This article only applies to Short Stay. Click here to find more information about the difference between Long Stay and Short Stay housing.
What is Short Stay and can I apply?
Short Stay is a housing option specifically for new incoming international students. It offers fully furnished rooms to students whose educational institutions have reserved housing with us. Unlike long stay accommodations, which are assigned based on registration time, Short Stay operates on a "first come, first serve" basis. This gives new incoming international students the opportunity to secure housing for their first year abroad or during their exchange program.
Eligibility for Short Stay depends on several factors. In general, your university should be listed and you should be a (new) incoming international student. Some universities may have additional eligibility criteria, such as age or EU/Non-EU student status. It is always advisable to check with your university to confirm if you meet the eligibility requirements for Short Stay housing, since the universities are in charge of the approval process.
Which rooms are available for me?
Not all rooms we have on offer are available for every student. The availability depends on several factors, like your preferred rental period, educational institution, gender and student type (exchange, bachelor, master, PhD, etc.). When you are logged in to My SSH, our system automatically filters the results so you are only able to see the rooms that you can actually book. Note that the rooms are assigned on gender (female, male and other), which explains why you can see more offer when you're logged out than logged in. If you are not able to see any rooms when you are logged in, it means that we do not have any suitable accommodation on offer for you. If this would be the case, we are very sorry and advise you to expand your search with other organizations.
What accommodations do you offer for Short Stay?
We offer different types of fully furnished accommodations, such as shared rooms (double rooms), single rooms and self-contained apartments. It does differ per city what type of accommodation we offer, and whether you can book a certain type of accommodation also depends on your type of registration. If you have an approved registration with us, you can log on My SSH. Our system automatically filters the results, so you are only able to see the rooms that you can actually book.
What's meant by 'shared room' and 'single room' and 'self-contained'?
- Shared room: in some cities (Utrecht and Zwolle) we offer shared rooms. A shared room refers to a living arrangement where two individuals occupy the same room. In a shared room, each person has their own bed or sleeping area within the same room. Common facilities such as the kitchen, bathroom, and living areas are typically shared with other housemates.
- Single room*: on the other hand, a single room refers to a private room where one person occupies it exclusively, so the student will have their own personal place. While the room itself is private, the facilities such as the kitchen, bathroom, and common areas are shared with other residents.
- Self-contained: lastly, we also offer self-contained studio and apartments. A self-contained room refers to a private living space that includes not only a private bedroom but also its own dedicated facilities, such as a private bathroom and kitchenette.
*In Groningen, there is an exception where we offer single rooms with two beds for up to 4 months as emergency housing. Click here to learn more about how it works.
It's important to note that the configuration of shared and private facilities may vary depending on the specific accommodation type. Checking the floorplan will give you a clearer understanding of which facilities are shared and which are private. For example, in some accommodations, private rooms may have their own toilet and bathroom, while the kitchen is shared among residents.
What's the minimum and maximum rental period?
The minimum duration of a Short Stay rental agreement is one month; the maximum duration is twelve months. However, the actual rental period depends on the duration your educational institution has reserved the rooms for.
Exchange/Bachelor/Master student
If you are an Exchange/Bachelor or Master student, then your educational institution will decide both the start and end date of the rental agreements for your renting period. You can see the different rental period options when you fill out the registration form.
PhD/Staff/Guest
You can register an account up to 4 months prior to your arrival, you can select a minimum renting period of one month and maximum twelve months. As of the first working day of the month your registration is reviewed by your educational institution. If your registration is correct after review you will receive an automated e-mail about your approval and you can submit a reservation request on first come first served basis.
After approval, your can see which accommodations are available within the approved period and book them yourself. For more information about booking Short Stay accommodations with us as PhD/Staff and Guests, see this article.
 | The (educational) institutions are in charge of the approval process. Ask them if you meet the eligibility requirements for Short Stay housing. |
Is it possible to view a room in advance?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to view a room before you book it or before your rental agreement starts. All our living spaces are almost constantly occupied, so, unfortunately, we cannot enter it or show you around. Most of the time, rooms are empty just a few days before someone new moves in. We definitely need that short amount of time to clean and prepare the room for your arrival!
Which furniture is included?
We rent fully furnished Short Stay homes. Once you’ve reserved accommodation, you will find the full inventory list on My SSH (tab 'My Accommodation'). The inventory in the communal areas is included as well. In case you haven’t reserved a room yet, you will be able to find the inventory list in the advertisement for the available room. Please note that our kitchens are standardly equipped with a few basic kitchen appliances. However, we do not provide other kitchen utilities such as pans, cutlery and dishes.
You are allowed to bring your own furniture, as long as when you leave, you leave the room exactly the same way it was received. This means all the furniture and items you choose to bring in, must be taken out when you depart and all the original furniture must be present for the pre-check. Unfortunately, we cannot facilitate in storage
What’s included in the price?
You pay an all-inclusive* rent, which covers facilities such as internet, water, and heating costs. This means that these facilities are already incorporated into the rental price, and you won't have to settle** any additional charges, regardless of whether your usage is higher or lower than the actual usage.
*Please note that if you reside in a self-contained studio in Groningen, you will receive a separate tax bill from the Groningen municipality for water and waste disposal. These taxes are not included in the rent.
** The only exception to this rule applies to residents of a self-contained studio in Upsilon, Groningen. These (former) tenants will receive a separate service charge settlement the following year.
Do you have a floorplan?
You will find a floor plan in the accommodation's advertisement.
Do you arrange wifi/internet?
Yes, all our Short Stay rooms include wifi/internet! You will receive more information on this during your arrival. You can also have a look at this page.
Do you provide bed sheets?
We provide a bedding package (€75,00) which consists of a duvet, pillow, covers and fitted sheet (please note: no towels!). You can order the bedding package while finalizing the booking of your room. If you haven't selected a bedding package during the booking, you have the option to order one via My SSH, tab 'my accommodation'. You can do this up until 4 weeks before the start date of your rental agreement.
Do you provide kitchen utilities?
Our kitchens are standardly equipped with a few basic kitchen appliances. However, we do not provide other kitchen utilities such as pans, cutlery and dishes. Why not? Students have very different preferences regarding their kitchen inventory, which cannot be captured in one standard package. Therefore we recommend and encourage you to purchase a kitchen inventory together with your housemates. It's more sustainable as you can choose whatever you need! After your check-in, we will provide you with some addresses, where you can buy affordable (second hand) kitchen inventory.
Please note: only Kriekenpitplein and Campusplein are equipped with kitchen appliances.
Can I live together?
Whether you can live together depends on your type of registration.
Exchange/Bachelor/Master
Unfortunately, we do not offer accommodations to Short Stay tenants that are suitable for couples. We only offer accommodations suitable for one person, often with shared facilities.
PhD/Staff/Guest
In some accommodation it is possible to live together with your partner. One condition to live together with your partner is that your rented accommodation must be bigger than 40m2. If that is the case, you can contact us and ask for permission. If we grant permission, we will make a statement that will allow your partner to register at the municipality.
What do you mean by maximum income?
Since we are a social corporation, we are not allowed to rent out accommodations to tenants with a high income and we obligated to communicate this on our advertisements, under the header 'conditions'. However, as a Short Stay tenant, you are allowed to book a room with us if you have an approved registration, and we won't conduct an income check.
Do you have a waiting list?
We do not keep a waiting list if all the rooms have been booked. Instead, you can subscribe to new offers. Simply log in My SSH, and click on "Subscribe to receive notification when new offers are available for your registrations". If you match the preferred housing period for that kind of rental offers, you'll automatically receive an email. Be mindful, though: the offer is limited and offered on a first-come-first-served basis. So it could be that you see no rental offer after receiving the notification. This means that someone else has booked the room.
Is it possible to extend my rental agreement?
Unfortunately, extending your Short Stay rental agreement is not possible. You're allowed to have one Short Stay contract with us. It is also not possible to stay in your room a few days longer after your contract has ended.