The new truth on student housing
Finding good student housing in Amsterdam can be very stressful for ESP students, especially for the ones that have just been accepted.
Updated for 2026: this post keeps the original student-to-student advice from ESP students, but we have added current AUAS housing information, tenant-rights links, and scam-safety notes. The student stories are still here because they are the useful part: honest experience from people who actually had to find a place.
Please meet the former and current students that helped compose this post. Three different people, with different approaches.
especially for you
MEET CARMEN
Carmen is a typical ESP student that handles stressful situations (finding housing is definitely one of those) in a special way. We call it the “Carmen calm down approach”!
MEET KARIN
Think out-of-the-box. That’s mainly Karin’s approach regarding housing. She lives just south of the school, outside of Amsterdam in a small village with some room mates in a real house!
MEET PIERRE
Pierre started a long list of high potential websites a few years ago. Many are still very valuable, so please check out his list at the end of this post!
by Carmen
You will find housing! but…
# 1 Take the student housing via AUAS
RULE (set by no one but myself haha): If you get student housing through ESP / HvA aka any kind of student accommodation – TAKE IT and don’t be picky 😀 Many first years live in student accommodation and the vast majority of places are very pleasant to live in. The housings are mainly offered through DeKey and DUWO.
2026 ESP update: Carmen’s rule still stands. If you are eligible for AUAS housing and receive an invitation, apply on time and take the offer seriously. AUAS housing is limited and not guaranteed. AUAS currently lists housing rent at roughly €370-€1150 per month, depending on room type, with extra fees such as administration costs, deposit and sometimes local taxes.
“I would highly advise you to take student accommodation if it is offered to you. It is almost impossible to find something as cheap, nice and without effort for your first year!”
If AUAS housing is not an option, start with the official AUAS housing pages and then move quickly to trusted student-housing platforms such as DUWO, Lieven De Key and ROOM.nl. For AUAS Bachelor/Master students, the housing invitation and deadline can be very specific each year, so always follow the email from AUAS and do not wait until the summer to start searching.
Useful starting point: AUAS international student housing.
Let’s say student accommodation is not an option. Welcome to the Amsterdam housing market. It is competitive, fast-moving and often expensive. Step 1: be realistic about your budget, but also check whether the rent makes sense. In 2026 you can use the English Huurcommissie Rent Check to get a first idea of whether a room or apartment is priced fairly.
#4 Be extremely cautious about fraud
I personally have been scammed before and know a few other people who this happened too and who’ve lost a substantial amount of €€. Especially in facebook groups and kamernet you need to be very careful. The best thing you can do is come here for a viewing yourself to see if the place really exists. If that is impossible, keep these things in mind: if it looks shady, it probably is :D. Try to get on a video call with the landlord/real estate agent. That makes it more likely that it’s not all scam. Don’t transfer a ridiculous # of money beforehand. If they keep asking you for more and more, its probably scam.
2026 safety check: never rely only on nice photos. Check if registration at the address is possible, ask for a written contract, avoid cash or anonymous money transfers, keep screenshots and receipts, and be extra careful with listings that are far cheaper than everything else. If you are unsure, ask someone in Amsterdam to view the place or contact !WOON for free tenant advice.
#5 neighbourhood location is key
the school is quite far away from the center (especially with bike). Neighborhoods close to school are Zuidoost, Diemen, Bijlmer, Bullewijk, Gein (all not the most glorious, but all definitely more affordable than the center). Prices in the center will be higher. Abcoude + Amstelveen are also options some people choose to go for (more affordable, far away from the center). The west, Noord and center are also, of course, an option, the latter will be very expensive though. Keep in mind that with these options you will have to pay about 100€ of public transport (if you don’t want to bike daily in dutch weather for 1h). Unless you work for more than 56h a month (then you can apply for travel discount)
BE AWARE
Please be aware of scammers as they are common in Amsterdam. Many of them offer places in the city center for very cheap but then claim that they are abroad at the moment. If you are determined to get a place on the private market, it really helps if you actually take the time to travel to Amsterdam and search in person. But in all cases, please use your common sense.
by Pierre
The best housing resources
Use the Amsterdam facebook groups
The biggest problem, that I personally find, is that because there is so much competition, it is very hard to find a place available in the future, for example, looking for a place now that is only available in September. The vast majority of places you find are available for immediate move in. As a result, many people end up paying rent for 1 or 2 months while they are not living there yet. Some landlords let you sub-let for that period, but not always.
From my experience, a common method among students is to search among Amsterdam Housing facebook groups, I will post them below as well as other websites that I think are good.
What are the steps to take?
Before you start or continue your house search, here is my personal advice you may want to take into consideration:
- Rent for a room or studio in Amsterdam can vary a lot, and private-market prices move quickly. Check the travel time to school, but also check whether the rent is realistic with the Huurcommissie Rent Check.
- Areas that can make sense for ESP include Diemen, Bijlmer, Amsterdam-Zuidoost, Amstelveen and Abcoude. The school is connected by metro and buses around Holendrecht, but travel costs and cycling time matter when you compare places.
- When negotiating a rental period, consider when your internship dates are. As I said before, some landlords will let you sub-let when you are away, but some won’t.
- I think looking for a house together is a good idea, I did it for the first year, but it can be difficult and requires a lot of coordination. Always have a plan B.
“Go with a 2 months deposit cash in hand and only talk to the landlord, not the agent.”
Updated resources from ESP
2026 note from ESP: Pierre’s advice above was written from student experience. The links below have been refreshed by ESP as places to start your own search.
These links are shared as starting points, not as official recommendations or guarantees. Housing availability, prices, rules, and platform quality can change quickly. Always check the latest information yourself before applying, signing, or paying.
Start here first
- AUAS Housing Official AUAS information for international students.
- AUAS: finding housing on your own Practical AUAS tips if you are not offered a room.
- Study in NL housing National information for international students.
- Huurcommissie Rent Check Check whether a rent price is reasonable.
- !WOON Free tenant advice in Amsterdam.
Facebook groups: still useful, but use them carefully. Scams are common, so never transfer money before you are sure the place and contract are real.
Student platforms
- ROOM.nl Student housing platform used by several Dutch housing providers.
- DUWO Student housing provider.
- Lieven De Key Student and starter housing provider.
- Student Experience Private student residences in Amsterdam.
- HousingAnywhere International housing platform. Always check conditions carefully.
Private market
- Kamernet Large room platform, usually with a paid account.
- Pararius Private rental listings.
- The Social Hub Higher-budget student-style accommodation in Amsterdam.
- Hotel Jansen Student-style private accommodation.
- Hospi Housing Host-family and room options. Check details carefully.
Private platforms can help, but they are not official ESP/AUAS housing. Read the contract, check registration, and compare the rent before paying.
I really wanted this post to be a student-to-student message, so we are not discussing the official answer on housing but really give you the inside info you have been searching for!
OK, that’s what I have for now, message me if you have any more questions regarding this!
by Karin
Think outside of Amsterdam
3 other girls and me from the program are living together in Abcoude. It is a typical Dutch village, located a bit south from uni, only 10 mins by bike.
It’s a really nice and quiet place, a safe area surrounded by nature. There are grocery shops, local bars and cafes. There is a train station and the nearest metro station is the one next to uni, called Holendrecht.
If you were to look for a place to stay in Abcoude , there are big houses which you are able to rent and more than 2 people can register since its considered to be outside of Amsterdam. The registration need to be done with the “gemeente” (city hall) in a village called Mijdrecht.
The renting price is around to 500-600 euro per month, depending on size and amount of people living in the house.
“I would definitely recommend living in Abcoude. In addition, you get to experience a bit of the Dutch charm on a daily basis.”
Some of you will NOT find housing before arrival, most likely. Yes, that is very costly and annoying and exhausting especially because ESP will get very stressful very quickly. But don’t worry too much. Like I’ve said, eventually, everyone found housing.
On Instagram, I am also know as @coachcappucino. Please check out my channel and follow my journey inside and outside of ESP!