openness and cultural diversity - this is what defines living in Mannheim.
The city center, also called the Quadrate (blocks), is framed by the rivers Rhine and Neckar. Housing in the Quadrate is in high demand. In total, Mannheim has 17 districts. All districts are well-connected to the University of Mannheim by public transport. We encourage you to also look for housing in the other districts of Mannheim.
You can get a first idea of the city using the interactive map of Mannheim.
You have several different options when looking for a room or apartment in Mannheim. Here, we have compiled some useful tips for you.

Applying at the Studierendenwerk for accommodation in student housing

The Studierendenwerk Mannheim has about 2,500 rooms available in 17 different student residence halls. Student housing is the perfect place to get to know fellow students from both Germany and all around the world! Click here to find a list of all student residence halls. You can apply for student housing online. The application is non-binding and can be submitted even before you’ve received the official admission from the University of Mannheim. Please be aware that you are not guaranteed a room in student housing! The waiting lists are long and we recommend applying as soon as possible and looking for a room on the private rental market at the same time.
The Studierendenwerk also offers private accommodation (further information).

Studierendenwerk address and office hours:
Bismarckstraße 10, 68161 Mannheim
Mensa/Entrance A
Contact person: Janine Kohler
Tel.: +49 621 49072-713; Fax: +49 621 49072-899
E-mail: international(at)stw-ma.de
https://www.stw-ma.de/
Mon - Tue 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Fri 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Janine Kohler

Coordination Services International Students

Studierendenwerk Mannheim Kommunikation und Studierendenservice Mensaria am Schloss Bismarckstr. 10 | Eingang A – Room Infothek
68161 Mannheim

Phone: +49 621 49072-713
Fax: +49 621 49072-899
E-mail: international(at)stw-ma.de
Web: www.stw-ma.de

Consultation hour(s):
Mon–Thu 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Fri 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Private housing
Mannheim is a university city. This means that, at the beginning of each semester, private housing is in high demand. So, finding suitable accommodation may take up a lot of time. We therefore recommend looking for a room on the private rental market as early as possible.
As housing in the Quadrate (squares) is particularly sought after, we encourage you to also look for accommodation in one of the other 17 districts of Mannheim. All districts are well-connected to the University of Mannheim by public transport. The same applies to the cities in the vicinity of Mannheim, such as Ludwigshafen or Heidelberg.

Short-term accommodation

If you come to Mannheim to look for an apartment or have to bridge a few days before moving in, you can rent a room in the Youth Hostel Mannheim International.

For more affordable hotels in Mannheim please see the portal myUniMA.

Advice for finding accommodation

Shared apartments are very popular among students, even on the private rental market. All students living in a shared apartment have their own bedroom, but share the kitchen and bathroom. If you decide to live in a shared apartment, you do not only pay less rent, but also will get accustomed to living in Mannheim and and the university much more quickly.

The price for a room in a shared apartment amounts to EUR 300-450. It is common that landlords require a deposit payment of about two monthly rents excluding utilities.
Looking for accommodation on the private rental market

You will find plenty offers for private rooms or apartments on the Internet. Unfortunately, not all offers are reliable. Therefore, from experience, we recommend not to transfer rental payments to bank accounts outside Germany.

Here you can find an overview of some websites of accommodation services:

Studenten-WG

Studenten-Wohnung

Studentenwohnungsmarkt

WG-gesucht

Wohnung für dich

Quoka
Residence halls

Besides student housing provided by the Studierendenwerk, there are also some residence halls in Mannheim that are run by other organizations. Some of them are church-sponsored. Please apply directly at the respective residence hall. For further information please see the respective residence hall’s website.

The Alfred-Delp-Haus (ADH) is a catholic residence hall located in the city center of Mannheim. Here, a harmonious residential community and good companionship of the residents is of great importance. Both the residents and the management of the residence hall add to a familial and homely atmosphere. For this reason, before allocating a room, the management wants to meet new applicants in person. International students can apply for a room in the ADH without having to travel to Mannheim for a personal interview; yet, they must be able to satisfactorily show their social commitment. All students can apply irrespective of their religious affiliation.

The Curt-Sandig-Haus (CSH) is an interdenominational residence hall standing out from many others thanks to affordable rents, manifold activities for its residents, and a strong sense of community. From regular parties and an in-house soccer team to salsa lessons – the residence hall’s semester program is most diverse and has something to offer for everyone.

Then, there is the Emilie-Hucht-Haus, a catholic youth residence. For more information please see the homepage.

The Kolpinghaus offers rooms for students, trainees, pupils, and young workers.
Please check the portal myUniMA for more information on finding a room on the private rental market.

Photo credit: Wolfgang Roloff / Alte Feuerwache Mannheim gGmbH

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Photo credit: The city of Mannheim

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Photo credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

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Photo credit: Ben von Skyhawk / Wirtschaftsförd erung (Economic Development)

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Photo credit: Hyp Yerlikaya / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

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Photo credit: Dominik Rossbach / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

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Photo credit: Fernand Fath / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

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View of Alte Feuerwache located in Neckarstadt West. Today the former fire station serves as a cultural center and venue for concerts, parties, and poetry slams. Photo credit: Wolfgang Roloff / Alte Feuerwache Mannheim gGmbH

Mannheim is a real bike city: It was in Mannheim that Karl Freiherr von Drais invented the 'Laufmaschine' (1817), a human-powered vehicle that is regarded as the forerunner of the bicycle. Each summer numerous cycling events take place throughout the city in commemoration of the inventor of the earliest two-wheeler. Photo credit: Stadt Mannheim (city of Mannheim)

View of Friedrichsplatz surrounding the Wasserturm. In summer, the park with its nice fountains is a popular gathering place. In the background you can see the Congress Center Rosengarten. Photo credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

Industrial romanticism at Mannheim Harbor. Photo credit: Ben von Skyhawk / Wirtschaftsförderung (Economic Development)

Carl Benz Memorial at Augustaanlage. Carl Benz had his first mechanical workshop in Mannheim, and it was here that the famous engineer invented the automobile. Photo credit: Hyp Yerlikaya / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

View from Schillerplatz to Mannheim Jesuit Church. In addition to regular services, the magnificent baroque church also hosts concerts such as the ABSOLVENTUM Advent Concert. Photo credit: Dominik Rossbach / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

The new building of the Kunsthalle Mannheim at Friedrichsplatz (opening in June 2018) is the largest museum that has been built in Germany for years. Photo credit: Fernand Fath / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

Yellow gondolettas in Luisenpark. The park has around one billion visitors a year and claims to be “one of the most beautiful parks in Europe”. Photo credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

Every year in spring and autumn a fair (Mannheimer Mess) takes place on Neuer Meßplatz in the northern Neckarstadt. Photo credit: GrossMarkt Mannheim GmbH

Every year, many events take place on the Maimarkt site in the east of Mannheim - including the Maifeld Derby Festival, the Time Warp Festival and the Maimarkt Fair. Photo credit: Manfred Rinderspracher

View from the Neckar to the telecommunication tower in Mannheim's Oststadt. The riverbank is a popular meeting place in summer. Photo credit: Hyp Yerlikaya / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

The planetarium is located in the east of Mannheim, near Luisenpark. Photo credit: Hyp Yerlikaya / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

At Planken (the shopping street leading from Wasserturm up to Paradeplatz) and the Wasserturm various events take place throughout the year. In the picture you can see the Stadtfest (City Festival) that takes place every year in May. Photo credit: Gundolf Frost

In Mannheim's district Jungbusch you'll find the Popakademie, a university of popular music and music business. Keep an eye on them: They often offer free concerts by young talents. In the background you can see the student dorm Hafenstraße. Photo credit: Achim Mende / Stadtmarketing Mannheim

There are two rivers running through Mannheim. You can linger on the riverbanks of the Rhine and the Neckar. Photo credit: Ben von Skyhawk / Wirtschaftsförderung Mannheim

Not only congresses and conferences take place at Rosengarten next to the Wasserturm. Many well-known artists have already performed here as well. Photo credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim

Even more culture can be experienced at Stadthaus on Paradeplatz: In addition to the library, the Oststadt theater is located here. The building has the typical Mannheim symmetry, characterized by a tower framed by smaller buildings on each side. In this case the tower is an elevator. Interesting Fact: Werner von Siemens invented the first electric elevator in Mannheim. Photo credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

A very famous building in Mannheim: The Wasserturm on Friedrichsplatz. On its left-hand side, the district Schwetzingerstadt is located. With many cultural offers and cafés Schwetzingerstadt is a popular district. Photo credit: Achim Mende / Stadtmarketing Mannheim

The annual Christmas Market also takes place around the Wasserturm. There are even more Christmas markets in the city center. Photo credit: Dominik Rossbach / Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

The Forest park (Waldpark) by the Rhine river stretches across the districts Lindenhof, Niederfeld and Neckarau. This protected landscape is popular with joggers, cyclists and walkers. Photo credit: Timo Volz / Stadtmarketing Mannheim

Schiller monument on Schillerplatz. Schiller's "The Robbers" premiered in Mannheim in 1782. Photo credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH

The National Theater in Mannheim's Oststadt district. Photo credit: Christian Kleiner / Nationaltheater Mannheim