Living in Witten
Your guide for house hunting and moving
Arrive and feel good
Welcome to Witten! The best of both worlds awaits you here: With just under 100,000 inhabitants, Witten offers you the cosy atmosphere of a small town with creative neighbourhoods, iconic pubs and an ideal location for your next outdoor adventure. At the same time, you are in the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. The neighbouring cities of Bochum, Dortmund, Herdecke and Hattingen are just a stone's throw away and offer you a wide range of possibilities: From cultural offerings and sporting events to shopping highlights and the best party locations.
Go on a discovery tour with us: we'll tell you what you can experience off campus at the Witten study location and which hotspots in the Ruhr region you shouldn't miss in your free time.
Your guide to finding accommodation
Witten is located in the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. We are well connected to our neighbouring cities, such as Dortmund, Herdecke and Bochum, by public transport. So you can also look beyond the outskirts of the city when looking for accommodation. However, most UW/H students live directly in Witten. Rents here are fair compared to the rest of the region and there are many shared flats. Although Witten/Herdecke University does not have its own halls of residence, some private residences consist exclusively of shared student flats - which comes very close to a hall of residence feeling. You can find some real gems in Witten's city park, for example. Here, imposing old city villas are divided into several shared flats.
Don't want to commit to a flat before you start your studies? - Then an interim tenancy could be the solution for you. Some students who spend a semester abroad rent out their flat or shared flat for a limited period of time. This allows you to bridge the initial period and you may even find fellow students who would like to share a flat with you during the first few months of the semester.
Witten students are very well connected: Students from the individual degree programmes exchange information with each other via WhatsApp groups and regularly share flat share offers and requests. Once you have decided in favour of UW/H, you will find contact and support from your fellow students.
Useful platforms for finding accommodation and shared flats:
What do I need to consider when moving house?
The question of money
Clarify what budget you have available before you start looking for a flat. Do you receive financial support or do you need a part-time job to finance the rental costs?
Good to know: If you opt for income-related repayment after graduation at UW/H, you don't have to worry about tuition fees for the time being and can concentrate fully on your studies. You only pay back the fees once you have found your dream job.
Put the flat to the test
Take some backup with you for a flat viewing - two pairs of eyes see more than one.
You should pay attention to this:
- Location and surroundings: What are the public transport connections like? Is there a parking space for a bike or car? Where are the nearest shops? What is the noise level from the street and neighbourhood?
- General condition: Check walls, ceilings and floors. Is there mould? Do the windows and doors work properly?
- Sanitary facilities: Assess the condition of the bathroom. Do the toilet, taps and shower work?
- Kitchen: Ask whether you can take over the existing furnishings and test whether all electrical appliances are in order. What about storage space?
- Heating and electrics: Check the heating and check sockets, lights and smoke detectors.
- Communal areas: Always good to know - is there a laundry room or cellar?
- Landlord and tenancy agreement: Make sure that your landlord and/or property manager are easy to reach. Take a close look at the tenancy agreement: What service charges are included in the rent? What additional costs do you have to pay (heating, water, electricity, internet costs)? Which clauses must be observed (deposit, cancellation period, renovation obligations)?
Start the "own flat" adventure well prepared!
Once your tenancy agreement has been signed, you can start planning your move.
Our checklist will help you with this:
Preparation and packing:
- As required: Buy furniture and have it delivered to the new address
- Request removal helpers
- Organise a removal van
- Dismantle the furniture you are taking with you and prepare it for transport
- Buy moving boxes, pack and label them well
- Secure fragile items
Store important documents separately
Formalities:
- Handover protocol with landlord, document damage if necessary
- Register with the citizens' advice centre in Witten
- Change of address with banks, insurance companies, health insurance company
Register utilities: Electricity, heating, internet
Settling in:
- Unpacking boxes and settling in
- Get to know flatmates or neighbours
- Exploring the neighbourhood
- Networking with other students
- Participate in university life: The Running Dinner is a Witten tradition. On this evening, individual shared flats open their kitchens to other students, university teaching staff or alumni to get to know each other, eat together, chat and celebrate.
The question of money
Clarify what budget you have available before you start looking for a flat. Do you receive financial support or do you need a part-time job to finance the rental costs?
Good to know: If you opt for income-related repayment after graduation at UW/H, you don't have to worry about tuition fees for the time being and can concentrate fully on your studies. You only pay back the fees once you have found your dream job.
Put the flat to the test
Take some backup with you for a flat viewing - two pairs of eyes see more than one.
You should pay attention to this:
- Location and surroundings: What are the public transport connections like? Is there a parking space for a bike or car? Where are the nearest shops? What is the noise level from the street and neighbourhood?
- General condition: Check walls, ceilings and floors. Is there mould? Do the windows and doors work properly?
- Sanitary facilities: Assess the condition of the bathroom. Do the toilet, taps and shower work?
- Kitchen: Ask whether you can take over the existing furnishings and test whether all electrical appliances are in order. What about storage space?
- Heating and electrics: Check the heating and check sockets, lights and smoke detectors.
- Communal areas: Always good to know - is there a laundry room or cellar?
- Landlord and tenancy agreement: Make sure that your landlord and/or property manager are easy to reach. Take a close look at the tenancy agreement: What service charges are included in the rent? What additional costs do you have to pay (heating, water, electricity, internet costs)? Which clauses must be observed (deposit, cancellation period, renovation obligations)?
Start the "own flat" adventure well prepared!
Once your tenancy agreement has been signed, you can start planning your move.
Our checklist will help you with this:
Preparation and packing:
- As required: Buy furniture and have it delivered to the new address
- Request removal helpers
- Organise a removal van
- Dismantle the furniture you are taking with you and prepare it for transport
- Buy moving boxes, pack and label them well
- Secure fragile items
Store important documents separately
Formalities:
- Handover protocol with landlord, document damage if necessary
- Register with the citizens' advice centre in Witten
- Change of address with banks, insurance companies, health insurance company
Register utilities: Electricity, heating, internet
Settling in:
- Unpacking boxes and settling in
- Get to know flatmates or neighbours
- Exploring the neighbourhood
- Networking with other students
- Participate in university life: The Running Dinner is a Witten tradition. On this evening, individual shared flats open their kitchens to other students, university teaching staff or alumni to get to know each other, eat together, chat and celebrate.