Accommodation in Antwerp

Accommodation

Antwerp has a lot of places to offer for forthcoming students but, depending on when and how long are you going, finding a suitable place in there may be difficult.

What is a 'kot'?

A 'kot' is a single room, usually furnished (but you can find some unfurnished), which can have its own private bathroom and/or kitchen. Some other times, mainly depending on the price you pay for it, you may have to share bathroom and/or kitchen with some other people (it can vary from 4 to 8 people). The normal size of a kot may go from 10 square metres to 30 square metres. The range of prices may go from 250 € per month to 500 € per month.

Obviously, if you go for the cheapest ones, you'll probably have a 12-18 square metres room, being everything inside quite old, even the building, with no own bathroom nor kitchen.

On the other hand, if you want a 'luxury' place, you'll probably have to spend a great percentage of your Erasmus' grant...

My advice is to check places that fulfill the standards, but those also depend on how you are: some people don't mind sharing bathroom and some other would never do it...

Another really important thing to take into account is whether expenses are included into the final price or not... it's highly recommended they are, so you won't have to worry about anything else.

Normal expenses are: water, gas (heat is necessary in winter), electricity and internet connection. Some others may include some kind of cleaning service for common areas (such as kitchen and bathroom, if they are shared) and you can be asked to pay separately for them.

If these expenses are not included, you will have to go paying monthly for them, usually to a specific bank where your landlord has his/her bank account. About the internet... you'll need it. It's the one of the most important tools, if not the most important one, in Erasmus. If your landlord doesn't provide you with internet connection, you have two options: contracting one (most of the times, they ask for a one-year subscription) or try to catch some free spots if your neighbours are that kind (which usually they aren't).

Another problem you may have to deal with is the difficulties (or even the completely refusal) some landlords have to rent a kot for less than one academic year. If you're going for the whole year, you will be accepted for almost any kot but if you are just going for one semester or even less time (3 months), you may be rejected from many places. To avoid this, there are a couple of solutions:

1. You may find a place that is open to/available for one semester or less (then, look at those at Lange Winkelstraat and/or Rodestraat).
2. You can find an 'Erasmusmate' going to Antwerp on the opposite semester, so you can tell your landlord he/she will have the kot rented for the whole year. You can also do this while in Antwerp: if you're going on the 1st term, you can rent any kot you like and, after a couple of months in Antwerp, you can 'offer' your kot (through Facebook groups or any Erasmus websites). Most of the people coming on 2nd semester face this kind of situation, so it won't be too difficult to find someone who takes your place.

There are several ways to start looking for a 'kot'. You can search from your own country through the internet.

The main pages to do that are:

• http://www.studentkotweb.be/
• http://www.kotspotting.be/EN/index2.php
• http://www.kot.be/
• http://www.kotweb.net/
• http://www.1sf.be/
• http://www.kot-and-co.com/

You can go to Antwerp and start looking 'live' for kots. While in Antwerp without any rented kot, you can book a room for a few days in the 'Kangaroo' hostel, which is close to the Stadspark. If you follow this way, you will see many signs saying 'te huur' or 'te koop'. First one means 'to rent' and, second one, 'to buy'... so choose wisely which one you want to ask for!

Few residences

As in every city in the world, Antwerp has also student residences to offer... but there aren't enough rooms for everyone!

There are only 3 residences + the one of the University of Antwerp:

Belliard, Roskam and Venus residences

The 3 of them are what we understand for 'students residence' but none of them is that big. The number of rooms go from 12 to 20 and they are more expensive than any average kot. All of them are located in the north of the city (Paardenmarkt and Generaal Belliardstraat) and, well, there are a few pros and cons:

Pros:

• Everything is quite new and cool.
• All needs are covered (in terms of internet connection, laundry, gas, electricity, etc. ).
• Good ambience among all guests.

Cons:

• More expensive than an average kot.
• Normally, you'll miss most of the people, because you'll make everything with your residence-mates, not joining the rest of the crew.
• Specially Roskam & Belliard are a bit far (just 10 more minuts) from everything except from a couple of clubs.

University of Antwerp residence

You can only apply if you're attending UA (this is, no Karel de Grote -KdG-, no Lessius, no Plantijn, etc). The building is located in front of the UA dining room (ten Prinsenhove), at Koningstraat, and a few steps away from UA's main building at Prinsstraat.

This residence is only available if you are going for one semester (this is because of the difficulties half-year students may have in finding accommodation).

Middelheim Campus

If you are studying informatics or anything related and you're attending Middelheim Campus (south of the city, outside 'the ring'), you can also rent one of the students accommodations offered there and ruled by the UA.

Flats, apartments, shared accommodation...

Antwerp also offers a very few accommodation of this kind.

Private flats from 40 to 60 square metres fully-equiped with kitchen, dining-room, bedroom, bathroom and even utility room may be found at a higher price (around twice the price of a kot).

Also bigger apartments to share between two people or even these two people with the local landlord are available.

Both kinds of accommodation are limited and may be found 20 to 30 minutes far from Ossenmarkt.

Where to live? Which zones are better?

This depends on everyone and which university are you attending.

If you are going to KdG or Lessius, you'll have to decide whether is better living close to your university or to the Erasmus life. Choosing the first option will lead you to look for a place to live in Nationalestraat or between this one and the Scheldt river. Preferring the second one will make you do as the UA and Plantijn universities' students.

The Erasmus life concentrates, during the day and mostly by night, around Ossenmarkt. Any street close to there is a good choice, but I'd say the best ones are: Lange Winkelstraat/Vekestraat, Rodestraat, Prinsstraat, Sint-Jacobsmarkt/Kipdorp and Paardenmarkt. Everything here is surrounding UA buildings and Plantijn Hogeschool (located at Lange Nieuwstraat).

The 'square' made by Paardenmarkt at north, Italielei at east, Sint-Jakobsmarkt/Kipdorp at south and Venustraat/Gratiekapelstraat at west is the best place to live in.

On the other hand, it's highly recommended to avoid any place 'behind' Italielei, mainly the north-east of the city.

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