Reserved Accommodation Programme - February 2023 - Welcome to Utrecht

Unlike to what you might be used to, Dutch universities do not own student housing. Instead, students are responsible for finding their own accommodation. Because searching for housing from abroad can be very difficult, Utrecht University aims to inform you of various ways to find housing. In addition, Utrecht University offers a Reserved Accommodation Programme for new international students who meet the requirements. Through this programme new international students can apply for a limited number of furnished rooms and studios. Because the housing is not owned by Utrecht University, contracts are between the tenant and housing provider.

Finding a place to stay is very important because you need a legal residence in the Netherlands in order to register with the municipality and obtain a BSN. This generally required to be able to register with a general practitioner and also to be able to participate in the Dutch covid-19 vaccination programme.

Note that the information below specifically applies to Master's degree students. If you have applied as an Erasmus / Exchange student, please visit the page for reserved accommodations for Erasmus/exchange students instead.

Placing a reservation is not guaranteed. Because the run for housing is high, also anticipate that you might not be able to book.
The agreements have fixed start and end dates. It is not possible to rent longer or shorter or cancel the agreement prematurely.
Even if you plan to study in Utrecht for multiple years, it is only possible to rent in your first 12 months of studies.

Who can apply

Conditions for for Master's degree students planning to enrol per February 2023	You plan to enrol in the first year of an English-taught* Master's degree programme per February 2023, and; You are new to the Netherlands, you have not completed your prior education in the Netherlands, and you are currently live abroad * Exemption: Students who require a visa and/or residence permit are exempted for the English-taught condition. This means that you can apply for housing if you require a permit, even if your programme is (partly) taught in Dutch

Conditions for for Master's degree students planning to enrol per February 2023

You plan to enrol in the first year of an English-taught* Master's degree programme per February 2023,
and;
You are new to the Netherlands, you have not completed your prior education in the Netherlands, and you are currently live abroad

* Exemption: Students who require a visa and/or residence permit are exempted for the English-taught condition. This means that you can apply for housing if you require a permit, even if your programme is (partly) taught in Dutch

If you have any questions about these conditions please contact us via StudentServices@uu.nl.

Housing provider: SSH Short Stay

Utrecht University reserves a limited number of furnished rooms and studios via the student housing foundation SSH Short Stay. Bear in mind that all housing via SSH Short Stay is very popular and finding housing this way is not guaranteed.

Before you are able to reserve accommodation with SSH Short Stay you need an approved registration. This means Utrecht University first needs to verify your registration before you can submit a reservation when booking opens. Registration is free of charge.

Registration opens:	19 October 2022 9.00 am Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Booking opens:	2 November 2022 9.00 am Central European Time (CET)

Types of accommodation

SSH Short Stay offers furnished shared and private rooms in various residence buildings. The accommodations include all the basic furniture you need such as a bed, wardrobe, desk and chair. The accommodation is situated in international student residences. Tenants share facilities like the bathroom, kitchen and washing machine with the other housemates. All accommodations have internet provided. Once you have an approved registration (registration is not yet possible) you will be able to view the offers. Do note that the February 2023 housing offer for master's students mainly consist of self-contained studio apartments and some private rooms.

Locations

The accommodation reserved via SSH Short Stay is located in various locations in Utrecht. All SSH' residence buildings are situated within travelling distance from the various university buildings and Utrecht's City Centre. All buildings and room types are a popular choice for different reasons. We advise you not to fixate on one or two locations when booking opens, but to consider all options. This increases your chances of placing a reservation.

Rental period

The housing via the Reserved Accommodation Programme is available for fixed rental periods only. For Master’s degree students who start their studies at Utrecht University per February 2023 this is fixed on a full year of 12 months:

2 February 2023 - 22 January 2024

Because the rental periods are fixed it is not possible to cancel the accommodation prematurely, nor is it possible to extend your stay. This means that tenants are responsible for the rental payments for the full tenancy period. If you arrive later in the semester, regardless of the reasons why, SSH cannot defer a reservation to a later moment and you remain responsible for paying the rent per the starting date of the contract.

Average rent

The monthly rental fees are roughly 425 to 570 euros per month for a shared room with shared facilities, 480 to 705 euros per month for a private room with shared facilities, and 950 to 1075 for a self-contained studio. The rent includes mandatory service costs and furnishing. Please note that due to an increase of energy costs, the total rent amount per month is higher than previous years. For information about your rent, please contact SSH Short Stay directly: info@sshxl.nl.

Booking costs

Registration for SSH Short Stay is free of charge. Only when you submit a reservation request you make several payments:

Reservation fee: 81 euros
Down payment: First and last months' rent
Bedding package (optional): 50 euros
One off cleaning fee: variable
Tax fee: For the tenancy agreements of one semester (5 months) the one off 9% Tax Fee is charged over the combined rent.

To avoid automatic cancellation, these payments must be made via Visa- or Mastercard within 24 hours after reserving the accommodation.

Cancellation prior to commencement of the rental agreement

Cancellation of an agreement with SSH Short Stay prior to the rental period is possible until four weeks prior to the intended start of the rental period. Cancellation can be requested via e-mail only (info@sshxl.nl). If you have a timely cancellation request you will be refunded the down payment minus the reservation fee of 81 euros and minus a cancellation fee of 77 euros. If you submit an untimely request for cancellation, or if you fail to show after the rental period has started, the rental contract will be terminated and you will not be refunded the down payment.

Can I reserve housing prior to my admission at Utrecht University?

Yes, it is possible to reserve accommodation prior to your formal admission.

Will I be assigned a ranking number based on my date and time of registration?

No, the date and time on which you register does not influence your chances when booking opens. Do bear in mind that once you registered, it can take some time before we have checked your registration. We therefore advise you not to wait until a later date to register. It is also important that you only register once and carefully check if your details are complete and correct.

How can I increase my chances of booking SSH Short Stay housing?

Once booking opens, students have to book themselves. This is first come, first served. Only students with an approved registration can book. You are advised not to postpone booking to a later date or time because the demand is very high. Also take into account that the servers may be busy when booking opens. Even if your registration has been approved, and you keep to the booking time, there is a chance that you will not be able to arrange housing via SSH Short Stay. Bear this in mind and also explore other housing options beforehand.

Can I rent SSH Short Stay housing for longer or shorter?

This is not possible. If you are searching for housing for a shorter time frame than one semester, it is not possible to book via the Reserved Accommodation Programme. Bear in mind that cancellation of the contract is not possible, unless in case of limited specific circumstances that are specified in the Terms and Conditions that apply to the rental contract.

Can I book reserved accommodation but start rental payments in a later month, if I arrive later in the semester?

This is not possible. Reserved accommodation only offers housing with fixed start and end dates. You are responsible for the rent payments for the full duration of your contract. These are the booking conditions:

If you reserve accommodation, you pay the rent per the fixed start date of the contract even if you arrive later in the semester, regardless of the reasons for late arrival
Your reservation cannot be deferred to a later moment
You can cancel your reservation up to 4 weeks before the start of the agreement and receive a refund of your down payment minus the reservation fee and cancellation fee

Does SSH Short Stay offer housing for couples or families?

SSH Short Stay does not offer accommodation for students who bring their partner or family. If you are searching for housing that is suitable for a family, please read our tips and tricks that may help you find housing on your own.

Is SSH Short Stay housing suitable for pets?

SSH Short Stay does not allow pets. If you are searching for housing that is suitable for pets, please read our tips and tricks that may help you find housing on your own.

What if I am unable to book via SSH Short Stay?

Reserved housing via SSH Short Stay is very popular and usually books up quick. Because the overall number of reserved rooms and studios is limited, and finding housing this way is not guaranteed, you may have to search for housing on your own. This can be difficult and time consuming, but the right preparation can increase your chances. In case you are unable to secure accommodation before the start of the semester, we unfortunately advise you to reconsider your enrolment.

We aim to inform you to best of our abilities about finding housing on your own, and offer tips and tricks on our website. You are also welcome to contact us if you have any questions.

Please let us know if your questions are not answered in this FAQ.

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Reserved Accommodation Programme - February 2023