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General tips for student housing

To ensure the availability of your student room, you will need to sign a contract in advance. It is usually not advisable to sign a contract or transfer any amount of money without meeting the landlord and viewing the property first.

If you are using our housing database, housing services (housing@thomasmore.be) can advise you if the landlord is trustworthy and whether it’s a good idea to sign the contract in advance.  

More tips on student housing

  • Ask a trusted friend or family member already living in Belgium to visit the property in advance on your behalf. 
  • Request a video call with your landlord.
  • Ask your buddy for help. 
  • If you are an exchange student, it is best to look for housing exclusively on the housing database mentioned above. 
  • Keep in mind that landlords give preference to students who already signed the contract and paid their 2-month rental guarantee. 
  • Tips & tricks to verify if an advertisement for a student room or housing is genuine.

Staying in Belgium for a longer time

If you are a degree student and staying in Belgium for a longer time, these resources might also be useful for finding (temporary) housing in Belgium:  
www.immoweb.be  
www.appartager.be (great if you want to find roommates)  
www.expatriates.com 
www.housinganywhere.com

Find your home away from home

but first of all, where are you looking for accommodation?

If you are going to study at Thomas More in Antwerp, you must look for a student house at Kotweb.

Students in all our other campuses/cities can look at our student housing database. You will find all available rooms and studio flats in the vicinity of these campuses. It also gives information about extra costs and facilities of the various student rooms. Besides this databank, here are other possibilities in Mechelen.

If you're already a student at Thomas More, you can also read more on the student portal

Helpful tips

  • Make a wish list: What’s important to me? Do I want to live close to campus or close to the station instead? What's my budget? Do I want to have my own shower? A room on the street side or overlooking a garden?
  • Start your search as soon as your learning agreement or degree application is approved (when there's still plenty of choice!).
  • Think carefully about what suits you best: living in a large, lively student house or a quieter place in a house with only a couple of rooms and housemates. 
  • Made up your mind? Click here for more information and tips about your contract, warranty, utility expenses, insurance, and regulations. 
  • Read this brochure published by the Flemish government concerning The Flemish Housing Rental Decree. 
  • More information about your rental agreement.

Accommodation averages per month in 2024

  • Sint-Katelijne-Waver: € 367 - € 516
  • Geel: € 290 - € 430 
  • Mechelen: € 386 - € 545 
  • Antwerp: € 470 - € 700 
  • Lier: € 333 - € 498
  • Vorselaar: € 308 - € 526
  • Turnhout: € 316 - € 461

The amounts mentioned above show you the average rental prices of a standard student room with common kitchen and sanitary facilities, which is the first number in the row. If you seek for a room which includes kitchen and bathroom for yourself, you will have to pay more each month. This is indicated in the second value. 

Please notice that:

  • these amounts are averages to give you an idea.
  • some landlords will ask for an monthly advance to pay energy costs. 

The sooner you start your search for a room, the more options you have in finding what you want. Bear in mind that the cheapest rooms are taken very quickly.  

Recent geopolitical events have caused energy costs to rise in Belgium by over 50%. When you sign your student accommodation contract with your landlord, make sure to ask whether these costs will be included in your agreement, fixed throughout the year or your own separate bill.  Allow an average € 100 - € 150 per month for utilities, depending on the type of student home.  

Other questions or concerns?
The Student Services department will be happy to help and advise you: housing@thomasmore.be.

Our residences in Antwerp and Mechelen

Both in Antwerp and in Mechelen, Thomas More has a residence. The residences of Thomas More aim to be an example of assisted living. In other words: a place where students with and without impairments can live and study together. At our residences in Mechelen and Antwerp, you can rent ‘housing with social commitment'. This means that you want to make a difference to your fellow residents and the local community during your time in college.

Renting in Belgium 'must know'

Rental guarantee

A rental guarantee is a cautionary deposit equivalent to 2 months’ rent and functions as a ‘guarantee’ against damage to furnishings, sudden departures, or any other circumstances that might pose a monetary loss to the landlord. The rental guarantee will be returned to you at the end of the rental period, with any costs related to damages or unpaid bills deducted from the total amount.  

In order to pay the rental guarantee, you will need to open a blocked deposit bank account with a Belgian bank that can only be released with both your signature and the landlord's. This is known as a ‘huurwaarborg op een geblokkeerde rekening’ in Dutch or a ‘garantie bancaire’ in French. This can be done at any major bank in Belgium.  

Renting in Belgium 'must know'

Inventory and initial condition

Under Belgian law, your landlord is required to conduct an inventory and statement of initial condition of your rented accommodation right when you move in ('plaatsbeschrijving' in Dutch; 'états des lieux' in French).  

This is always done with the landlord and tenant both present and signed on a separate document next to your rental contract. It’s as easy as noting down any damages and the condition of the furniture, appliances, etc. and taking pictures for your own personal records (which we highly recommend!). 

If your landlord hasn’t informed you of this necessary pre-rental step, kindly insist that this will be done. By knowing your rental rights, you can be sheltered from having to pay unnecessary charges for damages caused by previous tenants.