Financing

Nearly a quarter of all students in Germany live with their parents. All the others live either in halls of residence or in their own or shared flats. There are a whole range of decisions and challenges to resolve when it comes to accommodation. What is the right form of accommodation for you? How do you find a flat? What is a deposit? Where can you get furniture?

Accommodation: Halls, Flat Share or on Your Own?

Many university towns run halls of residence where students can live at relatively low prices. In Lüneburg, Studentenwerk OstNiedersachsen and the association Campus e. V. run a number of halls of residence across the town.

The halls are divided into shared flats of various sizes and individual apartments.
If there are currently no rooms or flats available, you can put your name on the waiting list. Wait long enough and you will definitely get a room here. Most of the hall kitchens are already well-equipped, and if you have hardly any of your own furniture, the Studentenwerk also rents out furnished rooms.

One of many alternatives to halls is flat-sharing or renting on your own. In German, a flat share is known as a "Wohngemeinschaft", or "WG" for short. Whether you choose to rent alone or with others depends on both your personal preferences and your financial resources. You will generally pay more for a flat than for a room in a flat-share. In a flat share, you will usually have your own room and share the bathroom, the kitchen and the living room (if there is one) with your flatmates. The same often applies to the kitchen equipment and washing machine.

Accommodation Costs

In Lüneburg, the monthly rate for a room in halls is between 197 and 454 euros. Prices usually include heating and electricity costs and telephone and Internet use.

If you would rather live in a private shared flat, the best places to look are the "WG" search portals on the Internet. These will soon give you an idea of prices on the flat-share market in your town. Rooms in shared flats in Lüneburg cost between around 250 and 350 euros depending on their size and location – that includes utilities, telephone and Internet.

If you are looking for a flat on your own or want to set up a new flat share, check the property websites on the Internet and the local papers. The price per square metre for flats in Lüneburg currently ranges between 6.79 and 9.23 euros depending on the location. Don't forget to add the costs of utilities to the basic rent. Monthly rent (including utilities) for one-bedroom flats in Lüneburg is currently between 350 and 500 euros.

Deposits

The deposit (Mietkaution or Mietsicherheit) is an amount specified in the tenancy agreement that you pay the landlord as security. It is refunded, less any outstanding costs, when you move out.

Please note that the deposit can by law not exceed three months' basic rent (i.e. rent excluding utilities). The landlord has a statutory obligation to place the deposit in an interest-bearing savings account. You, the tenant, are owed any interest accrued. Studentenwerk OstNiedersachsen currently requires a deposit of one month's rent (including utilities) and Campus e. V. a deposit of 400 euros.

HANDY HINTS

Did you know? The principle that "the client pays" has applied to estate agent commissions since June 2015. This means that only the party that commissioned the estate agent pays the fee; this party is usually the landlord.

Furniture and Household Items

Many shared flats already have the basics, for example crockery, pots and pans and a vacuum cleaner. If you rent on your own, you will need to acquire all these everyday items yourself.

You will also often need to organise furniture, buying new or second-hand items unless you already have enough. Check the classified ads, the streets on bulk uplift day and deals from furniture warehouses: there will be cheap ways to get household items and furniture no matter where you live.

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Sack & Pack has a great range of second-hand goods from bed frames and wardrobes to weird and wonderful lamps, cutlery and other odds and ends at very low prices. Attention all retro fans! It's always worth a look-in, as the stock is constantly changing and increasing.

 Zeughaus in the centre of Lüneburg is a joy for all fashionable and price-conscious customers. It sells both clothes and a range of other everyday items. Students receiving BAföG are eligible for a Zeughaus customer card, which will get them further reductions.

The most patient and committed treasure-hunters can also get lucky on bulk uplift day. Many a flat has rescued their comfy sofa from the compactor in a joint midnight foray, and given it a second lease of life. The municipal waste disposal services schedules will tell you when the next bulk uplift is due.

Moving House and Redecorating

If you are moving house with a lot of furniture and other belongings and do not have your own car (or van!), you may be faced with high removal costs. Hiring a car or van can cost between around 30 and 400 euros depending on its size and the distance and time required.

You should also check with your future landlord whether you will have to redecorate when you move in or out. This is likely to cost between 40 and 300 euros depending on the size of the flat or room.

Many students find it hard to calculate how much they spend on food each month. Responses to a survey by the Deutsches Studentenwerk ranged from anything from 50 to 250 euros – both of which extremes are probably unreliable.

On average, students spend around 165 euros a month on food. If you want to know exactly how much you are spending on the canteen, your breakfast muesli, pasta, coffee, etc. each month, you can keep a cash book to record all your costs.

HANDY HINTS

There are also a range of eateries to try out just around the corner from your lecture and seminar rooms. Alongside the canteen, there is also Café 9 and the café run by the DAA (Deutschen Angestellten Akademie), which serves breakfast, salad from the salad bar, pasta dishes and daily specials. And if you like combining tea or coffee with political debate, why not try the student-run Café PlanB. The same mix is on offer at the supper club in Anna & Arthur, where various political groups invite students to share in a good-value vegan meal every Wednesday evening. Any profits go to political work, so you can contribute in more ways than one.

Buying Food

How much you spend on food shopping depends on your habits and priorities. The organic store will cost more than the discount supermarket, but wherever you shop, you can save money by being responsible about what and how much you buy. Try to make sure that you only purchase as much as you really need. Wastage is expensive.

The farmers' market on Rathausplatz square can also be worth a visit, and it is a good place to buy regional and responsibly farmed fruit and vegetables.

The Canteen

When you have a long day at uni, the canteen is often the handy and practical option. Canteen food is subsidised by the state to ensure meals are affordable for students.

At Leuphana, Studentenwerk OstNiedersachsen runs two canteens serving low-cost meals. Every lunchtime, you can choose between a range of main courses, salads and desserts.

At the Scharnhorststraße campus, the canteen is also open in the evening until 19:00 during the semester. However, if you eat in the canteen twice a day instead of cooking for yourself sometimes, you will generally spend more.

You can borrow all the books that you need for your programme from university libraries. If a particular book is not available in Lüneburg, you can use the inter-library loan system.

You can copy material and print your own texts at copy shops and other copying and printing facilities, some operated by the students, that you can find at most university sites.

The teaching staff and the libraries are also increasingly making literature available electronically. This means you can read texts on your PC, tablet or e-reader and save on photocopying costs.

HANDY HINT

You can also print documents from one of the computers in the Leuphana Media and Information Centre. This only costs 3 cents per page in black and white (20 cents for colour prints).

Computers have become an essential tool for all students today. You manage your timetable on the Internet, write up essays and projects on the computer, and use computers to communicate with staff and fellow students. At Leuphana, as at most other universities, there are computers available for general use that you can log into with your account, so you do not necessarily need your own PC.

If you do want to purchase your own computer, the price can vary significantly depending on what you are looking for. Many providers do, however, offer student discounts and it is definitely worth taking the time to do a bit of research. Students on mathematics and science courses will need either simple or programmable calculators. These range in price from 30 euros to over 100 euros.

Nearly all technical equipment that you require on your course at Leuphana can, however, be borrowed from the Equipment Lending Service: everything from laptops to projectors and audio and video recording equipment, transcription devices and digital cameras – all standard electronic equipment – is available to hire for a few days from the Equipment Hire Service.

On average, students spend 68 euros a month on leisure activities. The larger the town, the greater the average spent.

Whether you prefer the cinema, the theatre or concerts, you will generally get discounts with your student card. At many universities, the AStA (Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss, student union committee) also organises a programme of cultural events at low prices. At Leuphana, for example, the "UniKino" uni cinema has a varied weekly film programme, and the AStA cultural team (Kulturreferat) organises regular concerts and lectures. Leuphana also issues a "cultural semester ticket", which gets you free admission to most museums in Lüneburg, to the theatre and to concerts in the major churches.

If you are looking for sporting activities, you can use the "Hochschulsport" university sports facilities at student prices. The "Hochschulsport" programme includes courses and training groups in over 60 different sports, and there is also a gym. For relaxation, you can use the Hochschulsport sauna or get a massage at a great price-value relation.

On average, students spend around 52 euros a month on clothes. Although there is a difference here between female and male students, it is hardly significant (55 euros compared to 48 euros).

You can also save money when clothes shopping: for example, Lüneburg students organise regular clothes swapping parties and flea markets where you can both browse and sell off your own second-hand items.

HANDY HINT

Clothes swapping is at least as en vogue for many as shopping sprees are for others. A range of clothes swapping parties are a chance to meet like-minded treasure-seekers, and share stories about your favourite new and old garments. Keep an eye out for the upcoming events!

You may not think of washing-up liquid, toothpaste, shampoo, washing powder, etc. when you are considering your monthly budget, but these items are expensive and need to be factored in.

Here too, expenditure varies widely between students.

If you do not live in a hall of residence, you will generally need to set up a contract with one of the many telephone and Internet providers. You should always check the one-off installation costs and the contract terms.

Every household in Germany must also pay the monthly Rundfunkbeitrag (radio/TV licence) of 17.50 euros to the public broadcaster's "Servicestellen" (service points). If you live in a shared flat, you will share the licence fee with your flatmates. If you are living alone, you will be liable for the full amount.

If you cycle or use public transport a lot, you do not need a car at university. Moreover, many universities issue semester tickets for local or even regional public transport.

The semester ticket at Leuphana is one function of your student card, and it is valid on all Lüneburg buses, all local trains in Lower Saxony and on the Metronom line to Hamburg's main train station (Hauptbahnhof). You currently pay 160.70 euros for your semester ticket as part of the semester contribution. If you regularly need to travel longer distances, compare the rail and intercity bus prices, check the discounts for booking early, and don't forget car-sharing/lifts (Mitfahrgelegenheiten).

Students also get a good discount on the standard BahnCard railcard. With your student card, you can currently get the BahnCard 25 (railcard for 25% off) for 41 euros and the BahnCard 50 (railcard for 50% off) for 127 euros.

HANDY HINTS

 Lüneburg is the perfect place for getting about on two wheels. And should your own trusty (rusty) steed ever fail, simply register with StadtRAD Lüneburg city bikes. You can then use the dozens of bicycles available at six different points in the town; the first half hour is free. There are hire and return points on the Scharnhorststraße campus and Volgershall campus.

If your trusty steed needs some TLC, you can tend to it yourself with the active assistance of students at KonRad on the Scharnhorststraße campus. The team of students at KonRad are trained for the job – and will easily answer any questions on the workshop's background playlist... This is surely the coolest repair shop ever. KonRad also sells both used and brand-new spare parts.