Accommodation in Denmark

Is it easy to find accommodation in Denmark?
Where and how to look for a student accommodation?
Can you rent an apartment in Denmark while you are still in your home country?
How long does it take to actually get your new place?
What happens if you do not have accommodation yet but you already have to leave?
What deadlines should you meet and how to protect yourself from fraud?

The prices of all accommodation in Denmark vary depending on the city, the region and the type of accommodation you choose. The rental prices in Copenhagen and Aarhus are relatively higher. If you work with a consulting agency in your home country, STRICTLY INSIST on adequate accommodation assistance! The process is not simple and the lack of accommodation will make your start in the country extremely difficult. Almost all students who returned to discontinue their studies in Denmark (and other countries) and return home prematurely, point out as one of the BIG reasons for their “failure” the lack of accommodation upon arrival! Going to Denmark without accommodation means that your costs will increase SIGNIFICANTLY and your free services that you might use from your consulting agency in the end become quite expensive – from the very first day in the country! The failure to apply for accommodation in Denmark on time is a mass mistake! Do pay attention to avoid it!

Every single student, who works with us applies for accommodation as soon as we begin working together! 

How do you actually get a student accommodation in Denmark?

The student accommodation in Denmark is NOT organized by the university, so it is strongly advisable to start the whole procedure of finding accommodation on your own, as soon as you choose the city where your faculty is situated – long before you are accepted in Denmark!
Unfortunately, almost all accommodation websites in Denmark are in the local language. This makes the registration a difficult task, especially for inexperienced people, as you might make rookie mistakes in your selection.

If you must travel to Denmark, but do not have an accommodation yet, the website Airbnb could be your saviour. Of course, this will not be cheap at all, but it is still a cheaper option compared to the Danish hotels. Danhostel is another option to find a room in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg and other Danish cities. Be prepared to pay at least 50 EURO per night for a room there. Couchsurfing is another ideal opportunity to find free shelter for a few days, as well as a friendly Dane to take you around the city. However, we do not encourage you to rely on any of these. They should be your last resource! Do your homework, prepare and have a flying start in Denmark! Everything else will slow you down and might make your life in the Kingdom a nightmare in the beginning. Trust us, you certaintly do not want that!

The Very Best you can do is…

Undoubtedly, the student dormitories are the ideal place for every student. In the dormitory you will have the opportunity to meet other students, both from Denmark and abroad. In the student dormitories the accommodation is mainly single or double rooms, as the minimum price for a single room outside Copenhagen is 2000 DKK (about 250 EURO). The price in Copenhagen is about 3000-4000 DKK. 90% of the rooms are renovated every year, they are well maintained and in general the dormitories are quite fancy, equipped with everything you need. In case you do not register on time (December-January), expect to be ranked for the more expensive rooms, some of which might exceed 500 EURO, in the cases where you are lucky enough to receive any offer at all.

Expectations

Many dormitories have a common room with a pool table, a TV and various games. This common space is a great place to make new contacts and friendships. Some of the dormitories have video surveillance and electronic front door opening. The dormitories are clean, safe and ideal for your first steps in Denmark. In some of the dormitories the rooms might be furnished with a bed, desk and wardrobe. However, in most dormitories the rooms are completely empty! Expect not to have even a light bulb mounted on the ceiling. There will be only a socket! This, however, gives you the complete freedom to furnish your room the way you want and not worry when you break something inside. We recommend the unfurnished rooms! Trust us, you will furnish them in days as you will be able to find if not everything, then almost everything for free. We will tell you exactly where and how to do it!

Dormitories in Denmark – What do we Need to Know to get a Room?

To submit an application for a student room or apartment in Denmark, you can only use the special digital portals for the chosen city. As we already mentioned above, the Danish universities do not have their own dormitories. There are very few which will be able to offer you accommodation. Usually, these universities will have no more than 15 rooms in total. As you might guess that number is far from enough to satisfy the demand! All other dormitories are governed by the local municipality and in order to get a room, you will need to submit your digital application.

The Process of Getting a Room at a Danish Dormitory

The process of getting a room at a dormitory in Denmark might be a lot more difficult than that in your country. The lack of that information is the big problem, as the students wait for their admission letters and first after that start looking for accommodation. Big MISTAKE! When submitting a digital application for student accommodation, the candidate is placed on a waiting list. Depending on the city, price, size and location of the room/apartment, the waiting time can take from 6 months to over 12 months. If you have decided to study in Copenhagen, you MUST apply for a dormitory as soon as you take the decision to study in the city. The waiting time for a student accommodation in the capital is the longest, as the demand is the greatest.

What can you expect from the Danish student dormitories?

You will have the opportunity to choose the type, price, size and location of your student room/apartment on your own. The monthly rent usually varies from 370 EURO up to 870 EURO (It really depends on the city!). When signing a contract you will have to pay a deposit of the amount of 2 (sometimes 3) monthly rent. In most dormitories, all costs are included in the rent, but in other places you will have to pay extra for water, electricity and heating.

The conditions in most dormitories are just amazing! No comparison can be made with the dormitories in Bulgaria, for instance. Each room usually is renovated and re-painted moving in. If something is damaged, immediately contact the company administering the room/apartment and let them know about it in writing!

Size and Furniture

You can apply for a single room / apartment as well as for 2 rooms if you want to live with a friend. The cheapest rooms are the smallest in size, where you usually share a bathroom and a toilet with someone else. Furthermore, the kitchen might be shared with other people on the floor. Of course, there are rooms where everything is just for you – a bathroom with a toilet and a small kitchenette. We personally would recommend you to focus on the this type of private rooms, although the price will not be the lowest. However, it is worth it! This will also allow you to apply for a financial aid for your accommodation, which is usually about 10% of the rent.

Most rooms are not furnished. They don’t usually have a lamp (light bulb) connected – i.e. you will have to buy a lamp yourself and connect it to electrical network in the wall/ceiling (there will only be a socket in the wall/ceiling). Our personal experience shows that it is better to rent a completely empty room/apartment, which will allow you to choose the furniture. You won’t have to worry when you damage or break a chair, table or the bed, for instance. This eliminates the option of sleeping on a single bed that comes with the room as you might want to have a double bed (often you will get that completely for free from somebody else).

Damage and Services

According to the dormitory, you may have internet and TV programs included in your contract. However, in case you do not have them, you will have to organize that yourself. Unfortunately, usually you will able to do this first after you receive your Danish documents, which can take over a month. Have no fear, we have the best solution for the Internet while you are waiting for your documents. We are ready to share it with you – just ask us!

Usually, there will be a janitor assigned to your dormitory. You should turn to him for everything you will need, such as a hammer drill to drill holes in the ceiling (to hang a lamp), a ladder, paint, brushes, etc. Furthermore, if there is any damage, he is the one who will either fix it or tell you how to proceed. Always seek his assistance in a timely manner, and do not try to deal with it yourself or cover the problems. When you leave the apartment, you will have to pay for everything that is damaged! Therefore, address the issues right away.

Possible Rooms in a Danish Dormitory

A lot of the dormitories have common areas such as:

• washing machines and dryers
• fitness
• indoor bicycle parking
• attic
• bar (party hall)
• dining room (smaller party hall)
• room with a table tennis / billiard
• quiet reading / study room
• shared kitchen with sofas and a TV

Moving in Procedure

Upon check-in, you MUST fill in a special document. Based on it you should be able to get your full deposit back once you move out from the apartment. Unfortunately, the information about this document is usually kept a secret and not many students know about it. Almost all landlords will not ask you if you want to fill in the document. If you do not have such a document, filled correctly, you can almost completely forget about your deposit, which is the fate of a large number of foreign students in Denmark.

Possible Accommodation Frauds in Denmark

The biggest problem when moving into any type of accommodation is the deposit and its return when the moving out time comes. Usually, the deposit money is the amount of your 3 month rent. Unfortunately, almost all landlords will try NOT to refund this amount. That is why it is very important to be extremely familiar with the whole process of moving in and moving out – what you must require, how to communicate with your landlord and how to react in any situation, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you. We know from our own experience that these cases last long in court (over a year)… The process is also expensive (involves hiring a lawyer), exhausting and there is no guarantee that you will get your money back! The good news is that we were successful in our lawsuit and got a vital experience dealing with this problem. However, we do not wish anyone to go through this HELL! That is why it is important not to ignore everything we will tell you before signing your accommodation contract. You will surely be thankful and sleep peacefully! Just contact us!