Of course you must be curious about where you'll being living for the next 12-18 months of your life!

Palmenwaldstrasse

As a new student, you likely signed up for the a room in the Palmenwaldstrasse Wohnheim. This five-story dormitory is located in Mettingen, about 2km west of downtown Esslingen, and it's a short bus or S-Bahn ride to the downtown.

Each room is furnished with a desk, a bed, a small table, two chairs, and an armoire, and every room has its own bathroom and shower. There is a communal kitchen and dining area on each floor, and the kitchen has about a dozen electric stoves and several sinks for use. Each student has a small locked refrigerator and freezer space, which can be locked, and each student also gets four locker spaces in the kitchen area for storing cooking ware and food.

There are coin-operated laundry and dryer machines in the basement, and there is a ping-pong table across the hall from the laundry room.

Every three weeks or so, you can exchange your old sheets and pillow cases for fresh ones from the Hausmeister (custodian).

Finding a place to live (outside the Wohnheim)

• If you are coming with your wife/husband, probably the dormitory is not the best solution.
• A good idea would be to come alone first and start searching for housing, and then your partner can come later when you already have everything arranged.
• Searching a house in Germany is not an easy task. You will have to be patient, because it can take some months.
• One way to find a place can be through newspapers, the internet, or ads in the university. If you are willing to do it through a real state agency, they will probably charge you the amount equivalent to 2 or 3 rents for their work. Here it is called "Provision"
• In most cases you also have to pay an additional "Caution" equivalent to 2 months' rent, and it is kept by the owner of the house until the day you vacate the residence. (Just in case you cause some damage).
• Living in a hotel is also difficult and not convenient, at least not for a long time. The prices in this region (Stuttgart) are high, and you must be willing to pay for the entire month. A hotel for 2 people costs you at least 800 Euro/month.
• If you are not going to stay for a many years, an already furnished house can be worthwhile. For long term it is better to buy the furniture even if second hand, but having a cheaper rental to pay.
• The small cities ("Dorfs") have often better prices to live, but of course offer less entertainment.

Some useful terms to know

Nebenkosten
Extra monthly costs (besides the rental). It can be regarding different things among them: water, heating, garbage.

Warmmiete
Value of rent including "Nebenkosten"

Kaltmiete
Value of rent not including "Nebenkosten"

Kaution
Money given as a guarantee in case that you damage the place. If at the end it is all right, you will receive this money back at the end

Provision
Commission given to the real state when they find a place for you to live

Kehrwoche
Your week to clean the communal property/stairs. (Among your neighbours)

Anmeldung
Registering at the city hall