Advertise Student Accommodation to International Students

Quick answer

To advertise student accommodation to international students, list it where they already search (university housing lists and student platforms), show everything they need to trust it before paying (real photos, a video tour, a clear price, contract terms and who you are), and offer lets that fit a semester. Students decide from abroad, so the listing has to answer every question without a viewing. Odisea can also feature your rooms in its city guides, housing pages and groups: contact Odisea for details.

• Match your calendar to theirs with when to look for student housing abroad.
• Learn what worries them most in the student housing scams checklist.

Why international students are a different audience

A local student can visit a flat on Saturday. An exchange student usually cannot: they choose a room from another country, pay a deposit by transfer and arrive with their luggage. That is why scams are their main fear, and why a landlord who looks verifiable has an advantage. What they check before paying is predictable, and each point is something you control.

When they search

Demand follows the academic calendar, with searches concentrated before the autumn and spring semesters. Odisea’s guide on when to look for student housing abroad explains the timing. Have your listing live, photographed and priced before those windows, not after.

How to write a listing that converts

1. Lead with the price and what it includes. Say whether electricity, water, internet and heating are in the rent.
2. State the minimum stay and dates. Exchange students stay one or two semesters, so a 12-month minimum excludes many of them. Spotahome, for example, says its stays run from 30 days to 1 year, with an average of 5 months.
3. Give distances in minutes to named universities and the nearest transport, not “close to the centre”.
4. Add a video tour. It replaces the viewing the student cannot attend.
5. List the deposit and first payment up front. Upfront costs when renting abroad shows how students budget for them.
6. Write in English as well as the local language, and answer messages quickly.

Where to advertise

• University housing and international offices. Many keep a list of private landlords or a board for rooms. Ask the office of each university near your property how to be added; conditions differ.
• Specialised student platforms. HousingAnywhere, Uniplaces and Spotahome handle bookings online, but they charge. HousingAnywhere says listing is free and it takes a commission of up to 8% of the booking’s total contract value, deducted from the first month’s payout. Spotahome says listing is free and the fee is from 8% per booking, with tenants proving identity and solvency before booking. Uniplaces says listing is free, with a commission on confirmed bookings and the rate shown during setup. Rates can vary by country, so check each platform before you list.
• Student communities. Students trust other students, and city WhatsApp groups are where many ask for recommendations.
• Your own page. Keep your name and contact details identical everywhere, so a student who searches for you finds one story.

Trust signals that reduce scams

Students are warned about anyone who asks for money before a contract, refuses a video call, or offers a price that looks too good. Do the opposite: offer a live video call, send the contract before payment, take payment into an account in the owner’s or company’s name and give a receipt for the deposit. Share the same checks students are advised to make in what to check before signing a student rental contract. Platforms that verify tenants and listings add a second layer.

Pricing and contract length for semester stays

Quote a monthly price and the total for the stay. Furnished rooms with bills included are easy to compare, and students budget with tools such as the Odisea cost calculator, so a clean monthly figure helps. Offer lets that match a semester and a full academic year, with a clear notice rule. Erasmus students have a fixed grant, so see how the Erasmus grant is set to understand what they can pay.

Rules that change by country and city

Deposits, address registration and short-term rental rules are national or local law, so check the official source for your city. Two examples:

• Germany: a rental deposit may be at most three times the monthly rent, excluding operating costs, and the landlord must keep it separate from their own assets (section 551 of the Civil Code, BGB). Landlords must also issue a landlord confirmation for the tenant’s registration; Haus & Grund says an incorrect or incomplete one can bring a fine of up to €1,000. See renting in Germany and the Berlin guide.
• Netherlands: for contracts signed from 1 July 2023, the Dutch government says the deposit may be at most two months of base rent. See the Amsterdam guide.

Other countries set their own limits, and licences for short lets differ from long student lets. If you let in Lisbon or elsewhere, ask the city council or a local lawyer which rules apply.

Promote your accommodation on Odisea

Odisea has city guides used by international students and more than 150 student WhatsApp groups by city. Landlords and residences can be featured in Odisea’s city guides, housing pages and groups as a paid promotion, with the price on request. To ask for details, contact Odisea through the contact form.

Where to go next

• Student housing on Odisea
• Student accommodation abroad
• Room, residence or shared flat for exchange students
• Student housing scams checklist
• Contact Odisea

Frequently asked questions

How to advertise student accommodation?

List it with a clear price, minimum stay, distance to the university, real photos and a video tour. Publish through university housing offices, student platforms and student communities before the semester search period.

How to market student accommodation to international students?

Build trust first: verifiable owner details, a contract shared before payment, a video call and clear deposit terms. Then be present where students ask for recommendations, including city groups.

How to advertise student housing without paying platform fees?

Use university housing lists and your own listing page, and answer enquiries quickly. Platforms that handle booking and payment charge a commission, which is the price of that service.

Do student platforms charge landlords?

HousingAnywhere, Spotahome and Uniplaces say listing is free, but each charges a commission when a booking is made. Check the current rate for your country.

What do international students check before renting?

Photos, the contract, the deposit, whether they can register the address and whether the landlord is real. The scams checklist covers all of them.