Tip 1: Look on the outskirts of the city. This cannot be sugarcoated, so let's put it bluntly: every Berliner has to travel. Because there are simply no affordable flats within the ring road. Nowhere. Not for years. To get something halfway affordable, you have to look to the periphery. In Köpenick, Spandau, Marzahn, Blankenburg, etc.
Tip 2: Ask the studierendenWERK. Our InfoCentre Wohnen sometimes receives information about places that are currently available elsewhere. So it's best to drop by. You can book appointments online.
Fail: Looking for accommodation too late.
Unfortunately, there are far too few places in halls of residence in Berlin. For around 170,000 students who could live in halls of residence, there are just 9,000 places at studierendenWERK. The waiting time is at least 2 semesters - so it's better to apply in good time and then look for a temporary alternative. You can only apply for a place in a hall of residence online via the website www.stw.berlin/wohnen.
