Academy for Cultural Diplomacy

The Center for Cultural Diplomacy Studies (CCDS)

General Information

First-time travellers to Berlin will quickly realize just how much the city has to offer, from educational excursions to vibrant nightlife. Studying in Berlin means studying in Germany's capital city, a major metropolis that offers a wealth of opportunities for learning and leisure. While living here you will have the chance to explore one of Europe's most exciting cultural and historical centers. 

With around 3.5 million inhabitants, Berlin is the biggest city in Germany and the seat of the Federal Government and Parliament. Berlin is not an industrial center but rather a cultural, academic, media and culinary metropolis. The multicultural nature of Berlin has always been an important characteristic of the city as well as a large part of its appeal, making Berlin the largest university city in Germany. Berlin is also a green city with parks in all of the districts; lakes and forests within city limits; and palace gardens scattered throughout. All of these offer the city’s inhabitants the chance to get away from city life for a while.

You may have several questions about living and studying in Berlin. These websites will give you an overview of everything, from background information about Germany to Berlin activities to visa details for non-EU citizens: 

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Berlin is typically around 700€ - 900€ a month. This includes the cost of a small studio apartment or a room in a shared apartment, food, public transportation and miscellaneous costs such as internet, telephone, cultural excursions and nightlife activities.

Accommodation in Berlin

Housing possibilities in Berlin are numerous, from studio apartments or a room in a shared flat, to dormitory style rooms in city residence halls or youth hostels. It is advisable to wait until you arrive in Berlin to secure accommodation, but the options below will help you to get started in your search. 

The easiest way to find accommodation in Berlin is to use websites which are dedicated to helping individuals find housing. These websites are specifically for those looking for apartments or rooms in a shared apartment. Most of these websites allow you to specify what kind of accommodation you are looking for, how much you are willing to pay, what district you would prefer to live in, and whether or not you would like the apartment to be furnished. Websites advertising apartments and rooms in shared apartments include:

You will also find that many weekend editions of newspapers contain ads for rooms or apartments for rent. The three main Berlin newspapers are: Tagesspiegel, Berliner Zeitung, and Berliner Morgenpost.

A good option for students wishing to live in dormitory style residence halls is the Bürgermeister-Reuter-Stiftung (Mayor Reuter Foundation). This non-profit foundation provides housing services for international youth who are in Berlin temporarily, and they have several houses all over Berlin. You can find more information on their website here: www.house-of-nations.de

Another option for inexpensive temporary accommodation is youth hostels. You can find more information on these hostels at www.hostelscentral.com, www.aohostels.de and www.hostel-berlin.de

Once you find accommodation and sign a lease agreement with your landlord, you will need to register with your local district. This is referred to as your “Anmeldung” and needs to be done within seven days of signing the contract. You will need to fill out a basic form with your information, which can be done at the office or ahead of time. The form can be downloaded here: www.berlin.de/formularserver/formular.php?52009

You will need to complete the process in person at your local Bürgeramt. You can find the ones available in your district here: www.berlin.de/buergeramt

Transportation and Travel

Berlin has an excellent transportation system which is widely accessible and easy to navigate. The city offers public transportation in the form of the S-Bahn (above-ground subway system), U-Bahn (underground subway system), buses, trams and regional trains. All forms of transportation are available 24/7 on the weekends. Buses and trams run night services after 1 AM from Monday through Friday. 

The Berlin Transport Company (BVG) is Berlin's main public transportation website and includes maps of the city, transportation routes and a journey planner function. Monthly tickets are available to students at a reduced fee of 54€. The website can be found in English here: www.bvg.de

Berlin is also a very bicycle-friendly city, with street lanes specifically for cyclists. A route planner for bike riders is available here: www.bbbike.de

Berlin’s location makes it very accessible to other cities within Germany as well as to other countries in Europe. Berlin currently has two airports with plans to open a consolidated one in fall 2013. 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 the two airports can be found here: www.berlin-airport.de

Rail travel to and from Berlin within Germany, as well as from other European cities, is typically both convenient and inexpensive. The German Rail system is operated by Deutsche Bahn, and trips can be booked directly on their website: www.bahn.de

The central bus station, Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB), is located in Western Charlottenburg at Masurenallee 4-6. More information on the bus station can be found here: www.iob-berlin.de. Additional websites offering long-distance coaches to and from Berlin are: www.berlinlinienbus.de,www.eurolines.de, and www.gullivers-bus.de

German Language Courses

You may find that you wish to learn or improve your German during your time in Berlin. The city offers a myriad of Language Course options for those at all levels, at varying prices. Some schools and websites you might like to have a further look at are:

Culture, History, and Nightlife

Berlin is unique as a university location; it is diverse, stimulating and exciting, a perfect venue for students from all over the world. Berlin offers a comprehensive range of artistic, historical, and cultural events as well as an unbelievable variety of leisure activities both during the day and at night. A cultural metropolis, Berlin has roughly 50 theatres, three opera houses, 300 libraries and over 100 museums and cinemas. The nightlife is also an integral part of this extraordinary cultural lifestyle and Berlin is renowned as one of Europe's most dynamic party hotspots.

These links will give you a taste of Berlin's activities, events, and nightlife:

Notable museums, landmarks, and places of interest also include: