When is the best time to move as a student?

It is most relaxed directly after your last exam, when there is still time before lectures start. At universities the winter semester starts on 1 October and the summer semester on 1 April; at universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) usually a month earlier. The days around the turn of the month and shortly before the start of semester are in particularly high demand; a moving date on a weekday in the middle of the month is often easier to get.

What is a part load and is it worth it for students?

With a part load , your belongings travel along with other jobs heading in the same direction, and you pay for only part of the cargo space. For a shared-flat room that can be cheaper, but the delivery date is usually a time window. So do not schedule a part load for the day before an exam. More on this in the article Part load for students .

Which documents do I need to re-register after the move?

For registration you need your ID card or passport and the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) from your landlord (§ 19 BMG); you do not have to present the tenancy agreement. The deadline is two weeks after moving in (§ 17 BMG). It is best to book the appointment before the move, so that it does not fall in the next exam week. Afterwards, inform the BAföG office, your health insurer, university and bank.

How do I pack my moving boxes most efficiently?

Label every box clearly with room and contents so that unpacking in the new flat goes faster. Heavy items such as books belong in small boxes, light textiles in larger ones. Use clothing and towels as padding for fragile items. That way you also save packing material and space in the vehicle for the furniture transport .

Can I organise my move on my own without a moving company?

Moving on your own is possible, but it costs a lot of time, energy and often nerves too, especially with bulky furniture. A professional student move with removal helpers minimises the risk of damage and injury. You also save yourself organising a van, tools and helpers, which means a lot of effort alongside your studies.

What happens if something is damaged during the move?

For damage during transport we are liable under the German Commercial Code (HGB): up to €620 per cubic metre of belongings (§ 451e HGB). For expensive individual items, additional insurance is available on request. Report externally visible damage immediately on delivery if possible, at the latest the following day, and hidden damage within 14 days (§ 451f HGB).

How do I find a suitable moving company as a student?

Look for a fixed price after a survey, verifiable reviews and clear information on liability. Ask what is included in the price – such as no-parking zone, assembly or packing material – and whether the date is binding. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21), are rated 5.0 from 119 reviews on Google and also travel to other university cities.

How far in advance should I book a moving date?

For a date directly after exam season, it is best to enquire four to six weeks beforehand, because many students move at the same time around the change of semester. If you are flexible about the date, two to three weeks are often enough. Remember: for the no-parking zone, Berlin expects around four weeks' processing time, and the signs must be up at least three full days beforehand.

What does a long-distance move to another city for university cost?

For a long-distance move , the route is added to the volume; we charge from €4.15/km for this (see table). We do not give a flat amount, because volume and access vary greatly – you get the fixed price after the survey. With few belongings, a part load is often cheaper. More under Long-distance moves .

Do I need additional insurance for my student move?

The statutory liability covers up to €620 per cubic metre of belongings (§ 451e HGB). For a room with a laptop, monitor or musical instrument that may be too little – then additional insurance, available on request, is worthwhile. Also check whether your household contents insurance covers the move. Your laptop and documents for the next exam are best transported yourself.

How should I best go about moving into a shared flat?

When moving into a shared flat , you should agree early with your new flatmates which furniture is already there, to avoid buying things twice. Also clarify which communal rooms you share and plan your moving date flexibly around the others' schedules. That way moving in goes harmoniously and without unnecessary stress for everyone involved.

MOVING ALONGSIDE EXAMS

Moving during exam season: planning backwards from your last exam

Exams, deadlines, a move: if you plan backwards from your last exam date, you pack in quiet weeks and only move once your head is clear.

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FROM BERLIN-MOABIT

Planning during the semester

First the exam, then the removal van

Planning backwards

Unsere Firma A student move during exam season: plan notice, moving date, packing days and registration around exams and deadlines.

Many students move exactly when exams are coming up: the old tenancy ends at the end of the month, the new room is free from the first, and exam season falls in between. If you plan your student move backwards from your last exam date, you spread the work over quiet days. With our student move you get a fixed price after the survey – so at least the costs are no longer an open question.

A typical plan: give notice around three months beforehand (the notice period for tenants under § 573c BGB), fix the moving date four to six weeks beforehand, pack only things you are not using before the exams, and move after your last exam. You complete your registration within two weeks of moving in. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and handle transport within Berlin just as we do to another university city.

Sofa wrapped in stretch film, cushions and stacked moving boxes in an empty flat

50,-DISCOUNT

PLAN YOUR DATE

PERSONAL ADVICE

A moving date after exam season

Survey, fixed price, fixed date

As soon as your exam timetable is fixed, you can set the moving date. Call us on 01625978461: we survey your room, then quote you a fixed price and reserve a day after your last exam – so you no longer have to organise anything while you are revising.

Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.

Two movers in red T-shirts lift a film-wrapped piece of furniture into a lorry

TIME TO STUDY

What we take off your hands during exam season

You study, we carry

During exam season every hour counts. That is why, during the survey, we clarify everything that would otherwise cost time on moving day: floor, lift, parking, furniture to be dismantled. On request our packing service packs the boxes, we apply for the parking restriction zone and reassemble your bed and desk in the new room. Your belongings are covered by liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB) (§ 451e: €620 per m³); additional insurance is available on request. We are based in Berlin-Moabit; on Google we are rated 5.0 from 119 reviews.

Packing service

We pack books, kitchen and clothing while you revise for your last exam – on request not until the day before the move.

Fixed date

The moving day is fixed after the survey. That way you can plan your revision schedule, deadlines and key handover firmly around the date.

Assembly service

We dismantle your bed, desk and shelves and reassemble them in the new room – by the evening after the move you are back at your desk.

No-parking zone

On request we apply for the no-parking zone. In Berlin the signs must be up at least three full days beforehand – one item less on your list.

HOW TO PLAN BACKWARDS

The schedule around your exams

Count back from the day after your last exam: what must be done by then, and what can wait? These six steps fit into almost any semester.

Three months before

Give notice on your old flat or shared-flat room: for tenants, a notice period of just under three months usually applies (§ 573c BGB). Check your tenancy agreement.

Six weeks before

Arrange a survey and put the moving date on the days after exam season – dates around the change of semester are in demand.

Four weeks before

In Berlin, apply for the no-parking zone; processing there takes around four weeks. Book your appointment at the registration office (Bürgeramt) for the time after moving in straight away.

While revising

Only pack what you do not need until the move: decorations, winter clothes, old lecture notes. Study materials and laptop stay on your desk until the very end.

After the last exam

Pack the remaining boxes, empty the fridge, photograph the room – then moving day is just carrying and driving.

Two weeks afterwards

By now at the latest, complete your registration with the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) (§ 17 BMG) and give your new address to your university, health insurer and bank.

FOR A FEW BOXES

Part load when the date is flexible

Cheaper, but with a time window

If you only have one room full of things, a part load can be cheaper: your belongings travel along with other jobs. In return, the delivery date is often a time window rather than a fixed time – so do not schedule it directly before an exam.

Open cargo space of a red lorry with wrapped furniture, panels and boxes

OVERVIEW

Juggling
a move and your studies

Planning, packing, formalities

A student move during exam season rarely fails because of the carrying, but because of time. Three questions are decisive: when does the old tenancy end, when is the last exam, and what can be done beforehand? With a schedule that counts backwards from the moving date, revision and packing stay separate. You will find further points in the student move checklist.

Schedule in reverse

Plan notice, survey, no-parking zone and registration office appointment from moving day backwards – that keeps a student move, private move or small removal manageable, even alongside exams.

Packing in stages

With a packing service, furniture assembly and a fixed date for the furniture transport you spread the work: unused things first, the rest after your last exam.

Special cases

A deadline shortly after the move, an exam the following Monday or a change to another city: for a long-distance move, part load or furniture taxi we set the time window to suit.

Mover in red workwear pushing a sack truck with a box towards a stack of boxes

MoabitBased at Stromstraße 21

Google 5.0 (119 reviews)

Two movers in dungarees carry moving boxes through a bright flat

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about moving during exam season

Answers on schedule, costs, part load, registration, packing and liability – for students with a full calendar.

The price depends on volume, distance, floor and lift. As a guide, the table above shows the starting prices by number of rooms; a single shared-flat room with little furniture is usually at the lower end. We quote the binding fixed price after the survey. With small quantities and a flexible date, a part load can be cheaper.

Planning early despite exam stress

Even if exams and deadlines are pressing, you should fix your moving date as early as possible. Especially around the start of the semester, good slots at moving companies are quickly taken, so booking in good time can save you real money and stress.

It is best to draw up a checklist with all important dates, from giving notice on the old flat to re-registering at the residents' registration office. That way you keep track of your upcoming move even during stressful exam periods.

Furniture and boxes: less volume, less stress

As a student you often do not own many large pieces of furniture, which is why space-saving transport is particularly worthwhile. Use sturdy moving boxes in different sizes and label them clearly by room, so that unpacking in the new flat goes faster.

For short-notice moves, it is better to do without bulky individual pieces and go for space-saving furniture alternatives such as folding shelves or box-spring beds with storage space. This makes not only the furniture transport easier, but also later moves during your studies.

What the move costs: starting prices by number of rooms

Service	Price
1 room	from €365
2 rooms	from €589
3 rooms	from €909
4 rooms	from €1,309
House/villa	individual quote
Long-distance move	from €4.15/km

Book a free survey today and receive a tailor-made quote.

What the price of your move depends on

The most important factor is the volume of your belongings, followed by the distance from €4.15/km. The floor, whether there is a lift and a parking restriction zone also influence the final price. For individual requirements, furniture assembly and a part load are available.

Services for moving alongside your studies

Services at a glance

Our range of services covers every area of moving and transport.

Furniture transport

Individual transport of furniture, professionally packed.

Furniture transport

Part load

An affordable alternative for smaller transports.

Part load

Private move

Your new home, our careful moving service.

Private move

Office move

Planning and execution for offices and businesses.

Office move

Move with assembly

A complete service including furniture assembly.

Move with assembly

House clearance

We clear out, you save time and nerves.

House clearance

From Berlin to any university city

We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and handle moves within Berlin just as we do to another university city. You will find destinations with their own page in the locations overview, and long distances under Long-distance moves.

Guides & Tips

Beste Umzug Redaktion

September 12, 2026

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