If you wish to apply for International Accommodation Office (IAO), you must contact the secretary/contact person in the department you will be working for at Aalborg University (AAU).

Please contact the secretary/contact person as early as possible in order to given them time to find the best solution for you.

However, please note that it is not always possible to meet your requests and wishes concerning accommodation. Moreover, due to the limited number of rooms and apartments available, we cannot guarantee availability.

Therefore, we strongly advise you to search for accommodation on your own. There is no central register for rental accommodation in Denmark. However, the Internet is a good place to start. Though only available in Danish, accommodation search portals such as www.boligportal.dk and www.findbolig.nu are easy to navigate and they can provide a quick insight into the cost and availability of accommodation in Denmark.

For a list of useful Danish vocabulary to help your search, please see useful vocabulary below.

If you prefer not to bring your own furniture to Denmark, there are many ways of finding affordable furniture once you are here. Second hand shops supporting a wide variety of charities are plentiful. If you are on a low budget, this is a good place to start. Search the Internet for “Genbrugsbutik” (second hand store) followed by the city of your choice (Aalborg, Copenhagen/København or Esbjerg) and you will be presented with a long list of shops. 

• Genbrugsbutikker (second hand stores) Aalborg (map with locations)
• Genbrugsbutikker (second hand stores) Esbjerg (map with locations)
• Genbrugsbutikker (second hand stores) Copenhagen (map with locations)

Facebook is another great place to search for second hand furniture. Most areas/cities have sales groups, where private people sell (or give away) furniture and other items they do not need anymore. You can find the groups on social media platforms by searching “Køb og Salg” (buying and selling) followed by the city of your choice (Aalborg, Copenhagen/København or Esbjerg).

Denmark also has a vast selection of stores offering furniture ranging from JYSK, Bilka and IKEA at the cheaper end of the scale to ILVA, BOLIA and a large number of local upmarket stores at the high end. Stores such as JYSK, IKEA and Bilka are also great places for finding kitchen utensils, towels, bedding and many other useful items for your new home.   

In Denmark, rent is regulated by the Tenant Consolidation Act. The rent for an accommodation is determined by a number of factors, such as location (city centre/suburb), type (apartment/house/single room), standard (old/new/renovated), as well as other aspects.

For this reason, some areas may prove very expensive. Consider extending your search to more affordable suburban areas. Denmark has good public transport and excellent bicycle lanes and it is generally easy to commute. Also, please note that facilities might differ from what you are used to in your home country and you may have to reassess your expectations and priorities.  

You may be required to pay up to three months deposit and three months advance payment of rent, which is within the terms of the law. Please be aware that the deposit and advance payment must be paid in order to secure the rental contract and that you need to have this amount at your disposal up front.

Furthermore, please note that in Denmark a 2-bedroom apartment means one bedroom and one living room. This means that if you need accommodation with two separate bedrooms, you must search for a 3-bedroom apartment.  

DANISH / ENGLISH

Detaljer om bolig / Details about the property
Boligtype / Type of property
Lejlighed / Apartment
Hus, Villa / House
Værelse / Room
Værelser / Bedrooms
Rækkehus / Terraced house or Row house
Størrelse / Size
Etage, sal / Floor
Møbleret / Furnished
Delevenlig / Fit for shared accommodation
Husdyr tilladt / Pets allowed
Energimærke / Energy efficiency rating
Detaljer om udlejning / Details about the lease
Lejeperiode / Rental period
Ubegrænset / Open ended rental period
Overtagelsesdato / Available from
Snarest / As soon as possible
Månedlig leje / Monthly rent
Aconto / Monthly utility payment
Depositum / Deposit
Forudbetalt leje / Advance payment of rent
Indflytningspris / Total ”moving in” cost
Skriv til udlejer / Contact the landlord
Ja / Yes
Nej / No

When you find an appropriate accommodation and you are ready to commit, we advise you to take a number of steps before you sign the rental contract:

• Verify the address/room with Boligejer.dk (webpage of the Danish Business Authority) to be assured that the address is legally registered as rental accommodation. Please be aware that you cannot apply for a CPR number before you have found a place to live and actually live at the address.
• Always see the apartment/room before you commit, or have someone check it out for you if you are unable to view it yourself.
• Never forward a deposit or any advance rent before you have a signed contract in your possession. If you do not have a signed contract, it is very difficult to get your money back if something goes wrong.
• Read the terms of the rental contract carefully and make sure they describe clearly, what you have agreed to. Most proprietors use the Danish standard rental contract, which is only available in Danish language. In addition, it is always a good idea to have a Danish speaker look through the rental contract before you sign.
• Read §11 of the rental contract thoroughly. This section will either reduce your rights or increase your responsibility, as it can potentially supersede other statements previously declared in the rental contract. This means that anything that deviates from the standard rules will be stated in this section.
• Make a note of the rent and what it consists of (is heating, water, electricity, internet etc. included).

• Go through the apartment/room with your landlord and document any defects (e.g. take pictures). You risk having to pay repairs from your deposit when you move out, if you cannot prove that the defect was there when you moved in.
• Sign up for meter service if possible and applicable. In many places water, heating and electricity consumption is metered and it is important that you have the current reading registered with the utility companies, when you move into your new accommodation. This way you ensure that you only pay for your own consumption.
• Familiarise yourself with the rules and options for disposing of your rubbish. In Denmark, waste is recycled if possible and depending on the area and municipality you live in, there may be very specific regulations that you are required to follow. Special bins and/or containers are provided for paper, plastic, glass and metal waste. Also, please note that you pay a deposit on many bottles and cans (e.g. for soft drinks and beers) and that you get this deposit refunded when you return the bottles to the shops. For more general information on recycling in Denmark please go to the webpage of the Danish Recycling System.
• Study the move-in and move-out conditions carefully. In most cases, you are required to return the accommodation in the same condition as you receive it. Remember that you are responsible for keeping the accommodation in an acceptable condition.
• Always remember to pay your rent and any utilities on time. If you do not, it could be a reason for eviction.
• Check whether you are entitled to housing benefits (boligstøtte). You can apply online at www.borger.dk using your MitID. For more information please contact Udbetaling Danmark (the authority dealing with housing benefits).

Electricity in Denmark is 230 Volts and the electrical frequency is 50 Hertz. If you bring an electrical appliance to Denmark that does not accept 230 Volts at 50 Hertz, you will need a voltage converter.

These two types of plugs are most common in Denmark:

• Plug C: Popularly known as the Euro plug. It is a two-pin unearthed plug
• Plug K: Has two round pins and a spade grounding pin.

If you live in rented accommodation, you may be entitled to receive housing benefits. Whether or not you are eligible to receive housing benefits depends on a number of conditions, e.g.:

• How much you pay in rent
• How many children and adults live in the accommodation
• The total income of everyone who lives in the accommodation
• Your basis for residence in Denmark

Read about Housing benefits and how to apply on Lifeindenmark.dk

How do you apply for housing benefits?

You can apply for housing benefits by contacting Udbetaling Danmark.  

Contact Udbetaling Danmark by phone (+45) 70 12 80 63 or by email at udbetalingdanmark@atp.dk

You can also apply for housing benefits via the municipal online service at the website of lifeindenmark (in Danish only) if you have a NemID (requires a CPR number).  

How much can you get?

How much you can receive in housing benefits depends on a number of conditions, including:

• Your rent after deducting expenses for electricity, water and heating
• The area of the accommodation in square metres
• The number of children and adults, who live in the accommodation
• Income and capital for everyone, who lives in the accommodation
• You do not need to pay tax on housing benefits.

Please contact Udbetaling Danmark for further information.

Who can recieve housing benefits?

Citizens from EU/EEA countries can receive housing benefits on equal terms with Danish citizens. Non-EU/EEA citizens may be able to receive housing benefits depending on which residence and work permit they hold.

OVERVIEW OF RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMIT TYPES THAT DO NOT ALLOW FOR YOU TO RECEIVE HOUSING BENEFITS
The categories below all have a foundation for residence that does not allow one to receive housing benefits:

• Fee-paying PhD students (enrolled, not employed)
• Guest PhD students (not enrolled, not employed)
• Bachelor/Master’s students
• Job seeking period – Master’s students
• Job seeking period – PhD students

In Denmark, you usually have a three months termination period for your lease. This means, you will be liable for rent for three months after you have handed in your termination. 
Make sure to read your lease contract carefully and take note of the termination period.

If you paid a deposit when renting an accommodation, you are entitled to a reimbursement of the deposit – i.e. with a deduction of any possible expenses required to bring the apartment/room back to the same condition as you received it in.

It is often the case in Denmark that when you terminate your rental agreement, you might need to move out of the tenancy 14 calendar days before the moving out date.  

If your utility consumption is metered, you must read your meters before you move out and inform your providers (the utility companies). Otherwise, you risk paying for more than you have consumed and you will be held responsible for the consumption until the next resident registers as a consumer.

Any surplus of utilities will also be reimbursed (e.g. if you have paid a set monthly water or electricity contribution that proves to have been higher than your actual consumption).

Remember to deregister from the address. See more information in the section Ending your stay.

Aalborg University offers several accommodation options for short-term stays. To have the best options to find suitable accommodation, it is important to start looking for accommodation as early as possible and before coming to Denmark.

AAU ACCOMMODATION OFFICE
The AAU International Accommodation Office offers information and assistance in finding temporary accommodation.  

Please visit the AAU International Accommodation Office webpage for more information.

HOTEL, HOSTEL OR BED & BREAKFAST
If you prefer staying at a hotel, hostel or bed & breakfast, you can book accommodation online at Visit Aalborg.