Welcome to The Hague - the city of peace and justice!
The city has some great residential areas but finding lettable accommodation in and around The Hague is very difficult. Good residential areas include the beach area (Scheveningen), the city centre and green suburbs in quieter areas. The links below should help you make a start in finding the accommodation that's right for you.
Planning to bring your family with you to the Netherlands?
If you plan to bring your family with you to The Hague, we strongly recommend that you secure housing before coming over with the entire family.
Our 1-person student rooms normally have availability for new PhD researchers in the period January to August, not in the last 4 months of the year.
Rental accommodation on the private market is difficult to acquire and it comes at a cost. Take a look at the Housing page on Erasmus University Rotterdam's website for average rental prices. Your budget and your choice of location play an important part in this process.
NB - New Dutch legislation works on the premise is that no new temporary rental contracts may be signed. However, there are exceptions to this for some groups, such as PhD researchers. PhD researchers can sign one temporary 6-month contract. Please keep this in mind when looking for accommodation.
Things to note when planning your move
Dutch law requires certain formalities for all residents of The Hague who plan to stay in the city for 4 months or longer. Please take note of the points below when planning your move to the Netherlands:
Register your address
You are legally obliged to register a valid Dutch address (not a hotel!) with your municipality 5 days after arrival. Failing to provide a valid address can have consequences for your residence permit.
Your Citizen Service Number
Once registered, you will receive a Citizen Service Number (in Dutch: ‘BSN’). This is compulsory for everyone living in the Netherlands and enables you to carry out all number of other formalities such as opening a bank account.
Housing via student housing association
The independent Dutch student housing corporation DUWO has some housing available for PhD researches, just around the corner of the institute. This housing is primarily meant for MA students but may also be occupied by PhD researches.
Ten rooms are reserved for PhD researchers and subject to availability. The rental period for PhD researchers, visiting researchers and other visitors can start at any time throughout the academic year, though there is a preference for January. See also the student housing page on our website.
Using the ISS postal address
International staff and PhD candidates are allowed to use the ISS address when registering with the municipality of The Hague. The ISS address can be used as a valid address for a maximum of three months. However, this should be a last resort solution; please make every effort to find permanent accommodation.
Contact
- Email address
- pso@iss.nl
You are responsible for finding your own accommodation.
However, ISS will help where it can. Please contact the PhD support office if you require further information or help.