Living in Mannheim
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 (squares), 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, such as Neckarstadt, Jungbusch, Schwetzingerstadt, or Lindenhof.
You can get a first idea of the city using the interactive map of Mannheim.
Private or Student Housing
Student Housing
The Studierendenwerk Mannheim acts as landlord for student housing.
Location
The residence halls of the Studierendenwerk Mannheim are located all throughout the city. The university can be reached directly by public transport from all residence halls.
Types of Rooms
Most students in student housing live in shared apartments. All students living in a shared apartment have their own bedroom, but share the kitchen and bathroom. Between two and eight students live in a shared apartment. Only students of the same gender will share a two-bedroom apartment. There is also a very small number of single apartments available. Single apartments are equipped with a personal kitchen and bathroom.
Appliances and Equipment
The student housing kitchens are equipped with a hot plate and refrigerator. There are no ovens. Not all shared apartments have dishes. Toilet paper, dish soap, detergent, etc. will not be provided. Every residence hall has a laundry room with washers and dryers. You may pay for washing and drying using your ecUM (student ID).
Costs
Rent, including utilities*: about EUR 295 to EUR 420
*Utilities: Water, heating, electricity, InternetAllocation of accommodation
The Studierendenwerk is responsible for allocating the rooms of the residence halls. You can apply for a room as early as six months prior to your requested move-in date. Please apply via the online form. You can name several preferences.
Private housing
At the beginning of each semester, private housing in Mannheim 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.
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.
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:
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.
- TheBumiller-Raab-Haus, the former Curt-Sandig-Haus, 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.
Credit: Wolfgang Roloff / Alte Feuerwache Mannheim gGmbH
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Credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH
Credit: Stadtmarketing Mannheim GmbH
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Credit: Christian Kleiner / Nationaltheater Mannheim
