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FAQ Dormitories

Welcome to the dormitory

We have compiled all the important information for residents of our halls of residence in our information folder. Here you will find everything you need to know: from car charging to access authorization. 

You can download the brochure as a PDF by clicking on the cover.

FAQ – All about living

How long can I live in the hall of residence?

How long can I live in the hall of residence?

In total, the maximum period of residence for students who are fully entitled to residence is 7 semesters, i.e. 3.5 years. We will remind you by e-mail three months before the end of the semester that you can extend extend your tenancy agreement by a further semester. 

With voluntary work or a justified application, you can also extend your period of residence beyond 7 semesters.

For residents with limited housing entitlement, an extension of the contract is only possible if there are still places available in the following semester. Priority is given to students who are fully entitled to reside. The maximum period of residence is still limited. Please note the relevant paragraph in your tenancy agreement. 

Residence entitlement - can I apply for a place in a dormitory?

Residence entitlement - can I apply for a place in a dormitory?

Apply as early as possible. You do not need to be enrolled or admitted to a university at the time of application. Submit your certificate of enrollment via the rental portal as soon as you receive it. The question of enrollment only becomes relevant for you when you want to decide whether you want to sign a tenancy agreement.

Students enrolled at the following universities will be given preference in the allocation of tenancy agreements, as they are fully entitled to accommodation.

  • Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (incl. Studienkolleg and University of Music)
  • Mainz University of Applied Sciences
  • Bingen University of Applied Sciences

Students from other universities & external students, non-students
We have no room for you. You cannot live with us. As applications from students from the above-mentioned universities have priority and we have had a waiting list of these eligible students for years, you will not be able to live in a Studierendenwerk Mainz hall of residence and will have to look for private accommodation.

All-inclusive rental - what does that mean?

All-inclusive rental - what does that mean?

We offer you an all-inclusive rental. This means that there are no additional costs for water, electricity, internet and waste disposal in addition to the monthly rent. 

The rent does not include

Broadcasting fee (more information here)
Washing costs - if you want to do your laundry, you have to pay for it. A washing machine load costs € 1.80, a dryer load € 0.80
Emergency locksmith service costs Emergency locksmith service coasts outside the janitor's working hours.

I don't have a license yet, should I sign the contract anyway?

I don't have a license yet, should I sign the contract anyway?

If you have not yet been admitted or do not yet know whether you will be studying in Mainz or Bingen, you must weigh up and decide for yourself whether you want to accept the contract or not. The validity of the tenancy agreement is not dependent on this.

Submit your certificate of enrollment 
You must submit your certificate of enrollment for the current semester upon receipt, preferably via the rental portal.

Without enrollment
If you are not enrolled, you must pay the applicable social security contributions in addition to the regular rent in accordance with Section §2 Abs. 3 of the Framework Statues. Enrolled students pay these social contributions directly to the universities (JGU, HS Mainz, TH Bingen) and are forwarded by them to the Stw Mainz for social services.

When will I receive a rental contract offer?

When will I receive a rental contract offer?

Rental contracts are sent out at the earliest 2-6 weeks before the move-in date. 

Summer semester: 
Between January and the end of March, the room offers/rental contract offers for February, March and April are sent out.
Winter semester: 
Between July and the end of September, room offers/rental contract offers are sent out for August, September and October.

The later the application, the later the offer
We allocate rooms according to the date of application, i.e. the later you apply, the later we will send you an offer.

Your tenancy agreement will be sent by e-mail
The offers for a room in the Stw Mainz halls of residence are sent by e-mail. You have between 1 and 3 days to confirm the offered tenancy agreement. After this period, the offer will expire and you will be automatically removed from the waiting list. Therefore, please check your e-mail account regularly.

Have you been waiting a long time and haven't heard from Stw Mainz?
Have you

  • submitted an application via the rental portal?
  • Clicked on the confirmation link directly afterwards so that your data is transferred to our system?
  • clicked on the link in the e-mail that is sent out at regular intervals of several weeks to remain on the waiting list?

If you can answer all these questions with “Yes!” and have not heard from us after some time, please send us an E-Mail 
Please also bear in mind the contract start date for which you have applied.

How do I receive a rental contract offer?

How do I receive a rental contract offer?

By e-mail: Rental agreements are sent by e-mail from wohnen@studierendenwerk-mainz.de. Please therefore check your e-mails regularly, including the SPAM folder, so that you do not miss any deadlines.

 

Am I on the waiting list?

Am I on the waiting list?

Have you been waiting a long time and haven't heard from Stw Mainz yet?
Have you

  • submitted an application via the rental portal?
  • Clicked on the confirmation link immediately afterwards so that your data is transferred to our system?
  • clicked on the link in the e-mail that is sent out at regular intervals of several weeks to remain on the waiting list?

If you can answer all these questions with “Yes!” you are on the waiting list.

If you applied several weeks or months ago and have never received an e-mail like the one in point 3 above, please send us an E-Mail

If you have checked when the rental contract offers are sent out and it is now shortly before the start of the rental contract, write us an E-Mail 

Do I need household contents or liability insurance?

Do I need household contents or liability insurance?

We recommend that you clarify whether you have liability and household contents insurance through your parents' family insurance. If this is not the case, we recommend that you take out household contents and liability insurance for your own protection. However, it is entirely up to you to decide whether you follow this advice.

 

How can I reach the emergency service?

How can I reach the emergency service?

In emergencies such as fire, explosions, water damage with running water, power failure, vandalism or for the paid emergency locksmith service outside the janitors' working hours, if you have locked yourself out, you can call the emergency service emergency service.

Please note - the locksmith service is free of charge during janitor working hours.

Something has broken in my room/dorm, what do I do?

Something has broken in my room/dorm, what do I do?

Fill in the repair slip repair slip and put it in the janitor's letterbox.

Report everything
Please report any damage you notice on the dormitory grounds, in your room/apartment and in general areas (such as the corridors) to your janitor. Fill in a repair note, sign it and put it in the janitor's letterbox.

Only allow the janitor to carry out repairs
Please do not carry out any unauthorized repairs, e.g. never remove the drain in the shower! In the event of a blockage, please inform the janitor immediately. You will be charged for any repairs carried out incorrectly. So protect yourself, inform the janitor of any damage and have him or a specialist company carry out the repairs

Why does my tenancy agreement end at the end of the semester?

Why does my tenancy agreement end at the end of the semester?

We offer you a temporary tenancy agreement for seven semesters. Your contract ends automatically at the end of the 7th semester. 

Of course, you can also extend your tenancy agreement. Read more under: How long can I live in the hall of residence WHow long can I live in the hall of residence or under Extending your tenancy agreement Extending your tenancy agreement.

 

I would like to move out before the end of the contract, is that possible?

I would like to move out before the end of the contract, is that possible?

No. Premature termination of the tenancy before the end of the semester is not possible. 

If your contract ends at the end of the current semester, it is not possible to terminate or cancel the tenancy in advance. The rental period until the end of the semester is binding. The validity of your tenancy agreement is expressly not dependent on enrollment/matriculation.

 

 

What do I do with my empty room?

What do I do with my empty room?

Is your room in the hall of residence empty?
You can terminate your room, further information can be found on the page Terminate tenancy agreement Terminate tenancy agreement

Or are you going abroad for a semester and would like to  return to a roomat Stw Mainz afterwards
In this case, cancel your current tenancy agreement and reapply for a room in the rental portal. Note in the information field that you are moving back in. The sooner you apply, the better.  You do not have to have moved out by the time you reapply, you can apply while you are still living in your current room.

It is not possible to sublet your empty room during your stay abroad.

How are the rooms in the hall of residence furnished?

How are the rooms in the hall of residence furnished?

We only offer furnished accommodation. All apartments, rooms and apartments are equipped with at least a bed, wardrobe, desk, chair, shelf and a fridge. 

Basic equipment such as comforter, pillow, bed linen, crockery, towels is not included, you can bring these with you or order/pick them up from us.

How does the Internet work in the hall of residence?

How does the Internet work in the hall of residence?

Internet in the halls of residence
We use the university network in our halls of residence. It can take approx. 1-2 weeks until activation. 

You can find more detailed information on the Internet in halls of residence page Internet in halls of residence page 

How are the rent adjustments calculated?

How are the rent adjustments calculated?

In order to ensure that the financing of the halls of residence is also secured for the future in the event of rising prices, the Administrative Board decided on June 23, 2022 that the warm rent component of the halls of residence rent will in future be increased on September 1 in line with the consumer price index. The rent increase will generally be announced in June.

In order to calculate the rent increase in concrete terms, the price increases according to the CPI from June of the previous year to May of the current year will be taken into account.

The rent increase according to the CPI relates exclusively to the warm rent component of the rent for the hall of residence. What does this mean?
When determining the all-inclusive rent to be paid by you, Studierendenwerk Mainz distinguishes internally between the so-called warm rent and a cold rent component. However, these terms have nothing to do with the cold or warm rent as you may know it from the general rental market. The so-called cold rent component includes the repayment installments and interest from the financing of the halls of residence or the rent that the Studierendenwerk pays to third parties as the owner of the halls of residence (e.g. for the Kisselberg hall of residence). The share of warm rent includes all other costs, such as heating, water, electricity, janitor, administration, maintenance, minor repairs and property tax. Only this share of the warm rent is subject to adjustment according to the CPI and is calculated per bed space. The rent increases passed on to us by the building owner are taken into account in the rent increase. The annual annuity that we pay to the bank for our own halls of residence remains the same.  

How was the current rent increase calculated?
The proportion of rent broken down across all halls of residence for each individual bed at Studierendenwerk Mainz amounted to € 152.49 in 2021. Only this part of your all-inclusive rent is subject to adjustment according to the CPI. The CPI rose by 8.11% in the period from June 21 to May 22. This results in an increase in the warm rent component of € 12.37. In the same period, the Studierendenwerk's rent payment obligations increased by € 1.17 per bed space due to contractual obligations or other rent increases. This results in a total rent adjustment of € 13.54 and rounded € 14.00. (Note: In 2022, the rent was already adjusted by € 6 on April 1, which is why there will only be a further rent increase of € 8 on September 1).

What is not covered by the rent increase?
These rent increases do not cover additional expenses for regularly required major renovations, maintenance and other investments in the halls of residence. The Administrative Board of the Studierendenwerk decides separately on such additional necessary rent increases at irregular intervals as required.

 

Do I have to pay the license fee?

Do I have to pay the license fee?

In general, you must pay the broadcasting fee and register for it. If you fail to do so, you will receive a retroactive reminder from the responsible authority for the amounts due. Why? Here you will find an explanation of the solidarity model on rundfunkbeitrag.de.

Can you be exempted or apply for a reduction?
You can find information on this on rundfunkbeitrag.de.

Do you live in a shared flat?
In shared flats, only one resident needs to pay: Talk to your flatmates about this and divide the contribution between them.

Autoload - How can I register for the automatic top-up of my paying-app?

Autoload - How can I register for the automatic top-up of my paying-app?

Autoload is an automated top-up service. There are machines in the halls of residence where you can top up your paying-app with your PIN to pay for the washing machine and dryer, for example.

You can find out how to get Autoload here!

What should international students pay particular attention to?

What should international students pay particular attention to?

We look forward to welcoming you to our halls of residence. Regardless of whether you are coming to Mainz or Bingen to study for an entire degree, or whether you are coming to the region for an exchange. We offer you a new home in our halls of residence. 

We recommend that you apply online apply online for a room

  • before January 15 (summer semester) or
  • before July 15 (winter semester).

This will give you the best chance of getting a place in the hall of residence.

Then click on the confirmation link that we will send you by e-mail to confirm your application (only then will we receive the application in our system. Please check your e-mails regularly (including junk mail/spam). We will send you the room offer by e-mail. The offer must be confirmed within 3 days, after which the room will be offered to other students.

Would you prefer to look for accommodation on the private housing market?
Of course you can also look for a room privately. However, we would like to point out that it is not very common in Germany to rent a private room or apartment that is furnished. Foreign students often find it difficult to find an apartment if they do not speak the local language well and only want to rent for a short period of time. On the private market, students often need a signature or guarantee from their parents. For shared flats, you usually have to apply and take part in flat-sharing auditions. This means that you often have to be in Mainz in advance in order to find private accommodation. You can find more information about private housing here.

Dorm dictionary - dt : frz, ara, pol, rus, spa, frz, engl, chin

Dorm dictionary - dt : frz, ara, pol, rus, spa, frz, engl, chin

Have you just arrived in Mainz and don't feel like lugging a dictionary around with you all the time? Then try the illustrated dorm dictionary app iDormDict for your smartphone, which will make your life a lot easier!

The dictionary can also be downloaded as a PDF.

Health dictionary

The health dictionary gives you a good overview of topics such as health insurance, doctor's visits and medical certificates.

 Health dictionary German, English

Residence brochure - information for residents

Residence brochure - information for residents

We have compiled all the important information for residents of our halls of residence in our information folder. Here you will find everything you need to know: from car charging to access authorization.

You can download the brochure as a PDF by clicking on the cover above.

Study report: Housing preferences and housing situation in the halls of residence of the Studierendenwerk Mainz

Who lives in our halls of residence, why do students move in and what is important to them in halls of residence? Apartment or shared flat, price or square meters, facilities or distance? Viktoria Bading and Andreas Wettlaufer investigated these and other questions in the study for their Master's thesis with Dr. Schiener in cooperation with the Stw Mainz.

“Housing preferences and housing situation in the halls of residence of the Studierendenwerk Mainz” is the title of the study from 2019, in which 32% of residents took part. Get to know the demographics of the resident structure and read what the two sociology students were able to find out in their Master's thesis:

Download study

Study report: Living and studying in the halls of residence of the Studierendenwerk Mainz

A study report from the teaching research project “Conditions and preferences of student housing in a discrete choice experiment” 2021/22 by students of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Institute of Sociology in cooperation with the Studierendenwerk Mainz from November 2021.

you can find the report here