Accommodation

• Residence halls are situated in

Darmstadt with the Studierendenwerk

• Residence hall: LAB - Berliner Allee 6
• Residence hall: fair - Nieder-Ramstädter Str.
• Residence hall: Karlshof - Alfred-Messel-Weg
• Residence hall: rest - Riedeselstr. 62-64
  (Distance: approximately 15 Minutes to the University)

We have a room contingent of 44 rooms.

The residence halls have accommodation with 2 to 6 bedrooms in different price categories ranging from 350 Euros up to 470 Euros. Kitchen and bathroom are shared.

We have no contingent rooms with own kitchen and bathroom.

Since we have this year only a room contingent of 44 rooms with the Studierendenwerk in different price categories and locations we have a first come - first serve policy.

As an international student from our master's course you are entitled to a room in the first year as long as you apply and pay the housing fee within the deadline given on the invoice. Normally 14 days after the offer has been made. Please note that you will not be able to move-in with a friend as our rooms usually are spread over several floors and apartments.

The application process and payment process are described on our KOPLA portal. Please read the instructions thoroughly and apply and pay the invoice prior to the deadline. Do not forget to fill-in the invoice number and upload the payment slip in KOPLA.

Only if you applied and paid your fee on time  and have uploaded the payment slip, are you entitled to a room. The housing fee covers

• the first rent (with electricity, internet, heating)
• the deposit (2 x basic rent)
• a service charge (100 Euros)

and is non-refundable. Please make sure that all transfer costs are carried out by your bank. International transactions take up to ten days before the amount is received on the recipient's account.

Latest date for accommodation and receipt of payment in KOPLA is 15.06. Provided there are rooms in the contingent.

The rental period always starts on September 1st as a fixed date. Rooms are rented by a period of 11 or 12 months depending on the contract of the specific housing agency; the contract does not extend automatically. You cannot rent a room of the faculty contingent for more than two semesters. It is intended for single occupancy, Subletting or sharing rooms will lead to immediate termination of the contract.

There is no cancellation policy once the rental contract has started. Rent includes Internet, water, heating and electricity. The deposit amounts approximately to one or two month's rent, which will be returned according to the regulations of the housing contract. The first rent and the deposit will usually be transferred by the department.

Move in:

Please note that you can only move in into your accommodation from Monday to Friday during business hours of your housing agency. It is not possible to move in on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.

As a MSE-student you will get normally a 12 month's contract which terminates on 31st August. Before you move-out please make sure that your room is in the same condition or better as when you moved in. Try Teamwork with your mates. Especially if everybody moves out at the same period the entrance / corridor / bathroom and kitchen can be cleaned together on one day. If some of your room mates stay longer, convince them from the advantage of a clean apartment. They have to scrub less when it is their turn to move out.
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All of the listed items need to be done prior to your move-out inspection to get your full deposit back.

Any and all repairs, repainting, trash removal, cleaning, and/or any other expenses that are attributed to restoring your home to its condition prior to your tenancy will be deducted from your security deposit.

If additional money is needed to restore said home, the housing agency will send a bill and/or file legal suit for said money in court. Your security deposit will be transferred to you within 30 days to 3 months (depending on the housing agency) of your move-out inspection. Please also note the replace/repair cost(s) for items you leave in disarray.

Cleaning your apartment can quickly fall down to the bottom of your to-do list. It shouldn't.

While hiring a cleaning service can help you check off this task, handling it yourself will save you some money and lets you tackle the cleaning on your own schedule. Decided to do the cleaning yourself? We've compiled a move-out cleaning checklist below so you can quickly make sure you have all of the frequently forgotten spots covered.

Before you start scrubbing, confirm what the expectations are. Sometimes the housing agency will provide their own cleaning list for you, and some leases will even state upfront what the costs will be if the place isn't properly cleaned before you move out.

Please note that the apartment will be checked - not only your room. This means that the entrance, corridor, kitchen and bathroom need to be clean and tidy, too.

Move-out Cleaning Tips:

• Clean from top to bottom.
  Just like we recommend for your regular cleaning routine, dust surfaces high up in the room, like ceiling fans or shelves, before cleaning lower surfaces, like floors. This way, you won't accidentally waft dust onto just-cleaned areas.
• Work in stages.
  Depending upon how large the space is, cleaning all at once may be overwhelming. Break it up into chunks of time, starting with the areas you'll use the least between now and move-out day.
• Allot time for last-minute cleaning.
  Even if you clean in advance of move-out day, there are some things you'll have to clean right before you leave, like the bathroom.

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Move-Out Cleaning Checklist

• Remove any nails or screws from the walls Grab a Magic Eraser to get out any scuffs or marks.
• If you used hardware to hang up artwork or shelves, now's the time to remove them and fill the holes with putty.
• Wipe down walls and moulding.
• A dry microfiber mop will make quick work of this.
• Clean the windows and wipe window ledges.
• Wash the doors Wipe them down with a damp microfiber cloth.
• Sweep and vacuum, then mop the floors.
• Dust any vents or exhaust fans Dust blinds(if you're leaving them).

In the Kitchen

• Empty out and clean the refrigerator.
• Clean the oven and stovetop Oven Spills.
  Apply baking soda and water to baked-on spills and rub.
  For more caked-in spills, place a small dish of ammonia on the upper rack of the oven and a pan of water on the bottom. Leave the oven warm overnight (no fan). Air the oven in the morning and wipe away the grease with an all-purpose cleaner and warm water. To avoid spills altogether, use tinfoil & baking sheets under casseroles & pies.
• Time to scrub all of the grease splatters off of your stovetop.
• Grab some white vinegar or some all-purpose cleaner and follow these steps:
  - Scrub and disinfect the sink and the waste bin.
  - Wipe down and disinfect the countertops
  - Clear out the cabinets
• Once emptied, vacuum up any crumbs inside the cabinets, then wipe down the cabinet fronts and knobs.

In the Bathroom

• Scrub the shower
• The shower curtain can normally be washed in the washing machine 60° C together with towels or cleaning cloths.
• Clean the sink and faucet handles
• Don't forget the toilet! Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait 20 minutes, brush, and flush.The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china. First, scrub the bowl, then wipe down the outside, including the tank. 
• Clear out and clean any cabinets.

Outside

• Clean the apartment entrance and apartment door.