FACULTY OF

COMPUTER SCIENCE

How to find short-term accommodation for the first few days?
If you need accommodation for the first few days, booking a room in a youth hostel is possible. Moreover, If you know people in Magdeburg already, asking someone for a short-time stay might be an option as well. Additionally, please have a look through the hotel services available in Magdeburg here. Other Possibilities are (in no particular order):
http://magdeburg.djh-sachsen-anhalt.de
http://www.ringel-hostel.de
http://www.magdeburg-tourist.de/Start/Tourism-Leisure/Accommodation

What are the steps I need to take if I do not have accommodation by the time I arrive in Magdeburg?

• For starters, there are options for short term accommodations (as denoted above). You can also temporarily stay with another senior students, either for free or in exchange for some money. For the latter, you can, for example, get in touch with Magdeburg Indians eV.
• With consent, you can ask the person giving you temporary accommodation to give you a care-of letter as well.
• Using the care-of letter, you can finish your enrolment for the university. The sublet form can be found here.
• To finish the city registration, you need to get an appointment. Once there, you need to fill out a form and the person providing the care-of-letter needs to sign the filled form. Please remember that once you get a permanent or another form of accommodation, you need to re-do the city registration with your new address.
• A while after your city registration, you will receive your Tax ID in the mail. You can, with the Tax ID, open your bank account.

How to find permanent accommodation?
In order to get up-to-date details on available accommodation opportunities, we suggest you check out the IKUS page on accommodation here

What types of accommodations are available around campus?
For permanent accommodation, you can either find a shared flat or an individual flat. In both cases, the flat could either be furnished or unfurnished. In case of a shared flat, the bathroom, kitchen and the hallway would be shared between other tenants. Find more information regarding types of accommodation here:

What is Cold Rent (Kaltmiete) and Warm Rent (Warmmiete)?
In Germany, warm rent corresponds to an “all-inclusive” rent. It means that all extra-costs, such as electricity (“Strom”), gas and water expenses are included in the calculation for the rent. Depending on what you have signed up for, it can also include the internet or/and TV costs, although it is usually not part of the package. Cold rent, however, is no more than what you owe the landlord every month without all the other additional costs mentioned above. In this case, the contracts for gas, electricity, water and internet will have to be arranged by yourself, without the involvement of the landlord.

When can I apply for accommodation?
For studentenwerk, you can apply as soon as you get the acceptance letter. Please look through your acceptance letter for more details. For other means of accommodation, you can start applying to them after getting your visa approved.

What is a “care-of letter”?
In case you cannot find a permanent accommodation, and you are staying with a friend/host for a short span of time, you can take a care-of (c/o) letter from your host until you get your permanent accommodation in order. The letter acts as your "written confirmation of address by a host". The care-of letter should be printed and signed by your host.

What’s a Radio bill, and should I pay it?
In short, yes! Even if you are not using the service, you will have to pay the radio bill. It is recommended to pay on a monthly basis, as the due amount could pile, and you will end up paying a substantial amount at the end. In order to start paying for the radio bill, you need to register yourself and your roommates at Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcast contribution), which is done online through http://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/. The radio bill is usually charged 18 euro/flat/month, and if you are living in a shared flat, make sure you register yourself and your roommates on the same contract, as it would allow you to divide 18 euro between the tenants of the flat.