Berlin is the capital city of Germany and a city that is full of knowledge and culture, priding itself on its number of cultural and educational institutions. Berlin itself is one of Germany’s 16 federal provinces, and it is the country’s largest city in terms of area and population, with 3.5 million inhabitants.

With its 42 public and private universities/ Hochschulen, wide range of social events and activities, and low cost of living, it’s no surprise that the city is home to a large number of young people: 41 percent of Berlin’s population is aged 18 to 44. And thanks to its central-European location, Berlin is quite multicultural, with 23,9% of its population having a migrant backround, many coming from Turkey, Eastern Europe, and Russia, as well as Africa and Asia. In addition, international students make up almost 16 percent of the students of Berlin’s higher education institutions.

In terms of land mass, Berlin is very large, with an area of 891 square kilometers or 343 square miles. The city is relatively flat and quite green, with many parks, woods, and nature areas. The climate tends to be warm and humid in the summer, with an average of about 25 degrees Celsius, and cold in the winter, temperatures often falling below zero Celsius and with strong winds from the East. Rain is likely anytime of the year.

Berlin, as well as the rest of Germany, is in the Central European time zone (GMT +1). The country dialing code is 49, city code is 030, and the Euro is the official currency.

Berlin.de is the city’s official website, which contains a wide range of information for both tourists and inhabitants of Berlin. Additional information can also be found from Berlin Online and Meine Stadt.

© clipdealer.de

Travel to and from Berlin

Berlin has two airports. Flights from within Germany and Western Europe usually arrive at the Berlin International Airport in Tegel (TXL), and most flights to and from Europe, Africa, and Asia are serviced by the Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Schönefeld (SXF). Each of the airports is accessible either by bus, S-Bahn, or U-Bahn. Information about all two airports can be found here.

Rail travel to and from Berlin within Germany, as well as from other European cities, is quite convenient. German trains are run by the Deutsche Bahn.

The central bus station, Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB), is located at Masurenallee 4-6 in western Charlottenburg. IC Bus operates long-distance coaches to and from Berlin.

Travel within Berlin

Within Berlin, transportation is provided by the BVG, which runs all subway trains (U-Bahn), busses, and trams. S-Bahn, or interurban trains, also run throughout the city and to the outer suburbs. Semestertickets are available for students and valid on transportation services provided by both the BVG and the S-Bahn.

Berlin is also a very bicycle-friendly city, with paths and lanes specifically for cyclists. A route planner for bike riders is available from BBBike.

© Heike Zappe, department public relations

Berlin boasts more higher-education institutions than another other city in Germany. Visit one of the public universities or colleges:

• Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin
  
• Evangelische Hochschule Berlin (Protestant University of Applied Sciences)
• Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (University of Applied Sciences)
  
• Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law)
• Freie Universität Berlin >> Internationals
• Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" Berlin (Academy of Music)
• Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Berlin (Academy of Dramatic Art)
• Humboldt-Universität Berlin >> International Office
• Katholische Hochschule für Sozialwesen Berlin (Catholic University of Applied Sciences)
  
• Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee (University of Art and Design)
  
• Beuth Hochschule Berlin (University of Applied Sciences) >> International Office
• Technische Universität Berlin >> International Affairs
• Universität der Künste Berlin (University of Arts)
  

If you are looking for language courses in Berlin, intensive, semester-long, and vacation classes are available through the:

• Language Center of the Freie Universität Berlin
  Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin
  Tel. (030) 83 85 45 04
  sprachenzentrum@fu-berlin.de
• Language Center of the Humboldt-Universität
  August-Boeckh-Haus
  Dorotheenstraße 65, 10117 Berlin
  Tel. (030) 20 93 50 11
• Modern Language Center (ZEMS) of the Technischen Universität Berlin
  Sekr. HBS 3
  Hardenbergstrasse 16-18, 10623 Berlin
  Tel. (030) 31 423 082
• Sprach- und Kulturbörse of the Technischen Universität
  Fraunhoferstraße 33-36, Raum 411, 10587 Berlin
  Tel. (030) 31 42 27 30
  skb@skb.tu-berlin.de
• Volkshochschulen (Adult education centers)

As an international student, the financing of your studies is most likely one of your main concerns.

While the cost of attending a university in Germany is, compared to many other countries, relatively inexpensive, students should still expect to need at least 670 € a month to pay for their living expenses, including rent. Some international students cover their expenses with their own personal savings or from the support of their parent(s) or relative(s). Others rely on funding from a scholarship granted by an organization in their home country or in Germany.

It is very difficult for international students to find scholarships once in Germany. We therefore encourage you to begin your search for scholarships early, while you are still in your home country. The international office of the university in your homeland, as well as the German embassy or consulate(s), may have information on scholarships for students specifically from your country or your field of study.

You can also look into these specific scholarship opportunities and foundations below:

German law requires that all students, including those from overseas, studying at a higher education institution in Germany have health insurance either through a public health insurance provider or through a private health insurance company.

In fact, in order to register at your university in Berlin, you will need to submit your health insurance certificate (Krankenversicherungnachweis).

The studierendenWERK BERLIN maintains and operates 33 student residence halls (Studentenwohnheime) located across the city. Many international students choose to live in a student residence hall because they can quickly and easily find an accommodation that fits their budget. There are even rooms available for couples and students with children, as well as for disabled students. In fact, international students make up approximately 58 percent of the residents in our dormitories.

In order to better serve international students, resident assistants ("Wohnheimtutoren") are available in some residence halls to offer help and support. Each residence hall also has its own student self-administration, or SSV, whose purpose is to make life in the hall as enjoyable as possible, through the organizing of various associations and parties, and, when necessary, the mediation of problems between residents.

For further information, please visit the studierendenWERK BERLIN's Student Housing department.

Resources for finding private accommodation are also available here. Many students opt to live in a “WG” (Wohngemeinschaft), which is a shared flat.

Some additional useful websites include:

• Immowelt
• Ebay Kleinanzeigen
• Immobilienscout24
• WG-Gesucht
• WG-Welt

In Germany, you must register your local address with the Registration Department (Meldestelle) of the Public Administration Office (Bürgeramt), within seven days of moving into your permanent accommodation in Berlin. You must do this every time you move.

To register, you will need to present your passport, a copy of your lease or rental agreement, and a completed registration form, which you can get at the registration office or here.

Each district of Berlin has its own local Public Administration Office. Please visit the Administration Office of Berlin to find the Bürgeramt nearest to you.

Upon registering you will receive your official registration certificate (Anmeldebestätigung). You will need to have this certificate in order to apply for your residence permit, to open a bank account, and for other administrative tasks. It’s a good idea to keep a copy of the certificate in your passport.

All non-EU citizens must apply for and obtain a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) within three months of their arrival in Germany. This is done at the Foreigner Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde).

Plan ahead: given the large number of people also applying for residence permits, you must wait several weeks for an appointment.

Besides an application, you will also need to submit your passport, visa, residence registration certificate of your address in Berlin (Anmeldebestätigung), and proof of your student status (Studienbescheinigung). Additional documents may be required, such as proof of valid health insurance and passport photos. The officials at the Foreigner Registration Office will give you a checklist stating exactly what you will need to submit at the time of your appointment.

Ausländerbehörde

Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24, 13353 Berlin
U9 Amrumer Straße / S41 und S42 Westhafen / Bus 127, 227, 248

Hours:
Mon. 7 am - 2 pm, Tues. 7 am - 2 pm, Thurs. 10 am - 6 pm
Wednesdays only with appointment
Fridays closed

Tel. (030) 90 26 90
Fax (030) 90 26 94 099
Email: abh@labo.berlin.de

In many of the studierendenWERK BERLIN Residence Halls, Resident Assistants are available to provide support and help to international students. The Assistants are international and German students who have already lived in Berlin for a while and wish to share their experience with you. They can help you orient yourself in Berlin, answer your questions, and assist you with any difficulties you may have. Please click here to learn more!

You will need to officially enroll at your university once you arrive in Berlin. Contact your specific institution to find out the exact enrollment deadline and the required documents for enrollment.

These documents will include:

• Proof of valid health insurance in Germany
• Admission letter to the university 
• Passport photo
• Passport with visa (if required)
• Residence registration
• Possibly original education certificates

Once enrolled, you will receive your registration certificate (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung) and student ID card including the Semester Ticket, which often entitles you to discounts, such as at movie theaters and museums.

Berlin has a very good public transportation system, with a subway (U-Bahn), suburban trains (S-Bahn), street trams, and buses. As a student, you can purchase a semester ticket, which is valid for the current semester and which allows you to use the public transportation in Berlin.

Most students from Berlin’s universities obtain their personal semester ticket when they register for their courses. The semester ticket can only be used by the person it was issued for and is only valid in conjunction with your student ID. You must purchase a new ticket at the start of every semester. The price of the ticket is included in the registration fee (Immatrikulationsgebühr).

There is the possibility, on certain conditions, of having the semester ticket costs fully or partially refunded back to you. You can get further information from the Semester Ticket Office of your university or Fachhochschule.

For more information about the semester ticket and the public transportation system in Berlin, visit the BVG and the S-Bahn-Berlin.

If you wish to set up a landline telephone connection in your room or apartment, you have a few different options. Deutsche Telekom is the largest landline (Festnetz) provider. You can arrange for a telephone installation at any of the T-Punkt stores throughout Berlin. The installation costs around 50 € and can usually be done within a week to ten days. The installation fee is cheaper if there was a previous connection in your room or apartment, so check with your landlord before hand to find out the name of the previous tenant and the phone number.

Other telephone service providers include Kabel Deutschland or 1und1. There are a number of price plans available, some of which include international calls or Internet access, so be sure to assess your calling needs and compare your options. You can find further information and compare providers on the Teltarif website.

In most of the studierendenWERK BERLIN residence halls, it is possible to set up a wireless-LAN Internet connection in your room through a private Internet connection through your telephone line, for example through Deutsche Telekom or Kabel Deutschland. You can find further information and compare providers on the Check24 website.

In addition, many of the residence halls have a computer room. The university libraries also have computer labs available, as does each university. You can sign up for access here:

• FU Berlin Zentraleinrichtung für Datenverarbeitung (ZEDAT)
• HU Berlin Computer- und Medienservice
• TU IT-Service-Center

You can also easily find a number of Internet cafes across Berlin.

© Grimm

Our dining facilities have so much to offer. And not just healthy, substantial and reasonably priced food.

Our canteens and cafeterias are a place where you can relax between lectures, meet friends for a meal, sit informally with new classmates or go for a coffee together. Here, weekends are planned, study groups meet and you can take a break.

We are proud of the confidence you place in us - but we are also committed to making it even better, day by day. This is because we want to offer you more than just healthy food!

The refectories and cafeterias aims to provide you with comprehensive information on healthy diets, the quality and selection of our products, the MensaCard (refectory card) and the range we offer.

Protecting the environment, sustainable management, careful handling of all natural resources and a healthy diet - are ideals which the studierendenWERK BERLIN is committed to.

Then we might have just the right place for you!

• Around 9,500 places of accommodation in almost all districts of the city
• Accommodation that is appropriate to all needs and financial resources
• Live alone or with others in one of our studio or full-sized apartments
• Participate in changes taking place in your residence and its surroundings

 To find a space in our student halls of residence you have to apply to the student halls of residence service online.

Internet in student accommodation: You can get private Internet over your phone line as well. You can choose between different private providers. Please check the contract for payment conditions, contract duration, extra fees and benefits.

Benefits:

• Use it to finance your studies
• We enable you to work flexibly according to your study schedule
• You acquire practical work experience and learn on the job

Our special services:

Specialist employment: if you have a special qualification and would like to work in that area or would like to acquire a qualification by continually working in a particular area.

Long-term employment: 

if you have an employer who would like to employ you for an extended period and you would like to continue to take advantage of our booking system

If you would like to take advantage of what the job agency has to offer, please apply to our office. 

Requirements for initial registration:

• Valid full-size registration certificate (indicating you are a full-time student – “große Immatrikulationsbescheinigung”)
• Passport (citizens of EU countries can provide a green EU identification card)
• Tax I.D. Number (“Steueridentifikationsnummer”) (for more information look at chapter Finding a job)
• A passport photograph or colour photograph
• Bank account number (with proof such as a bank card or a bank statement).
• Social insurance identification (“Sozialversicherungsausweis” – for more information see chapter Finding a job)
• Health insurance identification (chip card)
• Valid residence or working permit
• Participation fee of € 19.50 per semester
• You can also register via our website,.

Whatever questions you may have, come to the Sozialberatung. We provide support and give advice to all students of Berlin universities. We are often the first point of contact for students and are here to help you. We offer counselling in both German and English. 

During your studies, we offer:

• Financial advice regarding food, jobs, state academic loans (BAföG), scholarships and student loans
• Support and counselling for students who are pregnant and for students with children
• Student loans
• Funds for students in distress and emergency situations
• Support and counselling for students who are in difficult situations
• Mentors for international students - Country Tutors
• Workshops and lectures

Sozialberatung services are free and we adhere to data protection legislation.

We are based in Charlottenburg, Dahlem  and Friedrichshain.

Beginning your studies, completing them, changing faculties or institutions and taking exams are all challenging experiences. Sudden changes like leaving your home and country, being a foreigner, moving to a new town or a new apartment, or separating from a partner can cause psychological stress, as can longer-term circumstances, such as loneliness, isolation or problems with your partner or parents. 

We are here to help in a variety of situations:

• difficulties with studying
• fear of exams;
• social inhibitions
• depression,
• anxiety,
• psychosomatic symptoms,
• poor self-esteem and severe emotional crises

In our counselling, we help you develop an individual solution to your problem. Sometimes a single individual session is all that it takes. Or, you might decide that a short-term therapy focusing on your problem is more appropriate. You could also choose to participate in our various group therapy sessions tackling a specific issue.

Counselling is free of charge and also available in English. We are professionally obligated to maintain total confidentiality.

Our Contact

Who do we help? 

Our services are aimed at individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses who are studying or considering studying in Berlin to promote their self-determined participation in society. Our support is available for students with all kinds of disabilities, including non-visible disabilities or illnesses such as mental illness, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, HIV, cancer, rheumatism, diabetes and epilepsy. 

We provide confidential, unbureaucratic, prompt and socially responsible aid to those seeking help. Of course, maintainingconfidentiality is a fundamental requirement of our service to you. 

We provide counselling and support in relation to:

• social law for people with disabilities
• assistance for study and everyday matters
• finances and student funding
• technical and personal assistance
• communication with government offices and institutions
• personal problems and crises
• psycho-social questions 

Berlin’s Higher Education Act (Hochschulgesetz) provides integration aid (Integrationshilfe) for students and prospective students with disabilities and chronic illnesses. We process your application for integration aid, such as study assistance, sign language interpreting, speech-to-text-interpreting, book grants or special equipment. Applications for integration aid can be filed at any time.

We are in Charlottenburg, Friedrichshain und Dahlem.

shutterstock Inozemtsev Konstantin

Where we are:

• at Technische Universität Berlin
• at Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht (Campus Schöneberg)
• at Universität der Künste/ Technische Universität Berlin
• at Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin
• at Freie Universität Berlin
• at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
• at Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft

What we stand for: Our locations are in a green environment and each of our kindergartens has its own playground. We provide bright, friendly and well equipped rooms where children can feel at home. Our staff comply with City of Berlin childcare standards. We therefore set great store by our staff being properly qualified and provided with continuous professional development.

The kindergarten provides you with opportunities to get in touch with others and build up social contacts. We attach great importance to a good, trustful collaboration with parents to enable our institutions offer a family-friendly education environment.

CostsThe costs are subsidized partly by the state. In order to benefit from this you must apply for a voucher (Betreuungsgutschein) at the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) of your city district. The actual monthly amount that parents pay is calculated according to the number of children, how many hours the children stay in the centre and parental income. 

Contact Visit our homepage for more information, including the addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of our child day care centres: https://www.stw.berlin/kitas.html  

Or send an email to: kita@stw.berlin

Thus, the cultural service BKI of the studierendenWERK pursues three main goals:

• To foster the creativity of all students in order to encourage and support their general personal development and the expression of individual creative skills
• To offer space for the expression of creativity and for meeting other creative students from all over Berlin, especially in its new venue “Freiraum im Studentenhaus”
• To live diversity through a wide array of events, actions and activities, combining all sorts of cultural and creative expressions

The BKI reaches out to all students in Berlin and has launched an ongoing Open Call for creative and cultural projects. You do not need to study arts to participate. The BKI is also interested in supporting all sorts of activities, such as concerts, theatre plays, talks, slams, gaming, creative workshops, exhibitions, events, cinema, etc.

Feel free to contact the team under kultur@stw.berlin in order to find out if and how it can offer you support.

The BKI is already supporting a series of events under the label “Mix It!” (jam sessions and an annual contest of performing arts), exhibitions at various locations and with different themes, the “food+culture” events where international students can present delicious dishes and cultural highlights of their home countries or regions and the pop-choir of the studierendenWERK, called “Unität”, where students of all the Berlin universities sing together and find new friends.

For example, if you

• have questions about life in and around your halls of residence,
• are experiencing difficulties of any kind with your fellow roommates or hallmates,
• don`t know where to turn when you have certain questions,
• feel home-sick

Feel free to contact the “Wohnheimtutoren”. You can find your tutor on our website 

You can find "Wohnheimtutoren" in this  accommodations:  Allee der Kosmonauten, Aristotelessteig, Oberfeldstraße, Coppistraße, Danckelmannstraße, Eichkamp, Franz-Mehring-Platz, Goerzallee, Halbauer Weg, Mollwitzstraße, Sewanstraße und Siegmunds Hof 

One of the main functions of the studierendenWERK BERLIN is to provide counselling and support to students, including those from overseas. Managing one’s studies and personal life can be extremely stressful, in particular as an international student. We are here to counsel students in a variety of areas in order to ease this stress and better their well-being.

The Counselling and Support Department assists students in the following areas:

• Social Counselling
  Counselling and support is available to students dealing with financial and social or legal problems, conflict situations, and also to students with children and during pregnancy. Financial support in the forms of loans and grants is additionally offered.
  
  
• Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counselling
  Assistance is provided through individual and group therapy to students dealing with such difficulties as depression, social inhibition, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms, learning difficulties, and study-related stress. Couple counseling, pregnancy conflict assistance, and crisis management advising is also available.
  
  
• Counselling Accessibility Study (Counselling for Disabled and Chronically Ill Students) 
  We offer support and counseling to disabled and chronically ill students who are seeking help with the organizing and financing of personal and technical assistance in their studies and everyday life, navigating various offices and institutions, personal problems and crisis situations, and with psychosocial questions. A resource pool is also run by the studierendenWERK BERLIN, allowing students to borrow, at no cost, a number of technical devices to assist them.

We encourage you to take advantage of our counselling and support services! They are free of charge, available to all universitiy students in Berlin, and also provided in English.

As an international student, the financing of your studies is most likely one of your main concerns. One third of the German students take part in Germany’s federal academic loan program, or BAföG, but this is normally not an option for international students, except if they are married to a German.

The studierendenWERK BERLIN’s Social Counseling Department is here to advise you about possible financial assistance available, including financial support for the conclusion of your studies, support for students with children, and housing assistance.

As part of the Counseling and Support area of the studierendenWERK BERLIN, a variety of services and advising is available to students who are already parents and to students who are expecting a baby.

Our Social Counseling Offices can advise you on the different social benefits that are available to students with children. A yearly workshop is also offered in coordination with the Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counseling department to assist students in balancing their studies and their life as a parent.

The studierendenWERK BERLIN also offers very affordable day care services to all parents studying at one of Berlin’s public universities. Seven studierendenWERK BERLIN day cares, or KITAs, are conveniently located at the Freie Universität Berlin, the Technische Universität Berlin, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Universität der Künste, the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW), the Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht (HWR) and the Beuth Hochschule für Technik . Places are available for children as young as eight weeks and up to school-age.

© photocase.com

AStA and RefRat: Students Helping Students

The AStA (Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss), is the student body council of a university or Fachhochschule. At the Humboldt University, this is called the RefRat (ReferentInnenRat).

Each year, students are elected by their peers to serve on the council. The job of the council members is to assist and advise students, protect their rights, and represent and promote their interests and needs as students.

The AStAs and RefRat support international students, and many offer services and counselling specifically for students from overseas. Whether you are having academic, financial, or administrative difficulties or problems adjusting to your life in Berlin, the students from the AStA or RefRat are here to help. Legal assistance from an attorney is also available through many of the universities’ and Fachhochschules’ AStAs in Berlin.

Freie Universität AStA
Otto-von-Simson-Straße 23, 14195 Berlin
Tel. (030) 83 90 910
info@astafu.de

International Student Counseling:
Tel. (030) 83 90 91 17
arefberatung@astafu.de


Humboldt-Universität RefRat
Dorotheenstr.17, 10117 Berlin
Tel. (030) 20 93-26 03 / -2614
refrat@refrat.hu-berlin.de

International Student Counseling:
Monbijoustraße 3, Room 6, 10117 Berlin
Tel. (030) 20 39-10 62 / -46647
beratung.auslaenderinnen@refrat.hu-berlin.de


Technische Universität AStA
Straße des 17.Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, TK-Gebäude, Raum TK 112
Tel. (030) 31 42 7482
buero@asta.tu-berlin.de

International Student Counseling:
Counseling takes place in the rooms of the TU AStA
Tel. (030) 31 42 39 60
a-beratung@asta.tu-berlin.de

International Clubs

Each of the three large universities in Berlin has an international organization or club, bringing together Internationals and Germans through a variety of activities. You need not be a club member or a student at each particular university to participate!

International Club of the Free University-Berlin 
The FU’s international club offers over 30 activities each semester including discussions, film viewings, visits to museums and exhibitions, excursions, and of course, parties! Check out their online event calendar to find out about the upcoming activities. The club also runs a language exchange program. 

Internationaler Club “Orbis Humboldtianus” 
The “Orbis” is Humboldt University’s international organization. A language exchange and a cultural program featuring excursions, museum visits, city tours, and international evenings are offered. There is also a team of students available to counsel and advise international students on different topics. 

Sprach- und Kulturbörse der TU-Berlin 
The SKB is a student organization of the Technical University Berlin that promotes linguistic and cultural exchange. Besides offering a vast range of language courses, from German to Hindi, regular conversation evenings, writing workshops, concerts, films, parties, and excursions are planned. You can also find a tandem language partner on the SKB Website.

Catholic and Protestant Student Communities

The Evangelische Studierendengemeinde Berlin (ESG) (Protestant Student Community) and the Katholische Studierendengemeinde Edith Stein Berlin (KSG) (Catholic Student Community) are two religious student organizations that offer counseling and support, including financial assistance in times of emergency, to international students. The ESG also has a special program called STUBE, which is designed to help students from overseas adjust to their academic and personal life in Germany through various seminars, trainings, and dialogues. 

ESG Berlin
Borsigstraße 5, 10115 Berlin
Tel. (030) 28 38 82 23
buero@esgberlin.de

STUBE Program
Esteban Chávez Guevara, 
Tel. (030) 27 57 23 80,
stube@esgberlin.de

Emergency Social Assistance
Pfr. Pfistner, Tel. (030) 28 38 82 27,
notfonds@esgberlin.de

KSG Berlin
Dänenstraße 17-18, 10439 Berlin
Tel. (030) 44 67 49 60
mail@ksg-berlin.de

There are a variety of dining halls in Berlin run by the studentenWERK BERLIN, as well a lot of  cafeterias. These facilities are conveniently located in the vicinity of the universities. The dining halls (Mensen), serve hot meals, usually with two to three main course selections. Soups, salads, and desserts are also offered, as are a variety of health and organic food options, including meals for vegetarians and vegans. The cafeterias offer sandwiches, snacks, and coffee specialities, as well as some warm meals.

Anyone can eat in the dining halls and cafeterias, whether they are a student or not, but students pay the cheapest rate for their meal. You will find that students, professors, and even businessmen alike eat at the Mensa, and some Mensen serve as many as 4,000 people a day!

You must pay for your food from the Mensa or cafeteria with a  MensaCard. MensaCards can be purchased for 1.55 € at the dining hall and cafeteria cash registers. Each card has a microchip, and money can be added to the card using electronic machines located at each Mensa and cafeteria.

When you pay for your meal at the register, be sure to show your student I.D. from your university in Berlin in order to get the student price.

Visit the Dining Department of the studentenWERK BERLIN to learn more. You can find the Mensa or cafeteria closest to you and even see this week’s menu!

Being a student isn’t only about studying! Whether you want to practice a sport, join a club, see a movie or concert, or visit a museum, there are plenty of things to do in your free time in Berlin.
In our  Culture Calendar you may find interesting events of the studierendenWERK BERLIN or events for free.

In the Residence Halls

Many of the studierendenWERK BERLIN student residence halls have various facilities and equipment available to the students living there, such as fitness, table tennis, and music rooms, billiard tables, and even a bar.

Clubs and Organizations

A great way to meet new people who share your same hobby or interests is through a club. Besides the international clubs organized through Berlin’s universities, literally thousands of clubs and organizations exist in Berlin. 

To search for a club, click here or visit MeineStadt for a list of clubs in the Berlin area.

Sports

The three large universities in Berlin each have a sports center. For a small fee, they offer a variety of fitness courses as well as equipment for individual training.

Central Athletic Offices

Freie Universität
Königin-Luise-Straße 47
14195 Berlin
U3 Dahlem Dorf
Bus 101, X11, X83
Tel. (030) 83 85 33 20

Humboldt-Universität
Hannoversche Straße 25
10115 Berlin
U6 Oranienburger Tor
Tram M1, M6
Tel. (030) 20 93 20 180

Technische Universität
Straße des 17. Juni 135
10623 Berlin
U2 Ernst-Reuter-Platz
Tel. (030) 31 42 29 48

If swimming is your thing, click here for a list of pools, indoor and outdoor, in Berlin. In addition, you can find a number of sport clubs organized through the Sportclub Berlin e.V..

Within Berlin

Within Berlin, transportation is provided by the BVG, which runs all U-Bahn (subway) trains, buses, and trams. S-Bahn (interurban) trains also run throughout the city and to the outer suburbs. Semester tickets are available for students and valid on transportation services provided by both the BVG and the S-Bahn. Berlin is also a very bicycle-friendly city, with street lanes specifically for cyclists. A route planner for bike riders is available from BBBike.

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Doctors

There may come a time when you need to visit a doctor in Berlin. There are general practitioners (Hausärzte) and specialists. In general, you need to first see a general practitioner, who can then refer you to a specialist. You can search for a doctor in Berlin in the phone book under Ärzte.

Your country’s consulate or embassy may also be able to refer you to doctors in Berlin who speak your native language.

Hospitals

There are several hospitals in Berlin. Some of the larger hospitals are listed here, but you may also search for the hospital or clinic nearest to you on the Gesundheit Berlin website under Krankenhäuser, Kliniken, Reha.

Returning to your home country after completing your studies involves much more than just buying your ticket back. 

Academic and Other Various Tasks

You will need to deregister from your university or Fachhochschule and acquire all of your course and examination certificates. You may wish to have these important documents, as well as your academic transcript, translated into your native language by a professional certified translator before you leave Berlin. Please note that once you deregister from your university or Fachhochschule, your residence permit expires!

It is also recommended that you get a work certificate and references from your employers or internship supervisors.

There are also a number of agreements and contracts to cancel, such as your lease, bank account and health insurance, and phone and electrcity connections, as well as any newspaper or magazine subscriptions you may have. Some of these contracts are renewed automatically if they are not cancelled. Lastly, you will need to deregister your residence at the Meldestelle.

If you have worked in Germany and a portion of your wages has been paid into the German pension insurance fund, you may be entitled to have these contributions paid back to you within a waiting period of two years. This does not apply to students from another European Community country or from any other country that has a social security agreement with Germany.

Find out if you are eligible and obtain the necessary forms before you leave Berlin. You can learn more from the German pension insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung).