Urban Student

Studying in Berlin

Berlin is Germany’s capital and largest city, a hub for the arts, startups, and research with a famously open and international culture. It hosts several major universities and remains more affordable than most Western European capitals, though rents are rising fast.

Universities and major institutes

  • Humboldt University of Berlin
  • Free University of Berlin (FU Berlin)
  • Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin)
  • Charité (medicine)
  • Berlin University of the Arts (UdK)

Cost of living

Berlin is affordable for a capital but no longer cheap. A room in a shared flat (WG) typically runs €450–€750 per month, with an excellent U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram, and bus network and a discounted semester ticket.

Neighbourhoods for students

  • Kreuzberg / Neukölln — central, multicultural, lively nightlife.
  • Friedrichshain — young and trendy, near TU and the arts scene.
  • Prenzlauer Berg — leafy and popular, a little pricier.
  • Wedding / Moabit — more affordable and increasingly popular.

Institutions in Berlin