Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) reserves about 1,200 rooms for international students, but it cannot guarantee anyone a place, so most students end up renting privately. EUR says private rooms start at about €700 and go up to €1,000 a month, and the Kamernet Rent Report puts the Q1 2026 median at €710. Dutch law caps a rental deposit at two months’ base rent for contracts signed from 1 July 2023. This guide covers how reserved rooms work, what private renting costs, the deposit and registration rules, and what I could not verify.
Details come from EUR, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (RUAS), the Dutch government, NL Times and the Kamernet Rent Report, checked on 21 October and 9 November 2026. Confirm them for your intake before you pay anything.
Cost at a glance: what to add up
Before you compare the prices on this page, check what each figure actually covers:
- Rent period: per week, month or semester, and per person or per room.
- What is included: utilities, internet, contents insurance and any meal plan.
- One-off costs: deposit, application or booking fee, and any first-month payment.
- Getting to campus: travel passes, or the extra cost of living further out.
- Currency: prices here are in the local currency. Convert them at your bank’s current rate and add the transfer fee. Rates change daily, so we do not publish rupee figures.
Anything we could not confirm from an official source is flagged on this page as “could not verify”, so read those notes before you rely on a figure.
EUR reserved accommodation
- Scale: EUR has around 1,200 reserved rooms with different housing providers and reserves housing for about 25 percent of incoming international students each year. The page gives no year for that share.
- No guarantee: the university states that universities in the Netherlands do not arrange student housing, and warns of a severe housing shortage in Rotterdam. It advises students not to travel before securing housing, because it cannot help you find a place to stay.
- First come, first served: reserved rooms are offered in that order, and EUR’s housing FAQ gives no application deadlines.
- Several providers: you can apply with more than one reserved provider, but check each cancellation policy, because some charge a fee and you may get back only part of your down payment.
- Xior and SSH: Xior EUR apartments do not need a booking code, and the site may crash under high demand. For SSH, each programme can approve only a limited number of accounts, and an “on hold” status means no rooms remain for your programme.
- Later approval is unlikely: EUR advises not to wait and to look for other housing in parallel.
- Different rules: first-year students at Erasmus University College and ISS follow separate arrangements.
- Contact: studenthousing@eur.nl.
One example is the Tamboerstraat flatshare apartments, shown here as the page described them for the January to July 2026 exchange intake, so check for your own intake.
| Item | Tamboerstraat, spring 2026 intake |
|---|---|
| Rent | €850 to €1,050 a month, all-inclusive |
| Deposit | €1,000, refunded if the room is clean and undamaged |
| To book | First month’s rent plus a €300 amenity package |
| Maximum stay | Six months |
| Eligibility | Spring-semester exchange students, or new non-Dutch first-year students, aged 30 or under at the start of the academic year |
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
RUAS says it reserves approximately 220 rooms per year from Stichting Studenten Huisvesting (SSH) for its international exchange students. Students who are not eligible for those rooms, or cannot book one, are pointed to alternative housing providers. The RUAS housing page gives no deadlines, rents or deposits, so ask RUAS or check SSH directly.
Private rents and the legal limit
- EUR’s range: room rates start at about €700 and go up to €1,000 a month. Gas and electricity are usually included in the rent, but not always, so ask.
- Median rent: the Kamernet Rent Report for Q1 2026 (published 21 May 2026) gives a Rotterdam median of €710 a month, stable on a year earlier. The national average is €660.
- Rooms above the limit: NL Times reports that Argos found 79 percent of Rotterdam rooms above the limit set by the Affordable Rent Act, by €254 a month on average, and that the city has acted against hundreds of landlords.
- Where students look: EUR names Kralingen, the City Centre, Delfshaven and Noord as popular areas, and says they are also the most expensive. It adds that rooms are spread across Rotterdam and neighbouring cities, and that public transport reaches most places within about 30 minutes.
- Budget: EUR estimates that students spend approximately €1,200 a month on daily expenses, meals, accommodation, insurance and books, excluding tuition.
Ask any landlord what the legal maximum rent is and how the advertised rent was set. If they cannot explain it, treat that as a warning sign. EUR also points students to a Rent Checker for estimating a fair price.
Deposit and contract rules
The Dutch government sets these rules for rented homes.
- Maximum deposit: two months’ base rent for contracts signed from 1 July 2023. The limit was three months before that date.
- Return: the landlord must repay the deposit within 14 days of the lease ending. If costs are deducted, you must receive the remainder within 30 days.
- Allowed deductions: only overdue rent, service charges, damage that is the tenant’s responsibility and the energy performance fee. Administration costs cannot be deducted, and the landlord must tell you in writing and give a full cost breakdown.
- Guarantor: some landlords ask for one, usually a parent or relative with stable income, who becomes responsible for unpaid rent or damage.
- Contract: always ask for a rental contract, because a refusal may be a red flag. Check the notice period before signing, since missing it may cost you your deposit.
Registering your address in Rotterdam
EUR says you must register at the Rotterdam City Hall if you will live in the Netherlands for more than four months. Shorter stays may need only an RNI registration to obtain a citizen service number (BSN), which is a separate process. You can start the online form up to four weeks before you arrive.
- Documents: a valid passport or ID card and, for non-EU/EEA nationals, your residence permit, MVV sticker or IND approval letter. You also need your case number and QR code confirmation email.
- Proof of address: a rental contract, or a declaration from the main occupant with a copy of their ID. These documents must be no more than three months old, fully completed and signed.
- Housing permit streets: some Rotterdam streets need a housing permit (huisvestingsvergunning). If your street is on the list, your landlord must complete a Declaration of Readiness before you can register there, so check the list before you sign.
- BSN: you receive it at the appointment only if you book the “Studentenafspraak gemeente” type.
Reserved room or private room?
| Question | EUR reserved room | Private room |
|---|---|---|
| Chance | Reserved for about a quarter of incoming international students | Open market with a severe shortage |
| Rent | I could not verify standard reserved rents, so ask EUR | About €700 to €1,000 per EUR, €710 median in Q1 2026 |
| Upfront cost | Varies by provider, for example a €1,000 deposit at Tamboerstraat | Deposit capped at two months’ base rent, so get it in writing |
| Timing | First come, first served, with no published deadline | Start early, as EUR advises |
Avoiding housing scams
EUR says housing fraud exists online and points students to an Erasmus Magazine article on avoiding “Kamermaffia” scams. EUR is not involved in private accommodation and does not mediate between students and landlords. View any room in person or on a live video call, get a written contract and never pay before you have one. Our checklist of what to look for before you sign applies to any private room.
What I could not verify
I could not verify standard rents for EUR reserved rooms, application deadlines for any intake, or deposit amounts at most reserved providers. I did not rank neighbourhoods or list private blocks, because I found no reliable price data by area. The RUAS page gave no rents, deposits or dates. The 25 percent share of international students has no year attached on EUR’s page, and the Tamboerstraat figures are for the spring 2026 intake only.
Talk to us about your budget and city
Not sure which option suits you or your family? Send us your city, budget and room type, and we will point you to the right guide and the next steps to check. Students and parents are both welcome to ask.
FAQs about student accommodation in Rotterdam
Does Erasmus University arrange housing for everyone?
No. It reserves rooms for about 25 percent of incoming international students, and EUR says it cannot guarantee housing. The majority find a room privately.
How much is a room in Rotterdam?
EUR says private rooms start at about €700 and range up to €1,000 a month. The Q1 2026 Kamernet median was €710. Argos found 79 percent of adverts above the legal limit.
How do I apply for EUR reserved housing?
Rooms go first come, first served, and you can apply with more than one provider. EUR’s FAQ gives no deadline, so apply as soon as your intake opens and keep searching privately in parallel.
What is the maximum rental deposit in the Netherlands?
Two months’ base rent for contracts signed from 1 July 2023. The landlord must return it within 14 days of the lease ending, or within 30 days if costs are deducted.
Do I have to register my address in Rotterdam?
If you will stay more than four months, yes, at the City Hall. You need proof of address, such as a rental contract, and some streets also need your landlord’s Declaration of Readiness.
Which areas of Rotterdam do students prefer?
EUR names Kralingen, the City Centre, Delfshaven and Noord as popular and the most expensive. Most places are within about 30 minutes by public transport.
Should I travel before I have a room?
EUR advises against it, says it cannot help you find a place to stay, and recommends starting your search as early as possible.
If you are comparing Dutch cities, see our guides to Groningen, Leiden and Utrecht, or browse all student accommodation in the Netherlands.
Sources
- Erasmus University Rotterdam: housing for international students
- Erasmus University Rotterdam: housing FAQ
- Erasmus University Rotterdam: Tamboerstraat apartments
- Erasmus University Rotterdam: first registration in the Netherlands
- Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences: student housing
- Rijksoverheid: rental deposit (waarborgsom)
- NL Times: student rooms rented above the legal limit
- Kamernet Rent Report Q1 2026
Sources checked on 21 October and 9 November 2026.
