Costs and payment

So you’ve taken a look at the accommodation on offer and the amount of rent you can expect to pay. But what other costs should you take into consideration?

Read this section carefully to find out about the fees and deposits you will be required to pay and when each payment is expected.

Fees, deposits and charges	Amount	Deadline
Housing fee Leiden University charges a fee for its housing services, which covers overheads, administrative costs and salaries for housing staff.	€ 350	Fall semester: before 1 June Spring semester: before 15 November
Housing deposit Only for stays of longer than 2 months.	€ 500	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
Contract costs Covers the costs of setting up your personal housing contract and the inspection of your room prior to arrival.	€ 150	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
First month's rent	See housing offer / contract	Before or upon arrival, prior to handout of key
Monthly rental payments	See housing offer / contract	If your contract commences on 1^st of the month: before 1^st of each month. If your contract commences on 16^th of the month: before 16^th of each month.
Moving fee Only applicable if you move to different accommodation provided by the Housing Office.	€ 100	Before or upon signing the moving contract. Replaces the €150 contract costs

Refund conditions

Housing fee

Non-refundable if you cancel your housing request after the housing application deadline.
A refund can be granted if the Housing Office is unable to offer you accommodation due to an excess of applications.
A partial refund (€100) can be granted if your rental period is less than 7 months.
Your housing fee will be refunded into the same bank/credit card account, and using the same method, that you used to pay the housing fee in the first place.

Housing deposit

Refundable at the end of your stay, if all check-out conditions have been met and upon receipt of a completed refund form and proof that you have cancelled your town hall registration.
If the caretaker finds any defects or damage to the property upon checkout, the cost of repairs will be deducted from your deposit.

What is included in my rent?

Your rent includes gas, water, electricity and basic furnishing. Note that for some accommodation in The Hague you may also have to pay local taxes. See Accommodation - The Hague.

Rent benefits for students

For some of our accommodation you may be entitled to claim rent benefit. For more information please visit the website of the Dutch Tax Authorities or contact the Leidse Rechtswinkel (free legal aid centre).

There are four payment methods available:

1. Bank transfer
Always state your full name, housing contract number and the nature of the payment (housing fee, housing deposit etc.) in your transfer.

Bank account details - Leiden University Housing Office:

IBAN bank account number: NL20RABO0160632277
BIC/SWIFT code: RABONL2U
Account holder: Universiteit Leiden

Bank address:
Rabobank Leiden
Schipholweg 105
2316 XC Leiden
The Netherlands

Be aware that you are liable for any transaction or currency exchange charges incurred. Check this in advance with your bank.

2. Online payment (housing fee only)
You can pay the housing fee online as follows:

Degree students: payment via the online application system (uSis) by credit card or online banking.
Exchange/Study Abroad students: payment via pay-logic by credit card. After payment you will receive an E-ticket with barcode from Pay-logic, that serves as your proof of payment. Language settings can be found at the bottom of the pay-logic page. Note that Pay-logic unfortunately does not accept Japanese credit cards.

3. Debit & credit card payment (at the Housing Office only)
You can make payment with your debit or credit card at the Housing Office desk in Leiden or The Hague during visiting hours. Visa, MasterCard and most debit cards are accepted. Please note that a €5 credit card fee applies.

4. Cash payment
Cash payments can be made only at the GWK Travelex offices located at Leiden and The Hague central train stations. Make sure to bring along your passport or ID card. Extra charges may apply and payments can take up to 5 working days to be processed.

Making payment close to the deadline

If you pay the housing fee close to the deadline, submit proof of payment via the housing contact form to ensure the Housing Office is immediately aware you have made payment.