4. Moving in, moving out, relocating

As a foreign student, you may struggle with the system, especially as some parts of the description below are probably valid only for Czechs / long-term students (and ideally with no visas necessary). The best option for you, if you don’t know what to do or how it works, is to contact the accommodation office () and ask them about it. OR better yet, ask your ERASMUS coordinator for help. Most of the things you should already know as you are supposed to get all necessary information about the stay, moving and accommodation from your Erasmus office.

!!!Do not forget to book your check-in dates with the dormitory at least 3 working days in advance!!! You may not be accommodated without it!

You can find general (for CU dormitories) useful information here: https://kam.cuni.cz/KAMEN-278.html.

Securing a place in a dormitory

For several years now, the easiest way to reserve a room is by using the REHOS system. With this system, you select the accommodation type and length of stay and pay a deposit. If you have been living in a dormitory during a year, there is usually a chance during May to have preferential treatment when securing a place (that is, if you are a student of Charles University). If you plan to stay for the summer (which is not so expensive financially considering that the dormitory fee is CZK 7/day cheaper when you stay in a dormitory for over 300 days a year), it’s best to arrange the contract at the accommodation office before signing (or in REHOS, if it allows you to do this) to extend until September, or even for several years ahead, which will help you avoid the stress of booking accommodation annually for a few years.

Room reservation period

Room reservations (the opportunity to select in a pretty good way where and with whom you want to live) have been arranged by the Dormitory Council for many years. In the last few years, it was done only by the accommodation office out of dormitories regulation. To live with someone you like for the next year, send an e-mail to during August. Hopefully, the new and long time ago promised accommodation system should be taking care of reservations too in the future.

Moving in

On the day of moving into the dormitory, you must complete the following tasks:

  1. CHECK IN – unless said differently, go to building A where you find a table by the entrance. There you should be accommodated. Please, come prepared with all the necessary documents (passport, visa etc. as stated by your Erasmus coordinator/office). If you don’t know what to do, you can also visit the accommodation office (closed during evenings, national holidays and weekends) behind the elevators in building A. If you have student ID card / ISIC take it with you, as you will be using the card for entrance if it would be locked during the night (12:30 a.m. – 6:00 a.m.). If you don’t have it, you will get a chip for a small deposit or you can stop by later. You should also take a passport photo of yourself, as it will be used to make your dormitory ID card, called “Kolejenka” in Czech.

  2. You also need some sort of document vouching that you are indeed a student of a university. Czechs find it in their study system (SIS), where you can print it out. It should be available to you too, but we are not certain. The best way to go is to follow the guidelines and rules your Erasmus office told you to.

  3. Be prepared to pay for the whole October and part of September (depending on your arrival and check-in date)! You can pay in cash or it should also be possible by card (you need a physical card to insert it into the terminal). The payment should be done in the Accommodation office.

  4. You will then get keys for room and post/mail box and a paper called “Závaďák” in Czech, where you write anything that is in a bad shape or broken in your new room – pretty much fill in the state of the room, kitchen, toilet and shower too! Generally, it’s about defects that do not need to be repaired, but do not take it lightly as you may be asked to pay for things that you didn’t break/damage/scratch if they are not on that list! Check the inventory according to the list hanging on the door if all equipment is indeed there. Damaged plaster should be reported in almost all rooms.

  5. In justified cases, you could first borrow the key to the room you are moving in to, leave your things there, and then go back and stand in the queue.

  6. Laundry storage room: Submit the room status form “Závaďák” even if it is empty, and you will then receive linens, sheets, and a blanket if you wish (all optional). You don’t need to buy a pillow and a blanket or take them with you if it’s not your preference.

  7. Anything that needs to be fixed (shower head not working, dripping tap etc.), can and should be reported using a QR code that is stuck to the entrance room door. Do not forget to put there all the important information and choose the correct dormitory and your room number! The system is sadly not smart enough to fill in those things for you.

Moving out

On the day you move out of the dormitory, you must complete the following tasks:

  1. Laundry storage room: Return your linens and pick up the room status form.

  2. Housekeeper: Give them the room status form and agree on an approximate time to hand over the room. Then you wait in the room for the housekeeper to come and take over the room. The room must be clean, tidy, with the original layout of furniture (unless expressly agreed otherwise). If everything is okay, the housekeeper will lock the room and keep the key – you won’t be able to get into the room again.

  3. Accommodation office: Here you handle all financial matters and turn in your dormitory ID card.

Moving to another room

This involves moving into a new room and then moving out of the old room. You borrow the key from the accommodation office, move all of your things to the new room, and then hand over the old room (properly cleaned, the same as for the normal move-out process).

Changes to the planned length of stay

If you want to change the length of your stay (either extending or shortening the stay), you need to calculate how much you would have paid if you had paid for the new shorter/longer period from the beginning (i.e. the price per month will be higher/lower, but the months will be fewer/more). Deduct what you have already paid from this price, leaving the difference, which will be settled at the accommodation office.

If you want to calculate when it is most advantageous for you to end your stay, have a look at the accommodation price list valid for the current year.

If you would like to move out before your contract ends you have the following options:

  1. Use REHOS / accommodation office (probably better and easier for you) to end the contract. When it’s done, a 30-day long period of notice starts. So if you want to end the contract by 10th June, you need to end the contract on 11th May at the latest.

  2. If you realized you need to move out sooner, you can end the contract now and move out as you need, but you will pay for the whole 30 days even if you are no longer here. Meaning, you will be moved out while the contract still holds.

    In this case, if your contract ends sooner than in 30 days, you will only pay until the end of the contract. I.e. if your contract ends on 26th June and you tell the accommodation office on 10th June that you need to move out on 15th June, you will pay for the accommodation until 26th June (not until 10th July).