If you are reading this post, it means that you have chosen to study in Berlin or you are interested in studying in Berlin and are looking for information. Either way, this post is here to shine some light on the accommodation options in Berlin. Finding your ideal accommodation is the next thing to do right after your school paperwork.

Let's start with the types of accommodation out there and their characteristics.

Type of Housing

Studio apartment: This type of housing is for those who prefer to be independent without sharing any living space. It is more expensive than living in a shared apartment as you will be paying all the bills allowed. Since you are not living with other students, it can be lonely at first.

Student residence: Here you will normally have a room in a whole building dedicated to students. It can either be a studio type accommodation or just a room. These are purposely built housing for students. They can either be publicly owned by the University or privately owned by a housing company. As all bills are included private student residences tend to be somehow expensive, but you have a lot of perks (gym, full board, library, playroom etc…) individual studios o shared apartments do not have.

Homestay: This type of housing corresponds to living in a room in a house or apartment with a local family. Think of it as a spare room in a local family’s residence. You get the benefit of learning a lot about their culture and language, however, you have to abide by their rules and adjust to their lifestyle.

Spare room in a shared apartment: this is the most common type of housing you will find anywhere. It is an individual room in an apartment, you will have the room completely to yourself and share the common spaces like the kitchen, bathroom, and living room with your flatmates. These are normally the cheapest type of housing, and you get to live with other students in the same situation as you, which you can befriend from the beginning of your stay. Some of these rooms might have a private room, but it’s a bit expensive.

There is an additional type of housing under the spare room in a shared apartment, which is, a shared room. This is normally a big room in an apartment or a student residence which is you can share with others, each one with his/her bed of course. These shared rooms are normally big enough to have 2 single beds, a wardrobe and 2 desks. Shared rooms are usually for only 2 people, and it is also the most recommended. Keep in mind that you will be sharing this space with the other person. Therefore, it's preferable not to have too many people in that room.

To establish a benchmark for rent, note that the average rent in Berlin for a spare room is around €536 and the average rent for apartments is around €1286.

Housing checklist

Additional to all the previous tips, in the accommodation itself, look for the following:

Furniture: The place must have the necessities for you to move in with your luggage without buying any additional furniture. It should have the bare minimum furniture like bed, desk, wardrobe, a well-equipped kitchen and washing machine. You are just staying for less than a year in most cases. You can’t spend your student budget furnishing your place.

Surroundings: Check to see if it is a good neighbourhood for students, with easy access to supermarkets and downtown. Is it an active area or a quiet one? You might not want to live directly in the party area. It might affect your sleep.

Interior or exterior room: Does your room receive direct sunlight or is it interior? This might not sound important now, but when you live most of the time in the dark, you will think about this tip. Mainly, your room must have a window. If it, doesn’t it is preferable to look for another one.

Floor: Regarding the floor on which it is, you have to check if the building has an elevator or not. You don’t want to live on the seventh floor without a lift. This is highly significant if the accommodation is for a limited mobility person. Some accommodations might not be set nor accessible for people with limited mobility, therefore you have to be extremely conscious of booking any accommodation. You have to previously talk with the landlord to figure out if the place has all the features for you to move freely into your new home.

Read more about student housing in Berlin and the best neighbourhoods for students.

We hope that these tips help you conquer your house hunt in Berlin. If we can be of any assistance, let us know.

We wish you a great stay.

_{(courtesy of Erasmus Play, accommodation partner of the FUB)}