The Swap Guide

For a short period, you are exchanging parts of your everyday life: your room, your neighborhood, your flatmates, your routines, and your first days in a new city.

So before and after committing, talk openly, ask practical questions, and help each other prepare for the small uncertainties that come with an Erasmus move.

A good swap conversation should feel like:

“We are both going through the same stressful Erasmus housing situation. Let’s help each other make this as smooth as possible.”

Before committing to a swap, take time to understand the person, the room, the dates, and the expectations.

Start with the basics

Make sure you both agree on the essentials before anything else:

  • Move-in and move-out dates
  • Rent and utilities
  • Housemates or shared living situation
  • Distance to university
  • Public transport connection
  • Whether landlord, dorm, or housing office approval is needed

If any of these feel unclear, do not commit yet. These are the foundation of the swap.

Then get a feel for daily life

Understanding the day-to-day matters as much as the lease dates: the rhythm of the flat, how people share space, and how the neighborhood feels in the morning versus at night.

Ask about flatmates' routines, common areas and noise, guests and overnight visitors, how you share groceries or cleaning, and whether the internet is reliable enough for course work and calls home.

Talk about date mismatches early

We know that Erasmus dates are rarely perfect.

One person might arrive a few days earlier. The other might leave a week later.

Flights, exams, housing contracts, and university schedules do not always line up neatly, and that is okay, as long as you talk about it before committing.

You can ask:

  • Could either of you adjust move-in or move-out by a few days if needed?
  • What happens if one contract ends before the other — is a short hostel stay or staying with friends realistic?
  • Is there someone trusted who could hold a key or let you in if schedules don't match?
  • Would a landlord or dorm allow a slightly different handover date?
  • How will you exchange keys or access if you don't arrive on the same day?

The goal is not to pressure the other person into hosting you. The goal is to think through the details together before they become problems.