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Infopoint

Our Infopoints are often the first point of contact if you have questions about housing, student financing, or the mensa card. We can clarify your initial questions and put you in touch with the responsible contact person.

+++ No information on the status of BAföG applications at the Infopoint +++

For BAföG applications, we are pleased to receive your applications at the Infopoint and to pass on questions to the Student Financing Department. However, we cannot provide information on the status of applications at the Infopoint.

The number of applications is currently very high, and our colleagues in Student Financing are working intensely on the applications. In order to speed up the processing of your application, we kindly ask you to abstain from sending non essential inquiries regarding the status of your application and/or the receipt of your application to Student Financing. In very urgent cases, please send your request and your wish to be called back to the e-mail address bafoeg@kstw.de. Please include your name, telephone number, university and, if available, your funding number. The colleagues of Student Financing will contact you as soon as possible.

 

FAQs

Housing

How do I get a place in a dormitory?

The application for our dormitorys is made online:

Click here for the online application four our residence halls.

When applying, you can specify which university you are studying at, which type of housing you would like, when you would like to move in, and the maximum amount you can pay. However, you cannot apply for specific dormitories. The dormitory places are allocated.

If you want to study in Cologne, send your application for a place in a dormitory as early as possible, so that you already appear in our system. Ideally, you should apply one or two semesters before the start of your studies. You will then only need to present a certificate of enrollment from your university when you sign the rental contract.

I have applied for a place in a dormitory, but have not heard anything yet. Why?

This could be due to several reasons.

1. we simply cannot offer you a place at the moment. Either we don't have anything available at the moment or there are other applicants who are preferred due to certain criteria. You can find more information here. 

2. you have not confirmed the monthly mail request. To ensure that only students who have not yet received a room are considered in the allocation process, we will send you a request e-mail every 30 days. You should confirm the link in the mail within five days if you are still interested in a dormitory place. Without confirmation, your application will be automatically deactivated and will no longer be considered.

If you are unsure whether you have confirmed the link, you are welcome to contact us by mail: info@kstw.de

3. You have rejected a room offer three times. If you turn down a room offer three times, you will unfortunately no longer have a chance of getting a place in a dormitory from the Kölner Studierendenwerk. Therefore, please contact our student housing department before you turn down a room offer.

How long do I have to wait for a place in a dormitory?

It is always a difficult situation. Quite a few who have applied for a long time and come from far away have not received an offer until today, because there are not enough dormitory places for all enrolled students. Due to the high number of applicants there is a longer waiting period, this depends on different criteria and can sometimes last from half a year to a year, in some cases even longer.

Please remember that your application is not a guarantee that we will be able to offer you a place at all.

 

There is no available room for me? What can I do now?

We recommend that all applicants should also look for private housing. You can find the private apartments and rooms offered by the Kölner Studierendenwerk at rent to students. Private individuals have reported rooms and apartments that are available for rent. You can find more helpful information and links to other providers under Tips on finding a flat.

 

I live in a dorm and would like to report a damage. Where do I do that?

Damage or necessary repairs can be noted on a damage report form, which you can find in a box next to the mailbox of the dormitory office or download directly here. Please fill out the damage report with your phone number and your request well readable and put it in the mailbox of the dormitory office. Our housekeepers or craftsmen will then take care of the repair.

Download | Damage report (PDF)

I would like to end my rental contract early. What do I have to do?

You can always cancel at the end of a month. To do so, you must fill out the cancellation form in time and send it to your landlord. You can also print out the form and hand it in at our Infopoint.

Please note that you are still obliged to pay as a tenant until the next tenancy. The legal period of cancellation applies here. This means that you must continue to pay the rent for the next 3 months, unless a new tenant is found.

We will either look for a new tenant on our list of applicants or you can look for one yourself and propose him/her to us as a new tenant. A condition is, however, that the tenant proposed by you must be on our applicant list for at least 6 months.

 

Why haven't I received my deposit yet?

After signing the rental contract, the deposit of 300 euros will be debited from your account with the first rent. After the end of the rent you will receive the deposit back to your account approximately four to six weeks after moving out, provided that no damage was found in your room. If there is any damage or the need for cleaning, these costs will be deducted from the deposit. Depending on the damage or soiling, you might not get your deposit back at all. There is no interest on the deposit in your favor. The interest earned will be used for the benefit of the dormitory.

Student financing

I would like to apply for BAföG, what do I have to do?

To apply for BAföG, you need to fill out the application forms. Our BAföG application checklist application checklist will help you with this. You will also find all the necessary forms there. You can also pick up the forms from us at the Infopoint or fill out your application online at www.bafoeg-digital.de.

 

I would like to submit my BAföG application, where do I do that and what do I have to consider?

The Student Financing Office is located at Universitätsstr. 16, 50937 Cologne. There is a red mailbox outside where you can drop off your application. Inside you will find the Infopoint, where you can also hand in your documents.

Please make sure that you always include your name and grant number on your documents. If you do not have a grant number yet, please indicate your university instead. This is the only way that your application can be correctly assigned.

Who is my BAföG administrator?

The administrators are grouped by university and surname.

Here you can find your contact person.

 

 

Why can't I reach my administrator?

The number of applications is currently very high, and our colleagues in Student Financing are working intensely on the applications. In order to speed up the processing of your application, we kindly ask you to abstain from sending non essential inquiries regarding the status of your application and/or the receipt of your application to Student Financing. In very urgent cases, please send your request and your wish to be called back to the e-mail address bafoeg@kstw.de. Please include your name, telephone number, university and, if available, your funding number. The colleagues of Student Financing will contact you as soon as possible.

For BAföG applications, we are pleased to receive your applications at the Infopoint and to pass on questions to the Student Financing Department. However, we cannot provide information on the status of applications at the Infopoint.

What is the current status of my BAföG application?

After receiving your complete BAföG application, the processing time takes 6-8 weeks. If you have not heard anything after 8 weeks, you can inquire about the status of your application with your administrator by e-mail  (stating your grant number or your name and your university).

We at the Infopoint cannot give you any information about your BAföG application.

 

I am not eligible for BAföG but need financial support, what can I do?

Our experts in student finance will be happy to advise you individually and find a suitable way to finance your studies together with you.

Other financing options include the DAKA loan and the education loan. You can find more information here.

You can also find more information on how to finance your studies under Loans in emergencies, Scholarships and Social Counseling.

 

Mensa card

Do you still have the Mensa card?

No, since March 1, you do not need a mensa card to pay for food and drinks at the Kölner Studierendenwerk. 

With our new payment system, the mensa card and the payment function of your combination cards disappear. You can now pay cashless by card or mobile payment. Always show your student or employee ID at checkout for verification and simply use one of the following payment methods:

 

The washing machines and dryers in all halls of residence are operated using the Wewash payment system. How does it work? It's very simple. Just download the Wewash App, register and you are ready to go. Each wash or dry cycle costs €2. Payment is cashless via Wewash. In the laundry rooms you will also find information about how the app works. We have also provided you with a digital flyer in German and English.

I still have remaining credit on the Mensa card, where can I cash it out?

The remaining credit on your Mensa or combination cards can be paid out up to three years after the last payment upon showing your Mensa card and your ID. When you return your Mensa card, you will also receive a €5 deposit back. 

Where?

  • Infopoint Universitätsstr. 16
  • Infopoint Deutz

I don't study at a university in Cologne, can I still eat at your place?

The following group of persons is entitled to use it:

Since January 2024, the four price categories apply in all bistros and coffee bars:

Students: Of course only for our students 
Employee: prices for dedicated staff 
Guests: Exclusive offer for visitors to the universities 
External guests: Welcome! Our price for external guests 

We also welcome external visitors to the Gummersbach and Leverkusen canteens. The price category for external guests also applies here.

You can find us here

Infopoint Universitätsstr. 16                                                       

Servicehaus 
Universitätsstr. 16   
50937 Köln   
Tel. 0221 942 65 – 0
Fax 0221 942 65 – 203 
infopoint@kstw.de 

Opening hours 
Mon - Thu from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Fri from 09:00 - 12:00 pm

Infopoint Deutz

Campus TH Deutz
Betzdorfer Str. 2
50679 Köln
Tel. 0221 942 65 – 0                                                                             
Fax 0221 942 65 – 203                                                                         
infopoint@kstw.de                                                                           

Opening hours                                                                                   
Tue - Thu from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm        

 

Service

Initial information, application forms, private room offers, no contract matters

Privacy policy

The current privacy policy can be found here.

we like to help
contact infos

Marieke Zybell
0221 942 65 – 0

Sandra Pulm
0221 942 65 – 0

Marco Arndt
0221 942 65 – 0

Maria Davepon
0221 942 65 – 0

Daniel Wuzik
0221 942 65 – 0