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Living in Jena

Housing in Jena

Jena is a vibrant college town. Rooms and apartments for students are in high demand, especially at the start of a new semester. There are many housing options: from a five-person shared apartment to a room in a student housing complex run by the Thuringia Student Services Association, or even your own rental apartment! 

In addition to searching online, good ways to find housing include checking the bulletin boards at University of Applied Sciences Jena and University Jena. Being there in person can be helpful in many ways: many shared apartments would like to get to know you personally. So—make some appointments and combine that with a wonderful day in Jena!

Apartments for rent in Jena

There are over 30 student housing complexes with more than 3,000 dorm rooms managed by the Studierendenwerk Thüringen in Jena. The rooms come with basic furnishings. Rent for the more than 3,000 housing units currently ranges from 132 to 379 euros. You can apply for housing online early on, even before you’ve received an official acceptance letter. 

On the Studierendenwerk Thüringen website, you’ll find all the details about the application process as well as the location and amenities of the dorms.

Many housing cooperatives, both large and small, offer affordable housing in and around Jena. Their portfolios include newly built apartments, homes in downtown residential areas, and buildings in the surrounding areas of Jena. Among the options available are:

On the private housing market, you can search for an apartment or a shared apartment here, for example:

You can also stay in a hotel, hostel, or with a private host for the first few days, and then start looking for an apartment once you’re in Jena. On the following pages, you’ll find options for short-term accommodations:

If you can't find anything in Jena, it might be worth looking in the surrounding area. You can find apartments and rooms in Weimar, Gera, or Kahla. Jena is easily accessible by public transportation from these cities.

Change your address

After you move in, it’s best to register with the Jena Citizen Service within a week. Before you do so, consider whether Jena will be your primary residence—meaning that this is where the center of your life is.

Good to know for students:

  • You can register in person or online—if you have an ID card with eID functionality, you can even do it digitally.
  • Newcomers to Jena can receive a small welcome bonus for students—simply fill out the form and submit your certificate of enrollment and confirmation of registration.
  • Having your primary residence here has advantages: handling official business locally, mail delivered directly to you, and easier access to city services.

Also, don’t forget to register or change your registration for the broadcasting license fee. If you receive BAföG, you can be exempted from it.