The Good Shepherd as an alternative to student accommodation in Aachen

‍What distinguishes the Good Shepherd from student dormitories

The Good Shepherd on Campus West is not a student residence in the traditional sense. It is a private residential project with fully furnished apartments, which was designed for exactly the situation in which the classic residential home is reaching its limits.

The first and most important difference is the waiting list: There is none. Anyone who enquires about an apartment and receives availability for their period can move in. Die Request via the apartment page provides feedback on availability within seconds. No waiting months, no uncertainty about the start of the semester.

The second difference is the equipment. The apartments at Guten Hirten are fully furnished, which means bed, desk, kitchen with basic equipment, bathroom and Internet access. When you move in, you move in and can immediately live, work and learn. There is no communal kitchen, no arrangements for cleaning services with unknown roommates, no compromises in the use of space.

The third difference is the flexibility of the term. If you only come for one semester, you can rent for one semester. Anyone who comes to Aachen for a visiting semester or a research stay will find a solution at the Good Shepherd that is designed for these temporary situations. This is a structural advantage over the Studierendenwerk, which often has no suitable option for shorter stays.

For whom the Good Shepherd is particularly suitable as an alternative dormitory

There are several specific situations in which the Good Shepherd is clearly the better choice over a student residence.

International students are at the top of this list. Anyone from China, India, Turkey or another country that is one of RWTH's largest groups of origin has structural hurdles in the traditional housing market: no Schufa, possibly limited knowledge of German, no opportunity for a personal visit before moving in. The Good Shepherd is prepared for exactly this situation. The entire process from inquiry to collection works online, in English, without Schufa. If you want to know more about the specific challenges and solutions for international students in Aachen, you will find everything in Housing guide for international students.

Visiting semesters and exchange students studying at RWTH for one or two semesters need a solution that is exactly right for their stay. A dormitory place for exactly one semester is not always available, and a long rental agreement on the open market is not worthwhile for such a short stay. Here, the Good Shepherd makes it possible to adapt the rental agreement to the actual stay.

Students who received a confirmation late, for example who came to RWTH via a succession procedure and do not yet have accommodation in August or September, are in an acute emergency situation. The dormitory space is usually occupied at this time. The Good Shepherd is then the option that is actually still accessible, can be booked immediately and directly on campus.

Who the RWTH Welcome Week Would like to visit but does not yet have permanent accommodation, can move in at the Good Shepherd directly before or during Welcome Week and experience the first week in Aachen with headroom.

Location: Why Campus West is the right starting point

One aspect where the Good Shepherd has a clear advantage over some student dormitories is the location. Not all residential complexes in the Studierendenwerk are close to the campus. Some are well-connected, others require a daily bus ride to Campus West.

The Good Shepherd is located right on Campus West, the central location of RWTH with the largest faculties, the main libraries and the Ahornstraße canteen. From a residential address in Guten Hirten, the campus is just a few minutes away on foot, supermarkets are within walking distance, the university sports center is just a few minutes away, and the city center can be reached on foot in ten minutes. that Semesterticket From this location, you don't need it for daily trips, but for everything that goes beyond that.

The article about Aachen explains how the various residential areas in Aachen differ in everyday life and why the proximity to the campus influences more than you think best residential areas for students in Aachen.

What both options have in common and where the decision lies

Student dormitory and Good Shepherd have one thing in common: Both are reasonable options compared to the free rental market with its Schufa requirements, long application processes and often unfurnished rooms. Whoever weighs between the two should answer three questions for themselves.

The first question is about timing. Anyone who can submit an application in good time, i.e. several months before the start of the semester, and is willing to wait for a confirmation, can get a place in a dormitory. Anyone who searches at short notice or needs a quick commitment needs the Good Shepherd.

The second question is about equipment and privacy. Anyone who wants a fully furnished individual apartment without common areas and is willing to pay a little more for it is in the Good Shepherd's house. Anyone who is actively looking for shared living and the social dimension of a dormitory will find it in the Studierendenwerk.

The third question is about flexibility. Anyone who knows that he will be staying in Aachen for at least two years and is looking for a stable, inexpensive place is well served by a place in a dormitory, provided that he gets one. Anyone who stays shorter, wants to remain flexible or move in internationally is better off with the Good Shepherd.

conclusion

The Good Shepherd is not an emergency solution for those who have not been given a place in a dormitory. It is a conscious alternative for anyone who values immediate moving in, full equipment, a first-class campus location and an uncomplicated process. If you don't get a place in a dormitory or don't want to be put on a waiting list in the first place, you will find a solution here that is the better one in many situations.

Take a look at the apartments currently available: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment

Or get in touch directly: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/kontakt

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