If you want to be in the center of your student life and always want to catch all the parties and activities? Then you should consider renting a room in a student dormitory. The people living in such a dormitory are usually very diverse, but always fun and in to do something. You know one thing for sure: it will never be boring at 'home'. Start searching for a room quickly, so you don't have to start the new academic year disappointed.
How to find a room?
Student dormitories
First, we advise you to keep an eye on the websites Roomspot and the Student Union Kamersite. These are local initiatives set up by the municipality of Enschede, Saxion, University of Twente and two housing corporations Stichting Jongerenhuisvesting Twente and de Veste. These platforms are direct partners of Study in Enschede and aim to maintain quality and reliability within property offers. Other online possibilities are national platforms such as Kamernet, Pararius, Huurwoningen.nl, Huurportaal.nl, housingtarget.com and Kamersenschede.nl. These websites are updated with rooms regularly and you can filter on price, location, room size and much more. Please be aware that we are no direct partners of these national platforms and we cannot guarantee the quality and reliability of the rooms.
You should definitely read the Tips & Tricks written by the Student Union.
It usually helps joining a student or study association to find a room. The big network usually helps with finding a place to live in no-time. Student associations regularly host open nights for students within their own association, to help people find a new room.
Last, it's possible to find a room during special events. Enschedays and the 'Kamerzoekdagen' (Room Finding Days) of the Student Union show potential students what rooms look like and when the rooms become available over time.
Location: the city centre & the University of Twente campus
Do you want to live near the train station, shops, bars and restaurants? Try to find a room in the city centre. There are many rooms available in a short distance to everything you need.
On a 15-minute bike ride (welcome to the Netherlands - where every distance is measured by bike ride) from the city centre is the University of Twente campus located. This is the only university campus in The Netherlands and holds rental rooms for students. You will find everything you need on campus grounds: a supermarket, gym, physiotherapist, GP, dentist, hairdresser, bookshop and plenty of team sports activities. There also is the Vrijhof Cultuurcentrum (a cultural centre) which offers cultural courses, shows and events. Rooms at the campus are not only for University of Twente students; all students can apply! Curious what the campus looks like? Take a look at the campus map.
When searching for rooms, it is possible to filter on location to see the different options in the city centre and at the University of Twente campus.
Applying for a room
Student dormitories
Depending on your choice, you might be invited for "hospiteren" (applying). This means that you will be invited with some other (future) students to have a look at the room and meet the other residents. The current residents then decide who will be their new roommate. You might be rejected once or twice, but don't give up. Just be yourself and you will soon find the ideal room with ideal roommates. It’s also in your own interest that you get along with the other students in the house.
Useful links
Can't see all the options because of all the text? Here are all room searching tips in a neat list!