Accommodation, living and working in Berlin

The studierendenWERK BERLIN runs several student dorms all over Berlin. ASH Berlin has a (limited) contingent of single apartments to accommodate exchange students in the student dorm "Victor Jara" (located 25 minutes away from campus). If you wish to apply for accommodation in this dorm, please do so by completing the appropriate section in your general online application. Beforehand, you should check our student dorm info sheet for more details (info sheet summer term 2026, info sheet winter term 2026/27). Please note that we only have a limited number of apartments available in the dorm and that we will not be able to consider all students. By mid or end of June / mid or end of December, we will inform you whether or not we could consider your student dorm application.

If you would like to live in one of the many other dorms of the studierendenWERK BERLIN or if we couldn't consider your application for the "Victor Jara" dorm, you can also apply at the studierendenWERK BERLIN directly. For that, you'll need our Letter of Acceptance (which you'll receive about three months before the start of the term via e-mail in our Info-Package I) as well as a confirmation that you've paid the semester fees. We will issue this confirmation for you upon request. For any questions about how to apply for a dorm at the studierendenWERK BERLIN directly, please contact their InfoCenter Wohnen via e-mail to wohnen@avoid-unrequested-mailsstw.berlinor call them at +49 30 93939 8990.

Due to limited availability of student dorms, the majority of German and international students lives in private accommodation, most of them sharing a flat in a so-called Wohngemeinschaft (WG). An average room will cost between 400 – 700 EUR (including bills).

If you opt for private accommodation, you should search for offers and contact the offering persons as early as possible. Often, people living in flatshares want to get to know their future flatmates personally before deciding on whom to choose ('WG-Casting'), so please be aware that you might not find a shared flat before being in Berlin in person. This being said, seeing the room and meeting your potential flatmates in person is the best way to make an informed decision.

Popular websites to search for a (shared) flat are the following:

Shared apartments

• WG GesuchtBiggest website for shared apartments
• WG Company
• WG Börse

Apartments

• Home in Berlin Bürgermeister-Reuter-Stiftung (furnished apartments or rooms for students, minimum length of stay: usually 7 months)
• berlinovo (furnished apartments for students)
• inberlinwohnen (mostly unfurnished apartments)
• Immonet
• Immoscout 24
• Immowelt

General

• Kleinanzeigen
• Craigslist

The International Office is not responsible for the contents of external links. Only the page owners are accountable for their website's content.

Please note that if you live in a shared flat, not only your flatmates but also the actual landlord / landlady and/or owner of the flat need to approve you living there. Therefore, you should discuss this with your flatmates. If you don't have that approval, you and your flatmates risk problems with the German registration law. You should, at the latest, have this sorted out when you register your address at the Bürgeramt (which is a legal requirement for anyone living in Germany for more than three months), since you will need a confirmation of your moving in for that.

Whether you are looking for a shared apartment or a single apartment, under no circumstances should you pay the rent and/or deposit before you have signed a rental agreement, seen the apartment or room, and/or received the keys. Unfortunately, students repeatedly report attempts at fraud and that the rent and deposit were to be paid without a contract and without them having seen the apartment or room.  Be wary of apartment ads that seem “too good to be true” (i.e., perfect location, beautiful interior, and low rent). Be wary if you are asked to transfer the rent to a non-German bank account and given excuses such as “I can't hand over the keys to you in person because my grandmother in [random country]  is ill and I have to visit her, but please pay the first month's rent and I will leave the keys in a place where you can pick them up.”

Advice: Former exchange students have found rooms by placing a flat search ad on the major apartment search websites so that potential roommates could contact them, instead of receiving thousands of emails in response to an offer. In a (short!) apartment ad, you should mention what you will be doing in Berlin, who you are (your hobbies, your expectations for living together, etc.) and perhaps add a photo so that potential roommates can get an impression of you.

We know that the housing market in Berlin is difficult and that it can be very stressful to find accommodation in Berlin. Even though there are a lot of people looking for apartments in Berlin, there is still a high turnover in the city. Many people move to another city or country for a few months and rent out their room/apartment during that time. If you are flexible, you will have a better chance of finding a room. Often, listings are posted at very short notice and for a limited period. You may not find a room until shortly before the start of the semester and have to move during your semester abroad in Berlin.

Alice Salomon University is located in the far east of Berlin. The best way to get there is by U-Bahn line U5 and S-Bahn line S5. If you have a choice, it is worth considering the transport connections.

Please note that for university dorms and rooms in a private shared flat, you will probably be asked to pay a deposit (usually equivalent to 1-2 times the monthly rent) which you will get back at the end of your lease if there haven’t been any damages made to your room.

If necessary, you should arrange short-term accommodation for the first days or weeks in Berlin. We recommend staying in a hostel. Please keep in mind that ASH Berlin is located in the eastern part of Berlin in the district Hellersdorf, so a place close to the S-Bahn line S5 or the U-Bahn line U5 would be most convenient. You can search for hostels via Berlin.de or other search engines. Please make sure to book your hostel as early as possible to get the best price.

Berlin is divided into 12 districts, all of which are very different. You can find an overview of the different districts here, for example. 

Berlin’s urban landscape features extensive forests and gardens. Parkland such as Grunewald, Tiergarten or the Gardens of the World as well as numerous rivers, canals and lakes contribute greatly to the quality of life and give Berlin a feeling of spaciousness and green beauty. Berlin has a moderate and continental climate. While the weather in summer (June – August) will be relatively stable and warm, at times humid, the Berlin winter (December – February) is notoriously grey, cold and often snowy. Spring and autumn tend to be chilly to mild. Students are therefore recommended to pack enough warm and water-proof clothing.

Berlin is easy to reach by airplane (airport BER), train or bus. If you arrive by train, you will most likely arrive at Hauptbahnhof, Südkreuz, Ostbahnhof or Spandau. The central bus station is located near the Funkturm in Charlottenburg.

We would like to encourage all students to travel sustainably. Further information on travel planning and additional funding for sustainable travel can be found here.

All parts of Berlin including the airport as well as all train and bus stations are well connected to the public transport system. The system is run by two different companies, the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) and the S-Bahn Berlin. Together they operate the local trains, the underground railway, trams, busses and ferries in three tariff zones A, B and C. You can find connections and maps at their websites but also via the BVG apps FahrInfo Plus and the BVG Ticket-App which will allow you to buy tickets directly in the app (both are available for android and iOS). As a student at ASH Berlin, you can travel in all three zones for the entire period of the semester with your digital semester ticket and your Campuscard. During your semester, you will also be entitled to use public transport all over Germany. Please note that the semester ticket and the Campuscard are only valid from 1st of April in summer term / 1st of October in winter term. Before then, you need to buy tickets on your own. You will receive your Campuscard and information about the digital semester ticket during the orientation days.

On Friday and Saturday night, many (but not all) trains, trams and busses will operate 24 hours. On Sundays and during the week, there is only a limited number of public transport services that run during the night. If they do not operate during the night, some of them are replaced by night busses.

Please note that there are ticket inspectors who will regularly ask passengers for their tickets. Please show your digital semester ticket, your Campuscard and an official photo ID (e.g. passport or personal ID) as your semester ticket and your Campuscard are only valid in combination with an official photo ID.

Berlin is also great to explore by bike. There is an ever expanding network of cycle paths which makes riding a bike safe and convenient. The semester ticket allows you to take a bike on the public transport for free. You can plan your cycle path route online.

Berlin is a safe city. However, as in every major city in the world, you should always take a few precautions and use your common sense – do not leave personal belongings unattended and be aware of pickpockets, particularly in busy areas, train stations and tourist hot spots. Should you be affected by theft or other criminality, please contact the Berlin Police. If you experience sexual harassment or sexual violence, you can find additional advice, links and support at the website of the women's* representative of ASH Berlin as well as via bff - women against violence e.V. (website available in English, Turkish and Arabic) for an overview of external support services.

Please also note that some behaviour or substances that may be legal in your home country are illegal in Germany. For example, downloading movies or music files which are protected by copyright from filesharing or torrent websites is illegal in Germany. Please refrain from using any torrent programmes while you are in Germany, since you could be tracked by your IP address and be fined for it by a lawyer.

Berlin offers a huge range of cultural, political, academic and non-academic activities. In addition to the extracurricular activities offered at ASH Berlin, you can for example use the sports and gyms from other universities in Berlin. The courses cover almost every imaginable type of physical activity, from American Football to Zumba, and will cost 20-50 EUR per semester and are a great way to meet students from other universities. Students interested in music can join one of the university choirs or orchestras.

The table below gives a first impression of extracurricular activities, although Berlin has a lot more to offer than we can list here. Don’t let the countless clubs, theatres, associations and initiatives overwhelm you!

Cultural programme for exchange students:

• Cultural programme for exchange students and international meet-ups

Cultural calendar of the studierendenWERK BERLIN:

• Cultural calendar of the studierendenWERK BERLIN

Sports

• University sports Freie Universität (FU) Berlin
• University sports Humboldt Universität (HU) Berlin
• University sports Technische Universität (TU) Berlin
• University sports of the Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT)
• University sports of the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW) Berlin
• University sports of the Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht (HWR) Berlin
• University sports Berlin
• Berlin sports clubs
• Public baths and swimming pools

Music

• ASH Berlin music workshop
• Choir of the studierendenWERK BERLIN
• Berliner Chöre und Singvereine
• Berlin music schools

LGBTIQ* / Queer Berlin      

• Queer Berlin
• Gay Museum

Public education centres

• Berliner Volkshochschulen (adult education centres)
• Jüdische Volkshochschule (Jewish education centre)

In comparison to other European capitals, Berlin is a relatively affordable place to live. Naturally this depends on individual lifestyles, but the average cost of living can be estimated as follows:

Per Month:

• Accommodation: 450-800 EUR (+ deposit, if required)
• Broadcasting license fee: 18,36 EUR
• Food and beverages: 250-350 EUR
• Personal expenses: 100 EUR
• Mobile phone contract: 20 EUR
• Books and scripts: 5-10 EUR

Per Semester:

Semester fees: approx. 310 EUR

Students from the European Union, the EEA and Switzerland are treated equally as German students and have free access to the German labour market. Students are allowed to work a total of 120 full days or 240 half days per calendar year during their studies. The job may not exceed 20 hours per week during the lecture period.

Please note: If students from EU/EEA countries/Switzerland take up a part-time job or a paid internship in Germany, they must take out German health insurance.

Please also note: For most jobs in Berlin, very good German language skills are required.

Useful links regarding student jobs / volunteer work:

• Student jobs via the ASH Berlin Career Service
• Student job database  (Stellenwerk) (in German only)
• Volunteer work

During your stay at ASH Berlin, you can complete an internship in Berlin if you were nominated for an internship by your home university. Please make sure to choose the corresponding option in your online application, so we can inform you accordingly. Please start planning and organising your internship at least four months before the beginning of your stay.

As exchange students, you need to follow your home university's requirements, since your internship usually has to be recognised at your home university. So if you have any questions concerning the of length, ECTS, contents or evaluation, please ask your home university before you start organising your internship.

Finding an internship institution

ASH Berlin does not arrange internships for regular or exchange students. However, we have an extensive database of contacts at institutions where ASH students have completed internships in the past. These are not recommendations, and we cannot guarantee that the institutions currently offer internships. If you would like to make use of the database, please let us know in which areas you would like to work (e.g. youth care, homeless support, drug counselling, etc.), and we will be happy to send you some contacts. 
Very good German language skills are often a prerequisite, especially for internships in social work, as you will probably not only be communicating with clients, but also with the team at the internship location and official institutions and authorities.

You should also search for placements on your own. For that you may use the "Erasmusintern" database which was designed by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in cooperation with the European Commission and where you can both search for internships as well as create your own profile.

Applying for internships

Even when we scan our internship contact database for you, you still have to apply at the individual institutions on your own. The best way to do this is to call the institution directly and discuss the most important things on the phone. E-mails may end up in spam folders so we recommend calling the institution. If you feel you need help with a German application, we are happy to have a look at your application documents and proof-read them. We've assembled our tips on how to find and apply for an internship in this helpful manual. As we mention in our manual, your application should at least consist of a cover letter / letter of motivation and a CV. In the cover letter, you should already mention the requested time period and departments in which you wish to work.

In addition, some institutions (such as hospitals or kindergarten / nursery settings) may also require you to submit a police certificate of conduct or an up to date record of your vaccinations. Please note that since 15 March 2022, everyone working in patient care has to be fully vaccinated.

Supervision

Social Work students have the option of participating in a supervision during the time of their internship. Supervision at ASH Berlin may differ from supervision at your home university. A group of 5-7 students meets with an external supervisor about 10 times during the placement (each meeting being 90 minutes long). Students talk about their experiences and problems, they reflect on their role at the internship, discuss conflicts and thus develop a new understanding of what it means to work as a social worker / educator / therapist and how it might affect one's own personality. The supervisor does not belong to ASH Berlin nor does s/he belong to the actual placement. The supervisors are certified to work in this special field and have gone through a special training programme. The supervision is not graded and no extra ECTS will be awarded for it.

While you do not have to participate in ASH Berlin supervision, it is strongly recommended. Please let us know early on whether you wish to participate in a supervision group and whether the supervision should be in German or English. If you participate in the German supervision, you may be in a group with regular ASH Berlin students. The English supervision is organised for exchange students exclusively, but only if there is a minimum of 5 participants. Therefore it is important to let us know as soon as possible.

Accompanying study courses

If you are an enrolled student at ASH Berlin during your internship, you are entitled to attend courses at ASH Berlin as well. It is a great opportunity to broaden your academic and personal experiences in Berlin. If you wish to attend courses, please mention them on a Learning Agreement.

As of 1 January 2015, there is a Germany-wide minimum wage, also for internships lasting for more than three months. Only if your internship is compulsory in your study programme at your home university, your internship lasting more than three months may still be unpaid.

If you need to see a doctor, you will usually go to a general practitioner first who will then refer you to a specialist if necessary. However, you can also consult the specialist directly without seeing a general practitioner first. Make an appointment with the doctor via telephone or go and see them during their emergency opening hours.

Note: Not all doctors offer emergency opening hours, and please always call them before going in order to avoid long waiting times. When you see the doctor, always take your health insurance card (EHIC) or your health insurance policy with you.

The best way to find a doctor is to search online at Ärzte Berlin where you can also search for certain areas of Berlin, specialists or English, Turkish or Spanish speaking doctors (as well as further languages). The health insurance company TK also offers an online search engine for medical specialists in German and English.

You can also find short-term appointments / emergency consultation hours via the website of the Berlin Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. 

In general, you should clarify in advance which services are covered by your health insurance and whether you may have to pay in advance.

As a helpful source of information, the illustrated health dictionary compiled by the studierendenWERK BERLIN explains important health and medical terms in German and English.

Please buy all your medication from a pharmacy (“Apotheke”). Pharmacies are usually open Mon–Fri from 9am–7pm / Sat 9am–1pm. If your doctor prescribes medication, you may have to pay between 5 and 10 EUR per prescription.

If you need medication outside of their opening hours, you can call 0800 00 22 8 33 or check online for an emergency pharmacy. In addition to the emergency pharmacies, the pharmacy near Oranienburger Tor is open 24 hours every day of the year.

In case of a medical emergency, please always go straight to the closest hospital or call an ambulance (telephone: 112).

You can search for the closest hospital online. If you are at ASH Berlin, the closest hospitals are the Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin (UKB) and the Vivantes Klinikum Kaulsdorf (both approx. 5 km from ASH Berlin). Again, take your health insurance card (e.g. EHIC) with you.

If it’s not an urgent emergency, but you still need to see a doctor during the night or on the weekend, you can contact the doctors on call service at +49 116117 who will then come to see you at home.

Psychological counseling is available in German and in English at the studierendenWERK BERLIN. The counselling is free of charge and confidential.

“Redezeit für dich” ("Speaking time for you") is a low-threshold opportunity to talk about stressful situations with trained volunteer listeners free of charge. However, this is not a substitute for professional coaching or psychotherapeutic counselling.

In case of an acute and urgent psychological crisis, please go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. There is also a 24/7 telephone line for psychological counselling in a case of crisis available to all Berliners, the Berliner Krisendienst with multilingual professionals.

If you experience sexual harassment or sexual violence, contact the Berlin Police(emergency call: 110). You can find additional advice, links and support in case of sexual harassment and violence at the website of the gender equality officers of ASH Berlin as well as via bff - women against violence e.V. (website available in English, Turkish and Arabic) for an overview of external support services.