Hardship Cases and Couples - FAQ

Students suffering from health problems or students in difficult social situations (exceptional hardship) can apply for preferential admission.

Accommodation for hardship cases is also allocated by means of a waiting list; waiting periods are to be expected.

Financial circumstances do not constitute a case of hardship.

An exceptional hardship exists if the applicant is in a special situation regarding health, social or family issues.

Reasons for a hardship application include disability, pregnancy or a severe chronic illness, significantly limiting your chances of finding suitable accommodation.

Temporary illnesses are not taken into account.

Please apply online via our online application:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Choose “yes” in the field marked “Disability”.
3. Please additionally send an email written by yourself to haertefaelle@stwm.de, describing your situation and including all the required documents.

Your email must include a detailed description of your personal situation, clearly stating your disability, as well as a description of your thus resulting special needs (e.g. light bell, required accommodation for assistants in the case of wheelchair rooms, etc.).

The documents must clearly show the situation you’re in.

Documents required for a hardship application include

• disability card (“Schwerbehindertenausweis”)
• “Feststellungsbescheid” (official confirmation)
• medical certificate issued by a specialist
• confirmation issued by a social institution in charge
• in the case of social hardship, confirmation from public authorities

All documents must be in German.

You’re required to submit a medical certificate issued by a specialist (or specialist’s report).

The document must concern the individually stated criteria in your application and must be easily understood even by medical laypersons without any profound medical knowledge. It must clearly state that you have special needs concerning accommodation and thus your chances of finding suitable accommodation are significantly limited.

All documents must be in German.

You also need to provide a medical certificate, as both the disability card and “Feststellungsbescheid” don’t provide any information on the type of disability.

(This does not apply in the case of a “Schwerbehindertenausweis mit Merkzeichen”.)

Yes, single parents and students with children can apply for accommodation and will be given priority in the allocation process.

However, this type of accommodation is only available to a limited extent. It is also allocated by means of a waiting list; (possibly shorter) waiting periods are to be expected.

The requirements specified in our Policy for Allocating Accommodation must be met.

Please also note our Application FAQs.

Please have a look at Item 5 of our Policy for Allocating Accommodation.

Apply online via our online application:

1. Complete the application form.
2. Additionally send an email to haertefaelle@stwm.de, briefly explaining your situation.
3. Submit the required documents: 

• maternity record (“Mutterpass”)
• birth certificate(s) of your child/children

Both persons must fulfil the application requirements, which can be found in our Policy for Allocating Accommodation.

Apply online via our online application:

1. Both of you need to complete the application form.
2. Enter your partner’s name in the field provided for this purpose.
3. Additionally send an email to haertefaelle@stwm.de, briefly explaining your situation.
4. Submit the birth certificate(s) of your child/children.