One of the things you need to do before going on an exchange is to find a place to stay.
Accommodation in Europe
In many cases you will be offered accommodation via the university/university college. Some universities even guarantee accommodation for exchange students. Others say that they cannot guarantee accommodation, but provide information about where and how to look for it. The universities that cannot offer accommodation (very rare), can usually help exchange students with information about where they can look for housing on the private market.
Accommodation outside Europe
At smaller universities/university colleges, it is common to apply for accommodation as part of the admission application or after you have received the letter of admission. Some places also require students to live on campus. At larger universities and very often in Australia, students tend to find accommodation in the private market following arrival. We strongly advise against paying a deposit for an apartment on the private market that you have not seen in person.
Do not sign a housing contract until you have received confirmation of admission from the host university and a visa if applicable.
Read institution descriptions under Student exchange on your study programme website. There you will find specific information about housing for each educational institution.
Read experience reports (mostly in Norwegian) from students who have previously been on an exchange.
If you rent student accommodation through SiS, you can sublet your apartment to another student during your exchange.
