Housing
With many kilometres of beaches, hundreds of sights, excellent restaurants and lively cafés, the Hague really is a cool city to live in. However, arranging accommodation can demand a lot of time and effort for Dutch and international students. For this reason, finding a place to stay is one of the first things that need to be arranged when you are planning to study at Leiden University. But how do you actually find a room in The Hague?
Housing via Leiden University
Are you a new international student? Each semester, Leiden University reserves a limited number of rooms for international students via a local housing agency. These rooms are intended for new short-stay students only as the maximum rental contract duration is one year. So if you intend joining Leiden University for more than one year, you are instead advised to seek housing yourself – see below.
Find out more about requesting housing via the university on the housing website. Be aware that due to limited availability, we cannot guarantee a room to all applicants so it is essential that you request housing early.
Finding housing yourself
Arranging housing is your responsibility when studying at Leiden University. Both Dutch and international students should look for accommodation themselves and there are many ways to do so. Most students in Leiden find a room through DUWO, which is one of the largest student accommodation corporations in the Netherlands. There are other agencies and corporations as well, and they all offer rooms of all types and sizes, in or near the city center, making them the ideal place to start your search. Find more details on finding accommodation on Finding Housing Yourself.
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Zhibek Kydyrova (student Law and Digital Technologies): 'When I first arrived I struggled a lot with housing. I looked at Facebook groups and spoke to other students and alumni. I would advise you to keep looking. Eventually I found housing through DUWO.' -
Filip Krcmar (student Security Studies): 'My advice is to make use of the university’s housing options in your first year, because it gives you peace of mind. Websites like Kamernet are useful, even if they have a subscription fee. They filter out scammers and make it easier to find genuine offers. And spread the word that you’re looking for housing.' -
Eleana Cadet (student International Business and Organisations): 'I recommend using the university’s website for student housing, because it makes it easier to find a place. Start searching for a house early and check out websites from DUWO, Kamernet and Roomplaza.'
Stay with a host or guest family
Hospi Housing is the biggest platform for homestay in the Netherlands. They offer a free-to-use platform with hundreds of verified hosts and guest families. Hospi Housing does not charge any registration fees, you only pay a one-time fee if you find a room. Before and during your stay they provide personal advice to get you well prepared for your arrival in The Hague. Staying with a host or guest family will give you a soft landing in town and is the perfect way to get in touch with Dutch culture and language. You’ll have your own private room and shared facilities like a kitchen and bathroom. Get more information and sign up for free at: hospihousing.com.
Living in student accommodation
You’ve found a room? Congratulations! Living and studying in The Hague will enrich your life. But it’ll probably take you a while to get used to too, because a lot will change after you leave home. You’ll have to do your own cooking and laundry for a start, and arrange your own finances. But on the other hand, living in student accommodation can be great fun; you’ll enjoy more freedom and you can make your own decisions.
Register as a resident
Once you have a place to live, it is very important that you register at your local town hall as soon as possible. This is particularly important for Dutch residence permit holders as failure to do so can result in the cancellation of your permit, see obligations for residence permit holders.
How much does it cost to live in student accommodation?
The average cost of a room (non-furnished) in The Hague is between €300 and €750 a month. Then, of course, you’ll also need money for things like contract costs, groceries, insurance, study materials, transport and going out. So you’ll need to consider how you financially plan for your study experience.
LUC The Hague
Living and studying in the same building? That’s possible if you are studying the Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges programme. This so-called residential concept is available at Leiden University College The Hague (LUC), which is the international honours college of Leiden University. As a student of this programme you can count on getting a spacious, modern studio apartment in an international and campus-style setting, right next to The Hague Central (railway station).
'We all live in the same building, each with our own room, kitchen and bathroom, and every floor has a common room you can hang out with people. The housing is right next to The Hague Central Station and in the same building where we have class. At first it felt strange to live basically on campus, but because it’s in the heart of The Hague, it’s so easy to go out and explore the city. It’s super convenient, you can wake up five minutes before class.' ~Timothée Demoustier (student Global Challenges).