Accommodation Options During an Erasmus+ or Turing Stay

If you’ve found an Erasmus+ or Turing internship abroad in your preferred location then that’s great – you’re one step closer to an amazing Erasmus+ or Turing stay! However, now, the work really starts! There’s lots to do, one thing you do need to sort out is accommmodation during your internship.  Whether you rent out your own apartment or stay with a host family during the duration of your internship, it’s entirely up to you but which will you choose?  This piece will give you the best information about what type of Erasmus+ or Turing accommodation is available and how to select the right accommodation for your needs.

Plan Your Work Journey

No matter where you do your internship, whether at home or abroad, if you’re working the whole day, you don’t want a long commute after work!  So, one of the first things to do is to find out what housing options are available for your needs, preferably close to the workplace.  If you already understand the transport options, you can plan whether you’ll need a car (if you need to rent one for example) or whether you can rely on the public transport system.

When to Start Looking

When you should start looking for accommodation for your Erasmus+ or Turing internship depends on several factors: the country where you’re internship will be, the region where you will live and your own, personal requirements. You can never do your research too early!

Apartments for Interns Going Abroad

For most interns abroad, the best option is to rent an apartment.  It gives interns the ability to conduct their own household activities.  It’s nice to get home from work and close the door quietly after a busy day and is a great experience if you’re living at home on your own for the first time.  However, it’s more difficult to make friends if you’re completely alone.  Additionally, bear in mind that you would need to bear all the costs on your own.  Depending on the size of apartment, the price, equipment and location, it can be worthwhile, especially if you’re abroad for an extended period of time.

Sharing an Apartment Abroad

Living in a shared apartment is the cheapest option when abroad. You can't always choose your roommate, but with a bit of luck you can find people of the same age for joint activities to do together over the evenings and weekends.  This is particularly useful in university cities as there are good offers for students and interns abroad when in a shared apartment for a limited period of time.

Living with a Host Family

It is important that you feel at home in a new country - and a host family can be an essential experience during an Erasmus+ or Turing stay abroad. Many families abroad rent a room to international interns or students. As well as an interest in people people from other countries, host parents are interested in the intercultural exchange for their own children’s benefit. This form of Erasmus + accommodation offers a good opportunity to deepen your language skills. In addition, you have locals on your doorstep who are knowledgeable  when it comes to your new area.  They‘re at your side with help and advice. In return, a host family will probably also expect you to integrate into family life during your Erasmus+ or Turing stay. The families always have a genuine interest in looking after an exchange intern and accepting them as a new family member. That stay is probably the beginning of a lifelong friendship! While each destination has its own profile, they all have one thing in common: a host family that takes you in warmly and makes your Erasmus+ or Turing stay something very special. The following blog is useful to read about host stays: Host Family vs. Apartment.

Hostel or Hotel?

A hostel is cheap accommodation with simple facilities. Hostels are known for their shared rooms. In hostels there are single rooms and double rooms with private bathrooms but these are more expensive than shared rooms. In shared rooms, guests share a bathroom with showers and toilets. In addition to the bathroom, there are other rooms for common use. These include the kitchen, lounge and laundry room. The kitchens are equipped with all utensils that the guests can use to cater for themselves. Many of those running this type of accommodation offer excursions to sights and other joint activities. The activities and the design of the accommodation is specially created to make communication more open. There’s a feeling of being at home with family or friends, this is the purpose of choosing a hostel.

The main difference between a hostel and a hotel is the price. As hotels usually have higher quality furnishings and offer more services, they are generally more expensive. Furthermore, there are seldom shared bedrooms in hotels. In hotels, it is also usual for rooms to have their own sanitary facilities. Hotels have their own restaurant so they aren’t self-catered. Meals at hotels can be included in the price or available at an additional cost.  The same applies to bed linen and towels. Hotels usually provide these items at no extra charge. Hotels are also divided into star categories. The more stars, the more luxurious and expensive the hotel is. That type of rating does not exist when it comes to hostels, although the quality and service-related equipment can vary.

During an Erasmus+ or Turing stay, the main advantage of staying in a hotel is that you can retreat after a long day at work and enjoy the peace and quiet. This proves to be difficult in hostels, especially if you are sharing a room. You should of course also note that the costs for a long-term hotel stay can be very high.

If you are still unsure whether to choose a hostel or a hotel, you can find more information in this blog article: Hostel vs. Hotel.

Looking for Accommodation for an Internship Abroad

If you carry out your Erasmus+ or Turing internship abroad with the help of an organisation, finding accommodation is often part of the service. Usually, these are shared apartments or rooms in dormitories and you’ll find that the agency has been working with these accommodation types for a long time.

Larger companies sometimes have intern rooms or apartments that are made available to you for the duration of your employment. This is the best solution for accommodation during an Erasmus+ or Turing internship. If the internship accommodation doesn‘t meet your expectations, you can  always look for other accommodation on site. Furnished apartments or one-room flats can usually be found on special temporary accommodation rental websites.

Apartments and rooms abroad can be found using these databases:

• Airbnb
• Homestay
• World Homestay
• Workaway

Basically, the same rules apply to accommodation abroad as they do when looking for accommodation in Germany. After eight hours of work, nobody feels like driving home for hours on end! So find out in advance how the public transport network works in the city of your choice.

The following questions are regularly asked when it comes to the many different options for living abroad during an internship:

• Which Erasmus+ or Turing accommodation is your personal preference? Find even more suggestions in the following blog article Accommodation Options: Host family, Apartment, Hostel or Hotel.
• How do I find suitable accommodation near my Erasmus + internship abroad?

We are happy to support you in finding the right Erasmus+ or Turing accommodation - click here. Our guide for Erasmus+ funding applicants and our Handbook for Erasmus+ Project Management & Execution provide you with all the necessary information regarding the Erasmus+ applications process.