What to know in advance

Mediation, deposits, deadlines and rental periods

Mediation

Leiden University can arrange housing for international (non-Dutch) bachelor's, master's and Study Abroad and exchange students. Please be informed that you are required to show a non-Dutch passport when you sign a housing contract with us.

Leiden University does not own any student housing, but mediates between international students and the housing agency Accommodate and the housing agency DUWO.

Availability of housing

Leiden University has limited availability of student accommodation. The SEA Housing Office allocates accommodation on a ‘first come first served’ basis, which means the earlier we receive your housing deposit, the greater your chance of being allocated a room that matches your housing preferences. If you pay your deposit before the deadline mentioned below, the Housing Office guarantees that it will be able to offer you accommodation, but unfortunately cannot guarantee that it will be a room that matches your preferences.

As more student housing will become available in The Hague from September 2013 onwards, there is a chance that we will offer you a room in The Hague if nothing is available in Leiden. It takes roughly 15 minutes by train to commute from The Hague to Leiden.

When applying for housing through our office please keep in mind that finding housing when starting your studies in February (spring semester) will be easier than finding housing when starting your studies in September (fall semester). In short this means that in February you have a higher chance of receiving an offer that matches your first choice of housing. 

If you are awaiting a decision on your application by the deadlines mentioned below, we still recommend that you still pay the housing deposit. Your deposit will be refunded to you if you are not accepted by Leiden University. The housing deposit will be considered non-refundable if you withdraw from the housing list or decline a valid housing offer. 

More information on housing applications:

Exchange students

Master students

 

Housing fee/deposit

To apply for the housing list you are required to pay a € 500 housing deposit to Student and Educational Affairs. This deposit is primarily a service fee, which is later converted into a room deposit once you have signed a contract with the Housing Office. The housing deposit is refundable at the end of your stay after your room has been checked and everything has been found to be in order. Applications will be handled on a first-come-first-served basis, the payment date of the housing fee is used to determine your place on the housing list. 
 
If you are a short-stay guest working or studying at Leiden University for two months or less and wish to be placed on the waiting list for housing, you need not pay the € 500 housing deposit. Instead you should pay the waiting list fee of € 100. After you have accepted an offer of accommodation, sent to you by the Housing Office, you will be requested to pay the first month's rent and contract costs. You can deduct the € 100 from this payment. This rule does not apply to semester students and short-stay guests who will stay longer than two months.

Deadlines for payment of the housing fee/deposit are: June 1st and November 15th.

Student and Educational Affairs transfers this amount, which serves as a room deposit, to the Housing Office. It is common practice for housing agencies in the Netherlands to request such a deposit, which is usually the amount of one month's rent.

The € 500 housing fee/deposit is non-refundable if you cancel your housing request, i.e. after receiving a valid housing offer. Exceptions can be made in the case of withdrawal or deferral.

Once your contract with the Housing Office has ended and all conditions of your contract have been met, you can request the Housing Office to refund the housing deposit.

Payment details

Observe deadlines and confirm your reservation

It is usually possible for international students to find accommodation in Leiden, but a shortage of rooms can occur (the same applies for Dutch students). It is therefore essential to meet the deadlines for housing applications and to confirm room reservations.

If your housing deposit is received before the above mentioned deadline the Housing Office will guarantee to offer you accommodation, but unfortunately cannot guarantee that it will be a room of your preference.  If you pay your housing deposit after the deadline there is a serious risk that you will not be allocated a room.  

Rental period & contract

The minimum rental period is generally 1 semester (Aug-Jan/ Jan-Aug). It is not possible to end the contract early. Early termination of a contract can only be done when you or the Housing Office can find a replacement student to take over your contract.

Early termination waiting list forms

The maximum rental period for students is 1 year, only students who are enrolled in a Research Master can rent up to 2 years. Exceptions can be made when enough housing is available. Please bear in mind that the maximum rental period per location is 1 year. In the case of a 2 year stay, one has to move to another location after the first year.

Students following a presessional English course

When you will follow a one or two month presessional English course, you can request student accommodation for both during the pre-sessional English course and during the Master’s studies. As students following pre-sessional courses arrive in Leiden during the quieter summer months, they are initially all housed together in the same university housing complex. This provides you with a great opportunity to get to know your fellow international law students and the city of Leiden before you start your Master’s degree.

Start housing contract for two month presessional course: 28 June 2013
Start housing contract for one month presessional course: 26 July 2013

At the end of your pre-sessional course and prior to embarking on your Master’s studies you will move to a different room in another university housing complex. You can indicate your preferred choice of housing complex for your Master’s year after you receive an offer of admission from the Admissions Office.

Note: Due to the regulations governing short-stay accommodation in the Netherlands, it is not possible to stay in the same student room for the duration of both your pre-sessional English course and your Master’s degree. The SEA Housing Office charges a standard ‘moving fee’ for students who move to a new student room. However as a special service for our presessional course students, Leiden Law School will cover these costs.

 
Last Modified: 08-05-2013