Infomation For International Students

Information for International Students
Information for
International Students
in Berlin 1
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de
Prologue
Dear Students,
we want to support you with the decision to study in Berlin and to
accompany you with information around this topic.
First of all an important hint: You are not alone. There are around
24.000 international students in Berlin.
According to the 19th social survey of the Deutsches
Studentenwerk,1 international students have different reasons for
studying in Germany and special needs and issues. The main reason
70% of the international students come to study in Germany is to
acquire professional knowledge. Furthermore the good reputations
of the universities are solid arguments for a study in Germany.
However most of the international students encounter difficulties.
The orientation in the study system, financing and the contact
to German students are the three biggest issues international
students have in Germany. Most importantly at the beginning
of their studies, international students need information about
universities, government bureaucracy and recreational activities.
They might also want to learn about possible financial assistance
and employment.
With this brochure we want to support international students in
meeting new challenges and studying successfully in Berlin. Thus
international students will find detailed information here, plus
ways of financing and contact addresses to hopefully answer many
questions.
We want to encourage those who have decided to study abroad.
In this sense we hope to provide you with a helpful brochure, with
which we wish you much courage and a wonderful time of studying
in Berlin!
The team of the Sozialberatung of the Studentenwerk

Berlin
Please notice: In addition to the information in this
brochure we want to offer personal counselling as well. You
will find our addresses and phone numbers on the backside
of this brochure.
1 Internationalisierung des Studiums Auslndische Studierende in Deutschland

Deutsche Studierende im Ausland Ergebnisse der 19. Sozialerhebung des DSW more
information at www.studentenwerke.de
Structure of the brochure

The main parts of the brochure are the chapters Welcome to Berlin
(chapter 1), Universities and structure of studies (chapter 3) and
What/ When / Where (chapter 4).
In the chapter 1 you will find the offers of the Studentenwerk Berlin.
Chapter 3 we will explain the structure and establishments of the
universities. Chapter 4 will show the different aspects of student
life, beginning with your preparations to come to Germany, through
your arrival, to the end of your studies. Here you will find information about financing, housing and other helpful contacts.
Chapter 5 (Legal process) gives an overview about legal possibilities
in case of a dispute.
Chapter 6 (Index of cooperating universities) provides contact
addresses to important facilities of the universities.
The last chapter of the brochure is an alphabetical index.
Additionally you will find listings of vocabulary to the particular
chapters in the grey boxes. The orange boxes show particular information you should notice. However they dont replace the content
of this brochure.
Furthermore some of our student tutors have given a personal
statement to some issue.
We now want to point out that the information in this brochure
is collected to the best of our knowledge and belief but we are
not asserting a claim of completeness. Your hints, suggestions and
critiques are heartily welcome for the next edition. Please send to:
Sozialberatung des Studentenwerkes Berlin

Thielallee 38 | 14195 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 90 22 / - 90 24
E-mail: sozialb.thielallee@studentenwerk-berlin.de
You can find this brochure online as pdf-document at:

Prologue
Structure of the brochure
1.
Welcome to Berlin!
1.1
Studentenwerk Berlin
1.1.1
Dining facilities Mensen & Cafeterien
1.1.2
Student accommodations Studentenwohnheime
1.1.3
Employment service Heinzelmnnchen
10
1.1.4
Counselling, support and child day-care Beratung,

Untersttzung und Kitas
11
1.1.4.1
Social counselling Sozialberatung
12
1.1.4.2
Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counselling

Psychologisch-Psychotherapeutische Beratung
13
1.1.4.3
Counselling for students with disabilities

Beratung fr Studierende mit Behinderung
14
1.1.4.4
Student tutors in student accommodations

Wohnheimtutoren
15
2.
Tips and tricks to deal with Germans
17
3.
Universities and structure of studies
19
4.
What - When - Where
21
4.1
Pre-departure
21
4.1.1
University application
21
4.1.3
Costs of living
23
4.1.4
Visa application
24
4.1.5
Housing
25
4.1.6
Health insurance and other insurances
27
4.2.1
Enrolment and semester ticket
29
4.2.2
Residence registration and residence permit
30
4.3.1
Studying and children
33
4.3.2
Financing academic study
36
4.3.2.1
Federal Law on Support in Education

(Bundesausbildungsfrderungsgesetz BAfG)
36
4.3.2.2
Scholarships
38

4.3.2.3
Foundations for emergency situations
41
4.3.2.4
National social benefits (Soziale Leistungen)
41
4.3.2.5
Student loans
42
4.3.2.6
Loan (Darlehen) of the Studentenwerk
45
4.3.3
Jobs and internships
45
4.3.4
Freetime
48
4.4
End of studies
52
4.4.1
Returning home
52
4.4.1.1
Finding a Job Back Home
53
4.4.2
Staying in Germany
54
5.
Legal process
56
6.
Index of universities of Berlin
60
6.1
Alice Salomon Hochschule (ASH)
60
6.2
Beuth-Hochschule fr Technik
61
6.3
Charit Universittsmedizin Berlin
61
6.4
Evangelische Hochschule Berlin (EHB)
62
6.5
Freie Universitt Berlin (FU)
62
6.6
Hertie School of Governance GmbH
64
6.7
Hochschule fr Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin (HfM)
64
6.8
Hochschule fr Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch

Berlin (HfS)
64
6.9
Hochschule fr Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (HTW)
65
6.10
Hochschule fr Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin (HWR)
65
6.11
Humboldt-Universitt zu Berlin (HU)
66
6.12
International Psychoanalytic University (IPU)
67
6.13
Kunsthochschule Berlin Weiensee (KHB)
68
6.14
Katholische Hochschule fr Sozialwesen (KHSB)
68
6.15
Private Hochschule Gttingen (PFH), Campus Berlin
69
6.16
Technische Universitt Berlin (TU)
69
6.17
Universitt der Knste (UdK)
70
7.
Public Transport in Berlin
72
8.
Index
74
Welcome to Berlin
1. Welcome to Berlin!
You are studying in the city with the most international students
in Germany. Berlin appeals to many people from many countries
because of its cultural diversity and broad academic landscape. In
this sense:
I take pride in the words Ich bin ein Berliner!

John F. Kennedy
1.1 Studentenwerk Berlin

What is the Studentenwerk? Is it a part of the university? Or does
every university has its own Studentenwerk? These could be the
questions you may have.
The Studentenwerk is special for Germany. It developed out of a
self-help organization and takes care of the non-academic needs
of the students. Therefore the Studentenwerk is associated with
the universities, but is not a part of them. It is financed out of a
compulsory contribution from the semester fee, earned profits and
out of federal funds. There are 58 Studentenwerke for almost every
city with a university in Germany. Those 58 Studentenwerke are
headed by the governing body Deutsches Studentenwerk. So the
Studentenwerk Berlin is only responsible for the students of Berlins
universities that cooperate with the Studentenwerk Berlin.
Studentenwerk Berlin what do we do?
Through a mandate of the German Federal State of Berlin (Studentenwerkgesetz) we are entrusted with the responsibility
of providing support services for the social, physical, economic
and cultural well-being of Berlins students. With more than 800
employees, we have been working to make the lives of students at

Berlins institutions of higher learning as pleasant as possible for
40 years now. We acknowledge an important social responsibility
and pursue our mission diligently and economically. Expectations
and standards have changed over the years. We are modernizing
our facilities bit by bit so that students will feel as comfortable as
possible.
We are here to assist students with their particular problems and to
answer their questions whatever they might be.
We provide a unique array of services specially attuned to the needs
of students:
Dining Facilities
Student accommodations
Jobs and Employment service
Counselling and support
BafG (German Federal academic loan program)
We have also put together quite a bit of information regarding

International students and studying in Berlin at:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/berlin/international
1.1.1 Dining facilities Mensen & Cafeterien
Our guests can expect more than appetizing, wholesome and

reasonably priced meals! This is where students relax between
lectures, meet their friends and eat together, sit comfortably, drink
coffee and get to know one another. This is where they plan their
weekends, arrange study groups and take it easy. In our 20 mensen
(from the Latin for table, a student dining hall) and 28 cafeterias
and coffee shops, we provide wholesome food at low prices for more
than 34,000 people daily. We are Berlins largest restaurant operator.
But rather than quantity, quality is what counts for us. We operate
our own kitchens and employ a staff of more than 400.
Welcome to Berlin
You should know that
we are constantly modernizing our mensen and cafeterias.
we prepare more than 25,000 meals a day.
we offer health-food meals in every mensa
We are proud of the trust Berlins students have in us. It is our goal,
however, to continually improve our services. We want to provide
more than good food!
Where can you find us?

You can find an overview of all dining facilities and a daily menu at
our homepage:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/mensen/mensen_cafeterien
1.1.2 Student accommodations

Studentenwohnheime
Would you like to live in a clean, dry and centrally heated room or
apartment for a long period? Perhaps you do not have much money
to spend but still need to find a good place to live.
Then we might have just the right place for you!

More than 9,500 accommodations in almost all districts of the city
Accommodations 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 at the student halls of residence service online:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/wohnen/wohnheimportal

Our Special Features:
You can select
The student residence you prefer according to its location in

Berlin using the online map (visit www.studentenwerk-berlin.
de/studentenwerk/lageplan/wh) on our search machine to
find the place that meets your needs from our list of currently
available residential accommodations:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/wohnen/studentische_
wohnanlagen
Wherever you want to live, we dont assign places.
The people you want to live with.
How much you will pay (our average rental is 220 Euros per
person each month).
Internet in the student accommodations:
Most student accommodations of the Studentenwerk offer

wireless LAN Internet from the provider Hotzone; ask your
student tutor or the accommodations administration for the
relevant student contact person.
You can get private Internet over your phone line as well. You
can choose between different private providers like Alice, 1 & 1,
Congstar, Deutsche Telekom, O, Vodafone etc. Please check the
contract for payment conditions, contract duration, extra fees
and benefits.
Maybe you can share wireless LAN with your neighbour, check
the networks and ask your neighbours. Please notice that some
providers need to be informed or to be asked for permission
if you want to share your network or use the network of your
neighbours.
Ulrike Elsner,
student tutor of student accommodation FranzMehring-Platz
You can do without an Internet connection
as well (the universities have enough network
access possibilities). Additionally in the student
accommodation Franz-Mehring-Platz the specific
Internet-tutor will help the residents with Internet
and computer problems.
Welcome to Berlin
Aboubakar Gambo, student tutor of student
accommodation Goerzallee :
The students self administration (Studentische
Selbstverwaltung) is a group of experienced students who voluntarily take care of the needs of the
accommodation residents. Almost every accommodation has a students self administration. They
deal with requests and complaints on the one side
and on the other side they mentor the students
facilities in the accommodations: washing machine room, fitness room, music room, learning room
accommodation bar and the Internet.
Student tutors (look at chapter 1.1.4.4) will provide addition assistance in various situations. Contact those institutions if you have
any questions about student life in your accommodation.
Do you have any questions about student residences?
Contact the administration of student accommodations (Wohnheimverwaltungen) :
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/wohnen/kontakt
1.1.3 Employment service Heinzelmnnchen

The Heinzelmnnchen employment service is a non-profit service
of the Studentenwerk.
We place students from all academic institutions in Berlin into jobs.
Your advantages:
You are able to help 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: You have a special qualification and

would like to work in that area; or you would like to acquire a
qualification by continually working in a particular area.
Long-term employment: 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 want to participate from the offers of the Heinzelmnnchen

you need to apply at our office.
10

Requirements:
Matriculation (Immatrikulation) at an academic institution in

Berlin (You must provide a valid current registration certificate
indicating you are a full-time student groe Immatrikulationsbescheinigung)
Passport (citizens of EU countries can provide a green EU

identification card)
Tax I.D. Number (Steueridentifikationsnummer) (for more

information look at chapter 4.3.3 Finding a job)
One passport type photograph or colour copy of the same.
Bank account number (with proof such as a check card or a bank

statement).
Social insurance identification (Sozialversicherungsausweis

for more information look at chapter 4.3.3 Finding a job)
Health insurance identification (chip card).
Valid residence or working permit
Participation fee of 24 per semester
Please notice that a good comprehension of German is required

for more specialized jobs. For more information look at language
skills in chapter 4.1.2.
Our Location:
Hardenbergstrae 34 | Ground-floor, rear house | 10623 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30-939 39-90 33, Fax: -9031
Office hours: Mo Fri: 8:30 15:45, Thu: 8:30 17:45
Income Tax Office: Mo + Fri: 9:00 12:00, Tue: 13:00 15:45,
Thu: 14:00 17:45, Wed closed
We even have an online job database:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/jobs/datenbank
1.1.4 Counselling, support and child day-care Beratung, Untersttzung und Kitas
Success as a student depends to a large extent on the conditions
you face. Our Counselling and Support Office is there to help
students deal with the special problems they confront.
We provide ...
Counselling and practical support - also in English
Counselling and support for students with social problems, like

study financing.
11
Welcome to Berlin
Counselling to help all students overcome personal problems in

times of crisis and during exams.
Special counselling, support and practical help for disabled and

chronically ill students.
Support for pregnant students and student parents in providing

child day-care
1.1.4.1 Social counselling Sozialberatung
How do I finance my studies or the end of my studies?

Do I have claims regarding the social law?
What do I do in case of trouble with administrative bodies?
What can I do when I am pregnant?
Can I study and raise my children?
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 contact point for students and are here to
help you.
During your studies, we offer:
12
Financial advice regarding alimentations, jobs, state academic

loans (BAfG), 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 conflict situations
Mentors for international students in student accommodations
Meditation for students that have conflicts with others
Workshops and lectures
Cultural offers (look at the Kulturkalender: www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/kulturelle_angebote/kulturkalender/)
Sozialberatung services are free and we adhere to data protection

legislation. We are based in Charlottenburg, Dahlem and Friedrichshain. If youd like to make enquiries about entitlements or
loans, or would like some advice or counselling, come to our offices
during consultation hours. You can email us for an appointment or
telephone us as well.
Contact:
At the Technische Universitt (TU):
Hardenbergstrae 34 | 10623 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 8403/ -5/ -6
sozialb.hardenbergst@studentenwerk-berlin.de
At the Freie Universitt (FU):
Thielallee 38 | Room 202-204 | 14195 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 9022/-9024
sozialb.thielallee@studentenwerk-berlin.de
Near the Humboldt Universitt (HU):
Franz-Mehring-Platz 2| 2nd Floor | 10243 Berlin (Friedrichshain)
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 8437/ -8440
sozialb.f-mehring-pl@studentenwerk-berlin.de
1.1.4.2 Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counselling Psychologisch-Psychotherapeutische Beratung

Beginning studies, ending them, changing faculties or institutions,
and taking exams are challenging experiences. Changes like
leaving home and country, being a foreigner, moving to a new town
or a new apartment, separation from a partner; also lingering
circumstances like loneliness, isolation, problems with a partner or
parents, can be seriously stressful.
We help in various situations:
Learning difficulties
Fear of exams; Social inhibition
Depression, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms, poor selfesteem, and severe emotional crises.
In our counselling we help you develop an individual solution to

your problem. Sometimes a single individual session is adequate.
Or, you might decide that a short term therapy focusing on your
problem is more appropriate. You could also choose to participate in
one of our various thematic groups.
13
Welcome to Berlin
Counselling is free of charge and available in English. We are
obligated to maintain total confidentiality.
Contact:
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 84 01
E-mail: beratung@studentenwerk-berlin.de
Franz-Mehring-Platz 2 | 2nd Floor | 10243 Berlin (Friedrichshain)
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 84 38
E-mail: beratung@studentenwerk-berlin.de
1.1.4.3 Counselling for students with disabilities

Beratung fr Studierende mit Behinderung und
chronischer Erkrankung
It is our goal to assure appropriate conditions and equal
opportunities at the universities and the Studentenwerk. The
Studentenwerks Counseling Center has been working to improve
conditions for disabled and chronically ill students at Berlins
academic institutions.
Whom do we serve?
We provide services to individuals with disabilities or chronic
illnesses who are studying or considering studying in Berlin.
These include, besides students with mobility, visual or hearing
impairment, those with serious chronic illnesses such as multiple
sclerosis, Morbus Crohn Disease, cancer, HIV, rheumatism,
diabetes and epilepsy. We provide confidential, unbureaucratic,
prompt and socially responsible assistance to those seeking help.
Of course we are obligated to confidentiality.
We provide counselling and support:
14
in matters regarding social law for people with disabilities
by arranging assistance for study and everyday matters, and

its financing
by giving technical and personal assistance
in dealing with government offices and institutions
in overcoming personal problems and crises
for psycho-social questions
We are also responsible for making integration assistance

(Integrationshilfe) as defined by Berlins Hochschulgesetz
available to disabled students. Applications for integration
assistance, study assistants, book grants or special equipment
for the disabled can be filed at any time.
Contact:
At the FU | Thielallee 38 | 14195 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 90 20
beh.beratung.thielallee@studentenwerk-berlin.de
At the TU | Hardenbergstrae 34 | 10623 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 84 16
beh.beratung.hardenbergst@studentenwerk-berlin.de
In the near of HU | Franz-Mehring-Platz 2 | 10243 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 939 39 84 41/84 42
beh.beratung.f-mehring-pl@studentenwerk-berlin.de
1.1.4.4 Student tutors in student accommodations

Wohnheimtutoren
The Wohnheimtutoren are a team of 18 international and German
students, who have lived in Berlin for some time and would like to
pass on their experience to you. On behalf of the Studentenwerk they
answer your questions or assist you in case of difficulties.
If you
have questions about life in your student residence
have difficulties of any kind with your fellow residents
dont know where to go with special questions
dont feel comfortable in Germany
feel free to contact our Wohnheimtutoren. You can find your tutor
on our page: www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/wohnen/studentische_
wohnanlagen/hilfe_unterstuetzung/wohnheimtutoren
If you want to rent a student accommodation please contact the
accommodation administration (chapter 1.1.2).
Furthermore there is a special offer for Chinese students and students
from the Arabic region. They can contact:
the Chinese tutor Nan Yang. E-mail: n.Yang@Studentenwerk-Berlin.de
the Arabic region tutor Tariq Masoud. E-mail: t.masoud@Studentenwerk-Berlin.de
Tariq Masoud student tutor for students from

the arabic region:
In such a developed country, where everything
always tends to be better, you have to expect more
work and requirements in order to adjust with
the fast tempo of life and not feel strange with the
atmosphere.
15
Welcome to Berlin
1.1.4.5 Child day Care Kita
We provide:
Our centres are primarily for the children of students of the universities in Berlin, but we also provide care for children of the relatives,
the visiting scientists and the stipendiary students.
We offer a qualified and loving full-time care for children from the
age of 8 weeks old till the age of school enrolment.
We are located:
at Technische Universitt Berlin
at Hochschule fr Wirtschaft und Recht (Campus Schneberg)
at Universitt der Knste/ Technische Universitt Berlin
at Beuth Hochschule fr Technik Berlin
at Freie Universitt
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 comfortable. Our staff
keeps the standards that the City of Berlin has established. We,
therefore, set great value on the qualification and further training
of our staff.
The kindergarten provides you with possibilities to get in touch with
others and build up social contacts. We attach great importance to a
good, trustful collaboration with parents to let our institutions offer
a family-friendly environment of education.
Costs
The 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 must pay is calculated in accordance
to the number of children, how many hours children stay in the
centre and to the income of the parents.
Contact
Visit our homepage for addresses, phone numbers and E-mail
addresses of our child day care centers:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/kita/kontakt
Or send an E-mail to: kita@studentenwerk-berlin.de
16
2. Tips and tricks to deal with Germans

Instruction manual for the Germans (not to be taken too
seriously)
Congratulations, you own a unique new German life. First of all
turn on Power! and make sure that the procedure will follow the
schedule. Everything will be self-explanatory as long as you remain
in the beer garden. Enjoy.
More than a thousand years of history, starting at the Holy Roman
Empire of the German Nations to the modern, vivid democracy
in the hearth of Europe nowadays, shaped this nation. German
language, culture and German habits might vary substantially from
those of your home country. Thats why we want to introduce you to
some German specialties in this chapter.
But we would like to ask you not to generalize these cultural
standards or to stereotype. Societies are changing and so its always
important to distinguish typical characteristics of a person and
typical characteristics of a culture. Therefore probably the most
important thing is self-reflection and the understanding of ones
own roots. Its obvious that you cant run things by the book, but it
can indeed be helpful to get hints for daily interaction.
German cultural characteristics
Cut to the chase

In a professional context concentration on the problem, the facts
and circumstances is most important. To get to the point is most
often requested.
A tidy house, a tidy mind
There are many rules and restrictions in Germany that regulate
daily life. Following these rules is an unspoken assumption. Improvisation is not highly regarded in this sphere.
What goes around comes around
The majority of Germans follow the rules without extra control.
Reliability and responsibility are two of the most appreciated
German values.
Time is money
Germans are used to observing the rules, so its no wonder that
life is structured in timetables. To obey the timetable and to be
punctual are expressions of respect. If once in a while a timetable
doesnt work out, a new one will be created immediately.
You shouldnt mix business with pleasure
In Germany its common to separate the areas of life. Friendships
among fellow students are not taken for granted. They develop
17
Tips and tricks to deal with Germans

more likely out of the free time than in the lectures. Among
strangers its uncommon to talk about private life as in friendships,
which are characterized by openness.
To let the facts speak for themselves
The German line of argumentation aims to convince a partner by
facts and logical consequences. Things are meant like they are said
and said like they are meant.
Self do, self have...
Germany is an individualistic culture. Independence and selfreliance are important values. So everyone takes responsibility for
his/her own life, decisions and failures.
Generally speaking, the Germans regard themselves as modest,
rather ordinary sort of people. Give them a beer, a wurst, a bit
of Gemtlichkeit (cosiness) and another German with whom to
argue politics or bemoan the stress of life, and they will be content. They are not greedy, do not expect something for nothing,
and pay their bills on time. Simple, honest folk. The Germans like
to dream, see themselves as romantic. Not in a Mediterranean
flowery-compliments-and-bottom-pinching way, but in the
stormy genius mode.
Xenophobes Guide to the Germans
Oval Books, 2008
ISBN-10: 1906042330
ISBN-13: 978-1906042332
Vocabulary
Voc
18
Barbecue
Grillen / Grillparty
Beer
Bier
Car
Auto PKW
Curried sausage
Currywurst
Garden gnome
Gartenzwerg
Highway
Autobahn
Multicultural mix
Multikulti
Punctuality
Pnktlichkeit
Television tower
Fernsehturm / coll. Telespargel
The (Berlin) Wall
Die (Berliner) Mauer
3. Universities and structure of studies

3.1 Structure
Universities in Germany are apportioned into seminars and institutes. Those seminars and institutes work fairly independently and
have their own departments. That means that those parts of the
university can be located in different parts of a building or within
different districts of the city, like the campuses of the Humboldt
Universitt located in the district of Mitte and Treptow-Kpenick.
3.1.1 The academic year

The academic year is split into two semesters: The summer semester (Sommersemester) from April to September and the winter
semester (Wintersemester) from October to March.
3.1.2 Timetable
Most courses of studies provide a timetable with more or less
options of changing lectures and seminars. For further information
about what options you have, look in your conditions of study (Studienordnung) or ask your department of studies. At the beginning
of your studies an orientation event will give you guidelines and
help you with your timetable. Once you have fixed your timetable
you have to sign into the courses mostly online. A complete list of all
lectures and seminars with the name of the teachers and professors
is available online or printed in a listing called Kommentiertes
Vorlesungsverzeichnis.
3.2 StuPa
The StuPa (Studierendenparlament) is a resolution passing organ
of the student body that is elected once a year by the students.
StuPa is composed of StuPa members, is responsible for preparing,
organizing and chairing the StuPa plenums public meetings. The
StuPa oversees student body finances and is also responsible for the
election and supervision of the general student council (AStA).
Each year a considerable sum of money is collected through your
fees to the student body. Those funds have to be sensibly managed
and used. A part of the money goes to the student organizations of
the various faculties (Fachschaften). Some is used to provide social
services, like student counselling, as well as for loans and guarantees for students in financial difficulty. In addition there are yearly
disbursements for political education, university activities and
events, as well as for cultural events and for investments.
3.3 AStA
The AStA (Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss) is a self-governed
working organ of the student body that is elected yearly by the StuPa and represents the interests of the students at the universities
and in society. It is called the ReferentInnen Rat (RefRat) at Humboldt University. Therefore the AStA/RefRat represents the student
19
Universities and structure of studies

body externally. AStA/RefRat is comprised of sections (Referaten)
established according to subject and field of work: social matters,
academic politics, public relations, cultural affairs, ecology and
environment, gay and lesbian matters, coordination among student
academic faculty organizations, international affairs, etc..
The AStA offers students counselling in matters of those topics. So
feel free to contact your AStA if you have any demands.
3.4 General student counselling

The general student counselling offers information and counselling
for students and prospective students ahead of the studies, during
the studies and at the end of the studies. Contents of the general
student counselling are: Counselling for degree courses, structural
information of degree courses and degrees, preconditions for
admission and information for changing degree courses.
3.5 International Office

The International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) is one of the
most important institutions for international students. It will help
you plan your studies in Germany from the beginning to the end
and will support you in many questions. Here you will be provided
with information for the first days of your stay in Germany. You will
also find instructions on how to enrol at the university, how to find
a fitting accommodation and/or how to apply for a residence permit
at the Alien Registration Office.
3.6 International Clubs

There are two international clubs: One of the Freie Universitt and
the international club of the HU called Orbis Humboldtianus (to
contact see lists of universities in chapter 6). They offer various
recreational opportunities, language programs and in addition,
the Orbis Humboldtianus offers a visa-service. Beyond that there
are many more international associations at the universities in
Berlin (see chapter 4.3.4). Some are transnationally oriented, others
determined by a special nation or for religious students.
The international clubs and associations are a good way to get in
contact and interact with students from all over the world and make
new friends. If you have special questions you will find answers
here.
You can find more information regarding the structure of universities from the DAAD:
www.daad.de/deutschland/wege-durchs-studium/studienverlauf/06101.en.html
Vocabulary
20
Voc
Lecturer
Dozent
Lecture
Vorlesung
Tutorial
bung
Deadline
Abgabetermin, Frist
Exam
Prfung
To enroll
einschreiben
Presentation
Referat
Term paper
Hausarbeit
(Oral) examination
Kolloquim
Library
Bibliothek
Student card
Studentenausweis
4. What - When - Where

We provide you with a timeline to assist you as you prepare to come
to Berlin, upon your arrival, while you are a student here, and at the
conclusion of your studies.
4.1 Pre-departure
The following things you should take care of or consider before
starting your studies in Berlin. This should give you guidance for the
things you have to prepare.
You can find more information at Deutsches Studentenwerk:
www.internationale-studierende.de/en/prepare_your_studies/
4.1.1 University application

Requirements to study in Germany
In order to study in Germany you need a proper eligibility of
university admission (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) that enables
you to study in your home country. This eligibility has to be equal
and approved to the German Abitur.
The specific eligibility of university admission of EU citizens will be
approved in general.
Applicants from Non-EU countries need their eligibility checked by
the international office of the particular university (chapter 6) or by
uni-assist2.
2 uni-assist is an association that coordinates the applications and admissions for
international students at various universities. If you want to study in Berlin you might
need to apply at uni-assist.
Applicants from the EU and EEA need to pay 43,- for a university application
All other applicants need to pay 63,- for an application
Every additional application costs 15,-

www.uni-assist.de/index_en
You can check the uni-assist website for the cooperating universities in Berlin: http://www.
uni-assist.de/uni-assist-members.html
21
What/When/Where
You can check the following data bases if your eligibility of university admission is approved:
DAAD: www.daad.de/deutschland/wege-durchs-studium/zulassung/06550.en.html
Data base of the conference of the ministers of cultural affairs:

www.anabin.de
If your eligibility of university admission is not approved you will

need to pass an assessment test (Feststellungsprfung) in order to
apply at a university.
To prepare for this assessment test you can visit a study college (Studienkolleg). The lessons of the college will take two semesters (one
year) in general. Certainly it is possible to take the assessment test
without the college, but it can be very hard. You can apply over the
service address for international university applicants uni-assist
at the study colleges.
Application
Please check the application requirements of the certain university to which you want to apply thoroughly. For some courses of
study you can apply directly at the university. Other universities
give admission over cooperating partners like uni-assist or
Hochschulstart3. Contact the responsible international office for
further support.
Nan Yang student tutor for students from China:
I think it is important to give more time and

energy to learning the language as quickly as possible, in order to find your own way and become
acquainted with the society and culture.
4.1.2 Language skills

You should consider learning German even when you are enrolled
for a Non-German degree program. Speaking and understanding
German will help you to get in touch with locals, find new friends,
deal with German forms and applications and can give you a solid
base if you think about staying and finding a job in Germany after
your studies.
If you want to start a German degree program, certain language
skills are required.
22
3 Hochschulstart - Stiftung fr Hochschulzulassung coordinates the admission of special

courses of study like medicine or pharmacy centrally. Other courses of study with numerus
clausus might be coordinated from Hochschulstart as well.
www.hochschulstart.de/

No test necessary: For passed Abitur at German-language secondary
school, a major German language certificate at Goethe Institut or
the German Language Diploma (level II)
There are two German language tests you have to pass:

1. DSH (German Language University Entrance Examination)
2. TestDaF (Test of German as a Foreign Language)
The DSH and TestDaF are the prime German language tests for university registration. The TestDaF is offered in several centers in 180
nations and in Germany of course (for more information visit www.
testdaf.de/). The DSH is only offered at the German universities.
Please inform yourself about examination dates and registration
deadlines. Your international Office (see register of universities in
chapter 6) will help you as well. The costs of the TestDaF are around
175,- and the costs of the DSH can vary among the universities.
If you dont have the required German language skills you can
obtain them at a language course.
There are various language courses offered in Berlin e.g.:
Language courses at the universities (ASH, Charti, FU, HfM,

HTW, HWR, HU, TU, UdK) for further information and contacts
look at the address register
Language courses at the community colleges of the city districts

of Berlin (costs aprox. 140 ); www.berlin.de/vhs/kurse/deutsch/
deutschfremd.html
Language courses at Goethe Institut (costs aprox. 1.000 ); Neue

Schnhauser Str. 20 D-10178 Berlin, E-mail: berlin@goethe.de,
www.goethe.de/ins/de/enindex.htm
Other private language schools like GLS, Hartnackschule etc.

(costs can vary)
More information for language courses from the German

Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
www.daad.de/deutschland/deutsch-lernen/13856.en.html
4.1.3 Costs of living

The costs of fares, rent, insurances etc. can differ enormously from
your home country so be aware of these facts. In order to give you
a little guidance on how much money you might need per month,
here is a list of possible expenses.
280 per semester for semester fees including the semester

ticket
5-10 per month for scripts or books approx.
250-350 for a room in a shared apartment or students dorm
23
What/When/Where
150-200 food etc.
~80 for health insurance (students rate)
80 per month (depends on lifestyle) for cultural activities and

free time
845 - 1.000 total
Please note: Nearly everyone living in Germany is required

to pay a fee to the public broadcasting institutions called
Rundfunkbeitrag. The fee is collected by the Beitragsservice von ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio (formerly GEZ),
a joint organization of Germanys public broadcasting
institutions that is located in Cologne. It is authorized to
collect a fee (17,98 Euro per month) from every household.
Please remember to register there to avoid claims.
www.rundfunkbeitrag.de
Proof of financial reserves
International students who are not citizens of the EU or European
Economic area need to prove financial reserves of 8.000,- in order
to stay in Germany and get a residence permit.
Proofs can be the income of the parents, assets, bankbooks etc.
please ask the German embassy in your home country which proofs
will be recognized. For further information: www.berlin.de/labo/
auslaender/dienstleistungen/studium_de
4.1.4 Visa application
Citizens from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland only need a valid personal identification card to enter
Germany
Citizens from other countries need a visa if the stay in Germany

is over 90 days
Citizens from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand,

South Korea and the United States can apply for a visa after
arriving
Citizens from all other countries need to apply for a visa before
coming to Germany
For more information visit the site of the German Ministry of

Foreign Affairs (Auswrtiges Amt):
www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/EinreiseUndAufenthalt/Visabestimmungen_node.html
24

Study applicant visa (Visum zum Zweck der Studienbewerbung) and student visa (Visum fr den Aufenthalt zu
Studienzwecken)
If you want to apply for a university and havent got an admission
yet, you need to apply for a study applicant visa.
Student visas are normally valid for three months. After that period
of time you need to apply for a residence permit (Aufenhaltserlaubnis) at the Foreigner Registration Office (Auslnderbehrde Berlin).
For further Information visit the site of the Alien Registration Office
Berlin:
www.berlin.de/labo/auslaender/dienstleistungen/studium_de
4.1.5 Housing
Berlin is a vivid and changing cultural center. Every year thousands
of people move to the historically-charged city attracted by the open
and creative atmosphere. Although most rent is still on a low level
compared to other European metropolises, the apartment market is
getting more embattled than the years before. So you should start
looking early for an apartment or student accommodation.
Studentenwerk
To ensure Berlins students affordable and comfortable housing, the
Studentenwerk offers a large number of students accommodations
at a low and fair price. The 9.500 accommodations are located in
different city districts near almost every university.
Look for more detailed information in chapter 1.2.2 Student accommodations Studentenwohnheime or visit:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/wohnen/wohnheimseite
Studentendorf Schlachtensee
The student accommodations Studentendorf Schlachtensee are
a national cultural monument. Since 1959 the Studentendorf
Schlachtensee has offered campus style housing in the South of
Berlin. For more information visit:
www.studentendorf-berlin.com/
Brgermeister-Reuter-Stiftung
The Mayor Reuter Foundation offers furnished apartments and
rooms. The facilities offered by the non-profit Mayor Reuter
Foundation are aimed particularly at young people, who are either
in education or training - e.g. students, interns and apprentices.
Info@brst.de
www.brst.de
Frdererkreis Junge Politik e.V.

The society Frdererkreis Junge Politik e.V. offers housing for
students in Berlin Charlottenburg.For more information visit:
www.wohnheim-berlin.de/index.php/home_en
25
What/When/Where
Private accommodation
Private accommodations are an option as well, if you look for suitable housing. The price and quality can vary significantly throughout
the city districts. In Berlin its more common to rent apartments that
are not furnished. So you might need to buy additional furniture.
Fully furnished apartments are rare and mostly very expensive.
A further alternative is to find a room in a flat-share. Flat-shares
are very popular among students. In flat-shares several people live
together and share the rent and the costs of additional charges.
Everyone has his own room and the kitchen and bathroom are
shared. This is also an attractive alternative to get in contact with
people and make new friends.
Popular websites for flat-shares:

www.studenten-wg.de
www.wg-gesucht.de
Practical tip
Is the rent for an offered apartment a hot deal or a rip off?
You can compare the rent of an apartment online at the Berliner
rent index (Mietspiegel). It shows you what other people pay for
comparable apartments in that city area. The rent excluding additional chargers per square meter will be calculated just multiply
that by the size of your apartment:
www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/wohnen/mietspiegel
Please notice: Most universities have the possibility to hang

out notices. Therefore a look at the bulletin board (schwarzes Brett) of your university can be useful too. Check the
notices for rental offers or hang out your own request!
Vocabulary
Voc
26
Rent
Miete
Rent arrangement
Mietvertrag
Rent excluding additional charges
Kaltmiete
Rent including additional charges
Warmmiete
Additional charges
Nebenkosten / NK
Landlord
Vermieter
Facility manager
Hausmeister
Student hall of residence
Studentenwohnheim
Flat-share
Wohngemeinschaft / WG
Furnished apartment
Mblierte Wohnung
Official document certifying / a

tentants financial hardship
Wohnberechtigungsschein/ WBS

4.1.6 Health insurance and other insurances
Anastasiya Lytovka - tutor of students accommodation Mollwitzstrae:
In Germany health insurance is not only recommendable, its obligatory. Staying in a foreign
country, its always important to know that there
is an institution that will take care of your needs,
especially when it comes to your health. When
you are insured in Germany you are on the safe
side. Because there is a compulsory insurance the
medical care does not focus on ones social origin.
In Germany you need proof of health insurance (Krankenversicherungsnachweis) to enrol at a university. If you are from EU, Croatia,
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Norway or Switzerland your
public health insurance can get approved. If you have a European
Health insurance card you have coverage of health insurance in
Germany.
If you have a private health insurance please contact your insurer
if you have coverage in Germany, but notice: Once you have chosen
a private health insurance in Germany during the duration of your
studies, you cant change into the public health system.
The regular option is to be health insured in Germany. All Students
under the age of 30 or until their 14th academic semester are
eligible for public health insurance in Germany.
Students may take out insurance from a private company as well.
Please note: once a student takes out private health insurance, he
or she cannot change back to public health insurance during the
course of study. High costs can be the result.
Students who are over 30 years or the 14th academic semester can
choose if they want to be voluntarily insured through the public
health insurance (higher costs than reduced student rates) or get
private insurance. Please inform yourself about the possible costs!
Public health is provided to students at a reduced rate (~80 ). You
can choose the public health insurer.
The biggest public health insurers are: AOK, DAK, Barmer, TK, IKK.
For more information:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/berlin/international/timeline/
vor_der_einreise_nach_deutschland/krankenversicherung/
index.html
www.internationale-studierende.de/en/on_arrival/health_insurance/
27
What/When/Where
www.daad.de/deutschland/deutschland/leben-in-deutschland/06266.en.html
Vocabulary
Voc
Doctor
Arzt
Doctors office
Arztpraxis
Pharmacy
Apotheke
to be on a sick leave
Einen Krankenschein haben
Medication
Medikament
Spezialist referral
berweisung (an einen

Spezialisten)
Prescription
Rezept
Liability insurance is an insurance that protects you against

property lost and claimed damages by a third party. You might have
liability insurance from your home country. Please ask your insurer
if you have coverage for overseas.
Liability insurance Privathaftpflichversicherung for private
persons covers:
If you brake contract commitments inculpably
If you violate duty of care
If you act imperilling
You can find an insurance calculator (only in German) online at:

www.studis-online.de/StudInfo/Versicherungen/haftpflichtversicherung.php#Start
Please notice: If you drive a car in Germany you need a

obligatory special car liability insurance! Its not covered by
your private liability insurance!
Home contents insurance is an insurance that covers damages or
thefts on furniture, appliances, clothing and occasionally bikes.
Home contents Hausratversicherung covers:
28
Fire caused by: undefined source, thunderbolt, explosion,

implosion, impact or crash caused by an aircraft
Water: damages caused by leaking faucet water, frost damages
Storm and hail
Thefts: Burglary and robbery
Vandalism
Please notice: Your bike might not be covered by the home

content insurance. Read your contract thoroughly!

If you need independent advice you can contact the consumer
advice center Verbraucherzentrale Berlin. The service is offered to
different fees. Insurance counselling is offered to a price of 20,-. A
discount for persons with financial hardship is possible.
Verbraucherzentrale Berlin
Hardenbergplatz 2 | 4th floor | 10623 Berlin
Office hours for counselling: Tue: 10:00 16:00, Thu: 10:00
19:00, Fri: 10:00 14:00
www.vz-berlin.de/UNIQ133974897410435/Anfahrt-Oeffnungszeiten
4.2 Arrival in Berlin

Here you are! Welcome in Berlin. New exciting times are waiting for
you. The following points should give you guidance for the first days
and weeks after your arrival in Berlin. Enjoy your stay!
4.2.1 Enrolment and semester ticket

The enrolment or matriculation is the process where you become an
official student of a university. The invitation to enrol is linked to the
admission letter. Furthermore the request to transmit the semester
contribution is included as well. There is a period in which the
enrolment is possible this period can be short, so be sure you have
all required documents:
Enrolment application
Passport or ID-card
Admission notification
Proof of university entrance qualification
Proof of paid semester contribution
Confirmation of health insurance
Confirmation of passed language test
Once you have sent all documents correctly you will receive the matriculation certificates, the student ID card and the semester ticket.
After every semester a new enrolment is necessary. At the end of
a current semester a notification will be sent with the request to
transmit the semester fee. There is a deadline to pay the fee.
Please notice: If deadlines are not met and payments are

late, you will be fined or removed from the register.
Semester contribution
This sum has to be paid at the inguinal enrolment and before each
semester.
29
What/When/Where
It contains:
Enrolment fee
Fee for students union (StuPa, RefRat)
Fee for Studentenwerk
Semester ticket (not at every university)
Social contribution
The actual height of the semester contribution is around 280-300 .

Students having a semester abroad, pregnant students and students with children with a semester on leave can be exempted from
the Studentenwerk fee or can get a refund of this fee. Students can
apply for the refund or exemption at their AStA (see chapter 6).
Semester ticket
Berlin has one of the best public transportation systems in Europe.
There is no place you cant reach by bus, train or even ferry. Even
at night the busses and trams (night busses and metro busses and
trams) will be operated continuously and at the weekends even the
metro and city trains will be running nonstop.
Therefore the semester ticket is an affordable ticket for public transport especially for students. The ticket is valid (in combination with
your students ID, passport or ID-card) for the semester (6month)
and it is not transferable. After each semester a new ticket will be
issued and sent with the matriculation certificates.
The ticket is valid for Berlin and parts of the state of Brandenburg
fare zones ABC. Its possible to use busses, trams, metros (U-Bahn),
city trains (S-Bahn), local trains (Regionalzug und Regionalexpress)
and even ferries within the fare zones.
If you want to find your way around, use the connection tool of the
BVG (Berlin Verkehrsbetriebe):
www.bvg.de/index.php/en/index.html
Semester ticket grant

For students with very low income and no assets there is the possibility to apply for the social grant regarding the semester ticket. The
income must be under the needs determined by the social law.
You can find more information at your AStA (see chapter 6).
4.2.2 Residence registration and residence permit

Residence registration
30
International students have to register like German students

at the Citizen Office (Brgeramt, www.berlin.de/suche/index.
php?q=Bezirksamt) of your city district within two weeks. Exceeding
this deadline can be fined!

The issued registration certificate is important and should be kept
(to open a bank account e.g.)
Needed documents:
Passport or ID card (for EU-citizens)
Lease contract
More information from Deutsches Studentenwerk: www.

internationale-studierende.de/en/on_arrival/register/
Residence permit
All students who are not from the EU or European Economic area
need to apply for a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) at the
Alien Registration Office (Auslnderbehrde).
To have a legal stay in Germany this permission is strictly required.
The costs of a residence permit are between 50 and 60 depending on the length of your stay.
Needed documents:
Registration certificate (see above)
Passport with visa (see 4.1.3 Visa application)
Students ID or certificate of matriculation (see 5.2.2 Enrolment

and semester ticket)
Proof of health insurance (see 4.1.5 Health insurance and other

insurances)
Proof of financial reserves (see 4.1.2 Costs of living)
Health insurance certificate (if required)
eAT electronic residence permit

(elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel)
The eAT is a document that proves the residence permit. It is
in credit card size with additional functions. The card contains
a chip with biometric data (passport photo and two finger
prints), residence permit restrictions and personal information.
Furthermore the chip contains an electronic identification proof
and allows the use of electronic signature.
Residence permit restrictions will be additionally noted on an
extra sheet.
If you lose your eAT, please call 0180-1 33 33 33 (3,9 ct per
minute) and block your eAT. Please inform the Alien Registration
Office.
31
What/When/Where
Sarah Schaaf students tutor at students
accommodation Eichkamp
Bureaucracy is a stressful thing in every country.
Germany is no exception in that. If you need to
go to a department or an office, check in advance
on the Internet as to which documents you need,
print them out, fill them in, and take them with
you to the department as soon as it opens on any
Monday. This way you save waiting time and avoid
going twice.
4.2.3 Bank account

Opening a German Bank account can have some advantages like
transferring the rent or withdrawing money without any fees. Most
banks offer a special students account without fees. In order to open
a German bank account you need to bring:
Passport or identification card
Student ID or confirmation of enrolment
Proof of resident registration
After you opened a bank account you will get a debit card (EC card
or Girocard). You can use this card for withdrawing money from
your bank account or paying in stores. There you might need to
prove the payment with PIN (individual four-digit number) or with
your signature. Bank transactions can be done online, at special
bank machines in the bank or over the counter.
More information from Deutsches Studentenwerk: www.internationale-studierende.de/en/on_arrival/making_a_good_start/
Payment terms in Germany

In Germany its common to pay with cash and rarer with EC card or
Girocard. The use of credit cards, like Visa or Master card is unusual.
Most bakeries, corner shops etc. dont accept debit or credit cards,
or only above a certain sum (like 20,-). Supermarkets and bigger
shops most likely accept EC cards or Girocards. Please check before
paying if a credit card is accepted (ask the staff or look for credit
card symbols at the entry doors or at the cash register).
Currency
32
Germany is member of the European currency union. Therefore the

official currency in Germany is the Euro (EUR, ). The subunit of the
Euro is the Eurocent (ct) . One hundred Eurocents equals one Euro.
Besides that the Euro is accepted as official currency in: Andorra,
Austria, Belgium, Cypress, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy,
Ireland, Kosovo, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Vatican and
certain overseas territories.

The following banknotes are available: 5 , 10 , 20 , 50 , 100 ,
200 , 500 . The following coins are available: 1 cent, 2 cents, 5
cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 , 2
You lost your debit card? In order to block your bank card dial:
116 116
Vocabulary
Money
Geld
Transaction
berweisung
Withdrawal
Geld abheben
Bank statement
Kontoauszug
Block an account
Konto sperren lassen
Spezialist referral
berweisung (an einen

Spezialisten)
Prescription
Rezept
Voc
4.3 Student life

The following chapter is dedicated to student life. So we want to
provide a view of different aspects, like studying with children,
financing your studies and various ways of spending your free time.
4.3.1 Studying and children

Coming to a foreign country, starting a study and having children
can be an exciting challenge. This chapter should give you guidance
and show possible grants for students with children.
Please note: The social counselling - Sozialberatung regularly publishes the brochure Studieren mit Kind in Berlin. The
brochure includes comprehensive information for pregnant
women and students with a child or children.
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/bub/sozialberatung/studieren_mit_kind/index.html
Maternity protection
More then 65% of the students in Germany work beside their studies. In case of pregnancy and birth, the law of maternity protection
(Mutterschutzgesetz) will be valid.
Pregnant student employees should ask their employee organization (Betriebsrat) for current regulations at their employment.
Dismissal protection (Kndigungsschutz)

From the beginning of the pregnancy till the end of the parental
leave (Elternzeit) a dismissal protection exists. If a woman is
33
What/When/Where
pregnant and is given a notice she can make her employer aware of
her pregnancy within two weeks. The dismissal protection will still
be valid.
Protection period (Schutzfristen)

In general there is a protection period 6 weeks ahead of the birth
and 8 weeks after birth.
6 weeks ahead of birth a pregnant woman can only be employed if
she wishes so. Eight weeks after birth an employment is prohibited.
Maternity protection wage (Mutterschutzlohn)

The maternity protection wage is a replacement wage in case a
pregnant woman gets a prohibition notice before the protection
period starts. A reason for a prohibition notice can be perinatal
complications.
The maternity protection wage is the average wage of the last 3
months before the pregnancy. It will be paid till the beginning of the
protection period.
The maternity protection wage will be paid by the employer after a
medical certificate is presented.
Maternity benefit (Mutterschaftsgeld)

The maternity benefit is a replacement wage during the protection
period (six weeks ahead of birth and eight weeks after).
Working students can apply for maternity benefits at their health
insurance if:
Member for at least 12 weeks of the state health insurance

between the 4th and 10th month before pregnancy
Current employment at the beginning of the protection period

or valid dismissal notice within the protection period
The height of the benefit is on a comparable basis of the average

wage of the last three months.
Pregnant student employees with dependents co-insurance or
private health insurance have to apply for maternity benefits at the
national insurance office (Bundesversicherungsamt).
Bundesversicherungsamt (BVA) Mutterschaftsgeldstelle
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 38 | 53113 Bonn
Phone: +49 (0)2 28 61 9 18 88
E-mail: mutterschaftsgeldstelle@bva.de
Web: www.bva.de
Foundation Hilfe fr die Familie
34
The foundation Hilfe fr die Familie (aid for the family) supports
pregnant students

and students with children with low income and assets. Primarily a
layette and baby-equipment will be funded.
Documents you need:
Passport and proof of residence (and passport of partner if

living in one household)
Pregnancy record (Mutterpass) issued by the gynecolist
Proof and documentation of assets
Proof of all incomes of one household
Certificate of matriculation
Current bank statements
Lease and amount of health insurance
Proof of earnings (of interests etc.)
Notifications (if claim exists or possibly exists check chapter

4.3.2 or contact Sozialberatung of the Studentenwerk) of
BAfG, unemployment benefits, housing benefits, child benefits,
parent benefits, alimonies
Its not possible to apply directly at the foundation. Applications can

be processed at counselling centers like the Sozialberatung of the
Studentenwerk. If you have any questions about the requirements
and procedure please contact the Sozialberatung of the Studentenwerk.
State benefits for parents and children

Please notice: The following state benefits are relevant if
you are a part of one of these groups.
Students with a study visa from Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
Students who have a residence permit for exercise of employment
Students from the European Union, European Economic area

and Switzerland with a residence permit according to the law
on freedom of movement FreizgG/EU and family members
(non-EU citizens as well) with a residence permit according to
FreizgG/EU
A check can be rewarded if the other parent fulfils the requirements
Child benefit (Kindergeld)

Child benefit is a state grant that parents can get. Child benefit is
not income-contingent. Parents need to apply at the department
of families (Familienkasse) of the employment agency (Agentur fr
Arbeit/Jobcenter) for child benefit.
35
What/When/Where
Required documents:
Filled application
Birth certificate
Residence registration if child is older then six months
Passport
Parent benefit (Elterngeld)

The Elterngeld is an income replacement. All parents have a
claim on parent benefit even with no income.
The payment of the parent benefit can be taken in the first 14
months after the birth of the child. Student parents with no
income just have a claim on 12 months of parent benefit.
The height of the payment depends on the height of the income of
the last 12 months before the six weeks of maternity period started.
Income
Parent benefit
Up to 300
300 parent benefit
301,00 1.000,00
Gradually up to 100% of the income
1.000,00 1.200,00
67% of the income
1.240,00 and more
65% maximum 1.800,00
Parents need to apply for parent benefit at the youth welfare office
(Jugendamt) of the city district.
Sozialgeld (State support for children of parents with low

income)
Parent students with low income can apply for state benefits for
their children if they have an income too low to support them.
4.3.2 Financing academic study

Financing ones studies is almost always a mixture of different
sources. To prove the individual needs and resources is highly
recommended in order to have a stress-free period of studying. We
will assist you in finding your way. You are always welcome to visit
the Sozialberatung of the Studentenwerk (chapter 1.1.4.1) for
professional counselling in matters of financing your studies.
4.3.2.1 Federal Law on Support in Education (Bundesausbildungsfrderungsgesetz BAfG)
36
The BAfG is a puplic allowance for students. Students can

apply for BAfG at the office of support in Education (Amt fr
Ausbildungsfrderung), which is a part of the Studentenwerk

as well. The grant is connected to special preconditions. Basically
BAfG is offered for the standard period of study and is composed
of 50% grant and 50% interest-free loan. The height of the BAfG
is mostly connected to the income of the parents and the number
of siblings that are in education. Beyond that its possible to get
BAfG without the inclusion of the income of the parents under
special conditions.
The maximum rate is today 670 for students with their own
household. Additionally students with children can apply for a
further extra grant of 113 . The highest level of debt is principally
10.000, everything above that will be waived.
General Requirements
Age limit: 30 years old for Bachelor and 35 years for Master
(exceptions might be the raising of children)
only for the first study (a change of study is only possible

without problems after the third semester)
only for the standard period of study (extension only under

special reasons)
course assessment after the 4th semester
BAfG calculated independent of height of the parents

income:
o
Students that began to study after their 30th
birthday
o
After the 18th birthday 5 years of own income
o
After 3 years of job training minimum 3 years of
income
Preconditions for foreign students to receive BAfG
Foreign students with a German spouse or parent
Foreign students who got divorced from a German spouse or a

foreigner with a claim on BAfG
Foreign students who obtain the right of residence (Aufenhaltsrecht) as a family member (child or spouse) of a Germany-based
citizen of the EU, European Economic Area or Switzerland and
got the right of residence according to the law on freedom
of movement FreizgG/EU or foreign students who dont
obtain the right of residence from this regulation because their
parents dont pay maintenance
Foreign Students from the EU, European Economic Area or

Switzerland who were employed before starting the study
(at least six months and the employment needs to be related
contentwise to the study)
Foreign Students from the EU, European Economic Area or

Switzerland who have been living in Germany for five years with
right of permanent residence
37
What/When/Where
Foreign students with residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)
Foreigns students with right of residence (Aufenthaltserlaubnis)

because they are family members of a person who got the
residence permit
Foreign students with right of residence under the terms of the

articles: 22, 23, 23a, 25 I or II, 25a, 28, 37, 38 I Nr.
2 or 104a AufenthG (Law on the right of residence) - Please
look in your passport which article is valid for your right of
residence!
Foreign students who have stayed at least four years in Germany with a right of residence under the terms of the articles 25
III, 25 IV S.2, 25 V or 31 AufenthG or with a suspension of a
deportation (Duldung) - Please look in your passport for which
article is valid for your right of residence!
Foreign students who have stayed at least four years in Germany as a spouse or child of person with a right of residence under
the conditions of the articles 30, 32, 33 or 34 AufenthG
Foreign students have a right of residence under the conditions

of the article 16 AufenthG, if:
o
they are citizens of Turkey and their parents have
remained employees
o
in the last six years a parent has worked three years
in Germany
o
they have worked by themselves at least five years
before starting the study
To oversee the jungle of paragraphs can be very complicated. But a
detailed examination of possible claims can be very lucrative!
If you need assistance please contact the Sozialberatung (chapter
1.1.4.1) or the Amt fr Ausbildungsfrderung.
Amt fr Ausbildungsfrderung
Behrenstrae 40/41 | 10117 Berlin
Office hours: Tue: 10:00 12:00 and 13:30 15:30,
Thu: 15:00 18:00
April and October additionally Fri 10:00 13:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 93 93 9 70
Fax: +49 (0)30 93 93 9 60 02
E-mail: info@studentenwerk-berlin.de
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/bafoeg
4.3.2.2 Scholarships
38
Not only highly gifted people can receive scholarships. Its possible
that many more students can benefit from them. The advantage of
a scholarship is that there is no repayment.

Crucial for success is the motivational letter. Generally the effort is
comparable to an application for a qualified employment, but its
worth it.
Please note that some scholarships awarded are limited to foreign
students. Some foundations might have fixed application terms
and documents you have to fill out.
Others might have no application standards. The next six steps
should help you to get an idea of how to apply for a scholarship.
1. Self-image
The correct self-image is very important: How am I? What do I want?
The personal profile, goals and skills should be clear
Personal plans should be delineated. It should be clear what you

want to achieve.
A detailed enlisting of finances (income and expenses)
A vision of how the cooperation with the foundation should look
2. Research
There are various foundations with an enormous variety of
purposes.
Therefore a knowledgeable research is the most important thing to
start with in order to find the matching founder.
There isnt just one way of doing it. To start your research you can
choose different resources.
Research resources from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange

Service): www.daad.de/deutschland/foerderung/stipendiendatenbank/00462.de
Foundation index (Information only in German) of the Federal

Ministry of Education and Science (Bundesministerium fr
Bildung und Forschung): www.stipendienlotse.de
There are twelve Begabtenfrderungswerke, institutions

which are supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and
Research (BMBF) and which award scholarships to motivated
and ambitious students from all disciplines:
www.stipendiumplus.de
Performance scholarship Deutschlandstipendium (Information only in German): www.deutschland-stipendium.de
Association of German Foundations (Bundesverband Deutscher

Stiftungen); foundation index (Stiftungsindex) of all German
foundations (Information only in German):
CD-ROM (libraries)
Online (only extract): www.stiftungsindex.de
My stipendium; online Database of foundations where you can

draw up a personal profile (Information only in German):
www.mystipendium.de
39
What/When/Where
3. Picture about the other
Foundations always follow a certain purpose. So its very important to check guidelines, mission statements and other available
documents for that.
4. Finding the right one

A foundation always follows certain intensions. Those intensions
should equal your own ideas and fit to your personal convictions
and needs.
The focus, the target group of the foundation
Height of financial support
Selection criteria and requirements
Those points should fit to your needs and ideas and you should get
more information about the foundations (for example over the
internet). Get in touch with the foundation. You should not apply
to more then five foundations at a time (mass applications will be
recognized immediately and have a negative influence).
5. The right words Writing an application

The first step is to find the correct address and contact person. Make
sure that you know the correct application design (can vary within
the foundations). Aspects you should consider:
Expressions: concise, appropriate, briefly and succinctly
Length: depends on the height of the support
Structure: logical setup; orientation at the foundation
Outline: professional, clearly legible
An application should contain a cover letter and a detailed financial

plan. Let your application be read over by others.
6. Send off the application

First of all you will receive a notice of arrival in most cases. A refusal
will always be sent faster then an acceptance so be patient. You
might call the foundation after two weeks if you havent gotten a
notice. Introduce yourself and ask if your application has already
arrived.
A good application can also be refused if the budget of the foundation is exhausted. Dont quit in this case and try next year.
Inform the foundation if something has changed or changes in
your life. If you are invited to an interview please prepare yourself
thoroughly. If you receive an acceptance please ask the foundation
how the cooperation will be arranged.
40

4.3.2.3 Foundations for emergency situations
A funding of the Evangelical Church is possible for voluntary
working students from Africa, Asia and Latin America. You can apply
for hardship fund at the Evangelical students parish (evangelische
Studierendengemeinde ESG).
ESG, Pfr. Pfistner
Borsigstrae 5 | 10115 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 38 82 27
E-mail: notfonds@esgberlin.de
www.esgberlin.de
Student parents and pregnant students can be supported by the
foundation Hilfe fr die Familie (aid for the family). Please look at
chapter 4.3.1 Study and children.
Students in severe emergency situations have the possibility to get
support through an emergency funding from the Studentwerk.
Notfond. For further Information contact the Sozialberatung.
4.3.2.4 National social benefits (Soziale Leistungen)

Germany is a constitutional welfare state. Therefore its intended to
preserve social justice and encourage social participation. There are
some social benefits even non-German students can profit from. But
please check your residence status carefully. An application for social benefits can have a negative influence on your residence permit
if you are not from the EU or fulfill the conditions. If you need advice
please visit our social counselling (Sozialberatung). We assist you
in matters of social law.
Housing benefit (Wohngeld)

Housing benefit is a state grant supplementary to rent. Its only
available if a small income exists (about 380 plus the rate of health
insurance and 2/3 of the rent).
The housing benefit needs to be applied for at the Citizens Registration Office (Brgeramt) of the city districts.
Please note: If you are not from the EU, European Economic Area or
Switzerland you shouldnt apply for the housing benefit. It could
have a negative influence on your residence permit
Citizens Registration Offices of Berlin:
www.berlin.de/verwaltungsfuehrer/buergerberatung
Unemployement benefit (Arbeitslosengeld II)

Normally students cant apply for unemployment benefits. Its
only possible for increased demands, as caused by a pregnancy,
for the children of students (see chapter Study and children) and
in a few cases as a loan or in a semester break (Urlaubssemester).
Applications will be processed at the employment agency of your
41
What/When/Where
city district (Agentur fr Arbeit/Jobcenter). The employment agency
is going to prove income and assets, and the applicant is obligated
to cooperate and perhaps to resume work.
Please notice: Be careful if you are not from the EU, European Economic area or Switzerland with permanent residence
you shouldnt apply for unemployment benefits. It could
end your residence permit!
Unemployment agencies of Berlin: www.berlin.de/jobcenter
4.3.2.5 Student loans

Studentische Darlehnskasse (Daka)
The society Studentische Darlehnskasse e.V. offers student loans
at a low rate for students and Ph.D. candidates in the end of their
studies or Master studies.
Requirements:
The university has to be a member of the society Studentische

Darlehnskasse e.V. (FU, TU, UdK, BHT, ASH, Charit, PHB and EHB
look at chapter 6.)
Two professors have to testify that the studies will be ended in

the next 12 months (exceptions: Master students, and students
of the ASH and EHB in internships)
Obligation to name a bailsmen for a loan up to 6.000,- and two

bailsmen over 6.000,- (bailsmen have to have at least 1.000,-
of income a month with a permanent residence)
Height and duration
Up to 750,- monthly maximum 24 months (max. 12 months in

bachelor studies)
Repayment starts 7 months after the last payment at an interest

rate of 2% the first two years, 4% from the third to the sixth year
and 6% from the seventh year
Application
42
Application should be made personally at a counselling

interview
Studentische Darlehnskasse e. V.
Office hours: Mo, Tue, Thu: 10:00-12:00 and Wed: 14:00-16:00
In the semester break Tue: 10:00-12:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 90 01- 0
Fax: +49 (0)30 31 90 01- 25
E-Mail: mail@dakaberlin.de
Web: www.dakaberlin.de

Bildungskredit
The Bildungskredit is a government-sponsored student loan at
a low interest rate which is offered by the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt) in cooperation with the credit
institute KfW (Kreditanstalt fr Wiederaufbau).
Requirements:
Fulfilled preconditions for BAfG (for foreign students see

BAfG)
Proof of passed exams of the first year of a Bachelor study or

proof of passed exams of the first two years of a state examination (Staatsexamen) study (law, medicine and pharmacy
studies)
Not over 12th semester
Not older than 36 years
Only full-time students
Height and duration:
Up to 300 per month maximum 2 years
Single payment up to 3.600,- possible, total funds shall not

exceed 7.200
Interest rate at 1,45 % (adjustment at 01.04. and 01.10. p.a.)
Application:
Application at the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt) online: www.bildungskredit.de
Applications at the KfW online: www.kfw-foerderbank.de >

Inlandsfrderung > Programmbersicht > Bildungskredit
BAfG bank loan (BAfG Bankdarlehen)

The BAfG bank loan is a financial help for the end of ones studies.
Requirements:
Claim on BAfG
Admission to final exams maximum 4 semesters over the

standard period of study (mostly for a 6 semester bachelor and
a 4 semester master)
Certification by the university that study will be finished within

the maximum period of funding
Maximum 12 months
Height is equal to the calculated need of BAfG

(maximum 670 )
43
What/When/Where
Repayment starts 18 months of the last payment in rates of

minimum 105 at an interest rate of 2,10 % (adjustment at 01.04.
and 01.10. p.a.)
Clearance within 20 years
Application:
Amt fr Ausbildungsfrderung (see chapter 4.3.2.1).
Studentloan of the KfW (Kreditanstalt fr Wiederaufbau)

The KfW bank offers a student loan to finance studies from the first
semester onward.
Requirements:
Not older then 44
German citizens or their relatives (both have to be living in federal

territory)
Citizens of the EU who have been in Germany at least 3 years, or

their relatives (both have to be living in federal territory)
Proof of performance record after the 6th semester
238 connection charge
Maximum 14 semesters 100 up to 650 a month
Repayment starts 23 months after last payment and can extend

up to 25 years
The height of the repayment depends on the income; interest

rates are variable (adjustment at 01.04. and 01.10. p.a.); at the
contract formation a maximum interest rate for 15 years will be
fixed
Applications:
Contract offers are available online:

www.kfw-foerderbank.de
Hotline: 01801/24 24 25
Other student loans

Basically students can choose the offers of other private credit
institutes as well. The Centrum fr Hochschulentwicklung surveys
student loans of regional and national providers every year. Their
criteria can be a good decision aid.
But please note that the offer for international students might be
very limited. So read the requirements thoroughly.
www.che-studienkredit-test.de (Information in German)
44

Vocabulary
Application
Antrag
Department
Amt
Financing
Finanzierung
Notification
Bescheid
Rate
Rate
Repayment
Rckzahlung
Requirement
Voraussetzung
Voc
4.3.2.6 Loan (Darlehen) of the Studentenwerk

For temporary financial difficulties the Studentenwerk offers loans.
Get more information about the requirements at the Sozialberatung.
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/bub/sozialberatung/finanzierung/
index.html#11
4.3.3 Jobs and internships

Around 65% of the Students in Germany finance their studies also
through their own employment. Therefore it might be an important
issue of your study financing. Although there are many regulations
you should pay attention to.
Regulations:
Generally to keep student health insurance the weekly working

hours shouldnt exceed 20h during the lecture period. In the
non-lecture period its possible to work more then that.
EU-citizens
(except citizens from Bulgaria and Romania until 01.01.2014)
can work as much as they wish and will be treated equal as
German citizens.
Employment for non-EU-citizens (and from Bulgaria and Romania) is strictly regulated. International students are allowed
to work 120 days (or 240 half days) per year without a work
permit. To work beyond that is only allowed if you are employed
at the university (studentische Hilfskraft).
For pregnant student employees regulations regarding the

maternity rights need to be observed: no overnight shifts, no
heavy manual labour or handling of hazardous substances
Pregnant student employees enjoy security of tenure
A pregnancy does not have to be mentioned during a job

interview
45
What/When/Where
Foreign graduates from German universities can remain

18 months in Germany (look at 4.4.2.2) and can look for an
appropriate job.
Spouses of international students need a special working

permit from the employment agency (Arbeitsagentur)
More information:
DSW (Deusches Studentenwerk):www.internationale-studierende.de/en/during_your_studies/jobbing/
DAAD: www. daad.de/deutschland/deutschland/leben-indeutschland/06167.en.html
More information for student parents and pregnant students please

look at chapter 4.3.1 Studying and children.
Finding a job
If you are looking for a job visit the Studentenwerks employment
agency Heinzelmnnchen. We offer students on the one hand high
qualified jobs and on the other hand simple manual labour as well.
You can choose whatever suits you best. For more information see
chapter 1.1.3 or at our website:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/en/jobs
Other employment agencies:

Criteria Studentische Personalvermittlung
Schillerstrae 6 | 10625 Berlin
Office hours: Mo-Fri: 8:00 18:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 78 77 11 0
www.criteria-jobs.de
Effektiv
Beuth-Hochschule fr Technik Berlin
Luxemburger Strae 10 | Haus Grashof, 1st floor, room 129 |
13353 Berlin
Office hours: Mo-Fri 8:00 17:30
Phone: +49 (0)30 45 48 23 19 /39
www.jobstudent.de
Job-und Studenten-Vermittlung der Bundesagentur fr Arbeit
Friedrichstrae 39, 10969 Berlin-Mitte
Phone: +49(0)30/5555991180
Office hours: Mon, Tue 8:00 -16:00/ Wed, Fri 8:00 -12:00/
Thu 8:00 -18:00
and
Streitstrasse 6-7, room 1002, 13587 Berlin-Spandau
Phone: +49(0)30 / 5555-72-1315 or -1316,
Office hours: Mon - Thu 7:00 -15:00/ Wed, Fri 7:00 -13:00
In addition various local and national newspapers list job offers:
46
Berliner
Zeitung www.berliner-jobmarkt.de/
Berliner Morgenpost http://stepstone.morgenpost.de/includes/

listing/DE/pb/ASVbm/home.cfm
Tagesspiegel
http://anzeigen.tagesspiegel.de/stellenindex.php
Die Zeit
http://jobs.zeit.de/
Berlin.de www.berlin.de/special/jobs-und-ausbildung/
Zitty
http://kleinanzeigen.zitty.de/
Tip
http://service.tip-berlin.de/anzeigen/index.php/Stellenmarkt
Please notice: Most universities offer jobs by themself and

have the possibility to hang out notices. Therefore a look at
the bulletin board (schwarzes Brett) of your university can
be useful too. Check the internetpage and notices for job
offers or hang out an individual request!
More information from Deutsches Studentenwerk: www.internationale-studierende.de/en/during_your_studies/jobbing/
Internships
Internships are a good way to get an overview about practical work
and establish helpful ties. Furthermore they should be related to
your course of study. Some studies may even require an internship.
Other studies leave the option for a volunteer internship. The length
of the internship depends on the particular study regulation. You
should inform yourself about the current rules of your study.
Required internships wont count against the regulation for non-EU
citizens (and Bulgaria and Romania until 01.01.2014) to work 120
full days or 240 half days.
However recommended or voluntary internships might need approval by the job agency (Agentur fr Arbeit). Its possible that those
kinds of internships count against the 120 full or 240 half days.
Please notice: If you want to start an internship in Germany, mostly good comprehension of German will be required.
So you might think about learning German far ahead. For
more information about learning German see chapter 4.1.2
Language skills.
Social security card (Sozialversicherungsausweis)
is a document that proves social security insurance in Germany.
The social security card has to be tendered to the employer at the
beginning of an employment. This document contains the pension
security number. The Social security card is issued at the Deutsche
Rentenversicherung.
47
What/When/Where
Deutsche Rentenversicherung
Knobelsdorffstrae 92 | 14059 Berlin
E-mail: post@drv-berlin-brandenburg.de
Web: www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/ (available in German,
English, French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Polish and Turkish)
Tax I.D. number (Steuer-Identifikationsnummer)

The personal tax I.D. number (Steuer-Identifikationsnummer) is
a permanent and personal number that shows the personal tax
characteristics of a registered citizen. Its issued by the tax office
(Finanzamt) of your city district. At the beginning of an employment
this number needs to be tendered to the employer. Please keep this
number on file, it has a lasting validity .
Please notice, if you are married or going to marry the

height of the tax wage will be lowered to your or to your
spouses benefit.
To find your responsible tax office of your city district (Finanzamt)
look at:
www.berlin.de/sen/finanzen/steuern/finanzaemter/
Vocabulary
Voc
Application
Bewerbung
Job interview
Bewerbungsgesprch
Employment agreement
Arbeitsvertrag
Holiday
Urlaub
Sick call
Krankmeldung
Boss
Vorgesetzter
Dismissal
Kndigung
4.3.4 Freetime
Rafael Aviles Escobar - student tutor of the student
accommodation Siegmunds Hof
Berlin has everything. Berlin is different. Enjoy

your free time to discover the city. In Berlin the best
things to do in your free time are those you dont
know.
48
Berlin became one of the most exciting, vivid and creative places

in Europe. From the historical sights like the Berlin Wall to art
exhibitions and the nightclubs of Berlin the offers are diverse and
interesting. For everyone there is something to discover.
The Studentenwerk Berlin offers cultural programs for students by
the Kulturkalender. Here you can find:
Trips
Exhibitions
Parties and festivals
Lectures and guided tours
Art and culture
Exercise and tournaments
Here you can meet interesting new people and make impressive
experiences. The events are all offered at a low price or even for free.
So take a look its worth it.
Visit our homepage and look at the Kulturkalender:
www.studentenwerk-berlin.de/kulturelle_angebote/kulturkalender
If you live in one of the accommodations of the Studentenwerk there are various additional offers like barbecue or other social events
like mixers. Its always a good opportunity to meet the neighbours
and make new friends. You will find information at the notices
of your accommodation or contact your Wohnheimtutor (see
chapter 1.1.4.4 Wohnheimtutor).
If you are glowing for sports there are various offers of the universities (Hochschulsport) you can participate in. Here you can meet
other students and practice sports for little money. There are quite
a lot of universities that have sports courses. Every student can visit
one of these university sports courses as long as their university
is in cooperation with them. Please check the websites for more
information.
At Humboldt Universitt: www.zeh.hu-berlin.de
At Freie Universitt: www.hs-sport.fu-berlin.de
At Technische Universitt: www.tu-sport.de
Hochschule fr Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin:

www-en.htw-berlin.de/service/sports.html
Hochschule fr Wirtschaft und Recht:

www.hwr-berlin.de/index.php?id=2831&0=
At Beuth Hochschule fr Technik: www.tfh-sport.de/wordpress
The international clubs of the FU and HU offer various events like

trips and lectures. You should visit them if you are interested in
meeting and interacting with other international students (see
chapter 3.5 International clubs).
49
What/When/Where
If you are interested in meeting people from your home country, you
have the opportunity to join one of the many international societies
in Berlin:
50
Chinesisches Kulturzentrum Berlin (Chinese culture center)

Klingelhferstrae 21 | 10785 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 26 39 07 9-0
E-mail: info@c-k-b.eu
http://c-k-b.eu
Gesellschaft fr Chinesische Akademiker Vereinigung an der

technischen Universitt Berlin (Society for Chinese academics
society at the Technische Universitt Berlin)
Strae des 17. Juni 135 | c/o Koordinationsbro TUB, Room
H2129 | 10623 Berlin
Trkisches Wissenschafts- und Technologiezentrum Berlin e.V.

(Turkish Science and Technology center)
Franklinstrae 29 | 6th Floor, Room 5043 | 10587 Berlin
E-mail: info@BTBTM.de
www.BTBTM.de
Deutsch-Polnische Gesellschaft Berlin e.V. (German-Polish

society Berlin)
Schillerstrae 59 | 10627 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 71 38 92 01
E-mail: dpgberlin@t-online.de
www.dpgberlin.de
Verein vietnamesischer Studenten in Berlin (Sivi-Berlin e.V.)

(Society of Vietnamese students in Berlin)
E-mail: info@SiVi-Berlin.de
www.sivi-berlin.de
Club Dialog e.V. (club for Russian speaking persons)

Friedrichstrae 176-179 | 10117 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 20 44 85 9
E-mail: info@club-dialog.de
http://www.club-dialog.de
ASU Afrikanische Studenten-Union Berlin e.V. (African Students

Union)
Marchstrae 6-7 | c/o ASTA der TU | 10587 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30-31425683
Fax: +49 (0)30-3121398
E-mail: afrikanischestudentenunion@yahoo.de
The Evangelic and Catholic churches offer different proposals

like worship services and other interesting social events. Here
you can meet a lot of international students.
o
Evangelische Studierenden Gemeinde (ESG)
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 38 82 23
www.esgberlin.de
o
Development Education Programme for students
(STUBE) Studienbegleitprogramm Berlin-Brandenburg

(STUBE)
The STUBE program wants to support students in
subject- specific and in social matters and encourage
the intercultural dialog.
STUBE offers counselling and an education program
(weekend seminars, day events/ excursions and club
nights). The program will be arranged in cooperation
with the international students.
o
You can find the current program here:
www.esgberlin.de/programm/stube
Coordinator Kathleen Schneider-Murandu
Office hours: Thu 13:00 16:00 and with
appointment
Phone: +49 (0)30 27 57 23 80
E-mail: stube@esgberlin.de
o
Katholische Studierendengemeinde Edith Stein (KSG)
Dnenstrae 17 18 | 10439 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 44 67 49 6 0
E-mail: mail@ksg-berlin.de
www.ksg-berlin.de
At the Jewish Community of Berlin you can find the students
initiative Studentim Jdische Studierendeninitiative Berlin.
Goal of this initiative is to build up a vivid students association.
A networking between Jewish students and alumni shall be
established.
Open forums, movie nights, travel and other social events are
planed. If you want to participate, contact Studentim:
o
Studentim - Jdische Studierendeninitiative Berlin
Oranienburger Strae 28 31 | 10117 Berlin
E-mail: contact form at the website
www.jg-berlin.org/en/institutions/youth/jewishstudent-organisation-jsb.html
The official website of the city of Berlin presents events,
attractions and various other offers. Here you can find information about museums or sights. The site is released in many
languages like: English, German, French, Italian, Polish, Chinese,
Turkish or Russian.
For more information visit:
www.berlin.de/international/index.en.php
There are many ways to spend time in Berlin. Its not a matter
of money anyways. Even for a low budget there are many
interesting offers.
You can find events for free at:
www.gratis-in-berlin.de/
Berlin has many journals, magazines or newspapers that list

current events in the city. You can purchase them, find them as
free give-aways in bars or online. Here are some medias (mostly
in German) that might be interesting for you:
51
What/When/Where
o
o
o
o
o
Exberliner (English side) www.exberliner.com

[030] Magazin Berlin (free print media): www.
berlin030.de/
Tip Berlin: www.tip-berlin.de/
Zitty Stadtmagazin Berlin: www.zitty.de/
Siegessule (GLBT): www.siegessaeule.de/
4.4 End of studies

With the end of your studies a new period of your life will start. You
will have to make many decisions for your future life, like finding a
proper job and deciding where to live. Maybe you will want to stay
in Germany and plan your working life here. You might have the
wish to return to your home country. However your plans will be,
this chapter will try to give you some orientation.
4.4.1 Returning home

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 ask for 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 electricity connections, as well as any newspaper or magazine
subscriptions you may have had. Some of these contracts are
renewed automatically if they are not cancelled. Lastly, you will
need to deregister your residence at the Citizens Registration Office
(Bezirksamt/Brgeramt).
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). www.deutsche-rentenversicherung-bund.de/
SharedDocs/en/Navigation/_home_node.html
52
Please notice: The program Assisted return by the Federal

Office for Migration an Refugees offers information regarding a successful, permanent and sustainable return to
the country of origin for foreigners who cannot or are not
allowed to stay in Germany permanently:
www.bamf.de/EN/Rueckkehrfoerderung/rueckkehrfoerderung-node.html

4.4.1.1 Finding a Job Back Home
If you wish to find a job in your home country, there are some
organizations that can assist you. Many universities and Fachhochschulen in Berlin have career service offices that provide valuable
information and workshops to assist students with their search
for employment, no matter in which country they are seeking a
position.
The Central Placement Office (ZAV) is the service of the Federal
Employment Agency in Germany that places Germans in jobs
abroad and international persons in jobs in Germany. It works with
a number of international organisations and has placed job seekers
in positions in more than 130 countries.
The ZAV also offers in cooperation with the Centre for International
Migration and Development (CIM) a reintegration program to support students from developing countries who, upon completion of
their studies in Germany, are returning to their homelands to begin
their professional careers. This support is in the form of subsidies
that are intended to cover travel, transportation of goods and to
supplement ones earnings. To qualify for the subsidies offered by
the ZAV, you must be a citizen of a developing country, have at least
two years of professional or higher-educational training experience
in Germany, have legal residence in Germany, and return to your
home country permanently and take up employment there.
Centrum fr internationale Migration und Entwicklung (CIM)
Mendelssohnstrae 75-77 | 60325 Frankfurt am Main
Phone: +49 (0)69 71 91 21 153
E-mail: return@cimonline.de
AGEF (Arbeitsgruppe Entwicklung und Fachkrfte), an association
of experts in the fields of migration and development cooperation,
is another organization that assists international students in reintegrating into the job market of their home countries. AGEF offers a
variety of workshops, counselling, and, in cooperation with the ZAV,
cross-border job placement services.
AGEF GmbH
Postfach 660123 | 10267 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 50 10 850
E-mail: info@agef.de
The European Employment Service, or EURES, is a particularly useful service for students from European Union or European Economic
Area countries and Switzerland. This is a job mobility portal that
provides information, advice, and job placement services for job
seekers and employers of the European labor market. You can search
in their online database for job offers in all 27 EU and EEA countries.
Germanys Federal Employment Agency also has a Europe Service
that is linked with the EURES network and that offers additional
information on work and training opportunities in Europe and
worldwide.
53
What/When/Where
http://ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en&langChanged=true
WUS (World University Service) is a program that supports students
especially from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Matters like social
situations and future job prospects for postgraduates in Africa, Asia
and Latin America are work contents. The program for returning
specialists (Programm fr Rckkehrende Fachkrfte PRF) promotes
foreign specialists who have studied in Germany and use their
knowledge in their home countries. WUS supports on average
hundreds of returning specialists who work in development policy
areas with workstations.
World University Service | Deutsches Komitee e.V.
Goebenstrae 35 | 65195 Wiesbaden
Tel. +49 (0)61 1 44 66 48
Fax +49 (0)61 1 44 64 89
E-Mail: info@wusgermany.de
www.wusgermany.de/
4.4.2 Staying in Germany

4.4.2.1 Postgraduate Studies
Some students go on to pursue a postgraduate degree. The international office of your university, as well as the academic faculties,
can provide you with further information specific to the degree and
institution you are interested in. You can also search for postgraduate degree programs in Germany through the German Academic
Exchange Service (DAAD). In addition, the DAAD has a scholarship
database, as does the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen (Association of German Foundations), which easily allows you to look
into different funding possibilities. For more information regarding
scholarships see chapter 4.3.2.2.
4.4.2.2 Finding a Job in Germany

Other students wish to find a job in Germany. Many universities in
Berlin have career service offices that provide valuable information
and workshops to assist students with their search for employment.
Students from the European Union or European Economic Area
countries and Switzerland may work in Germany without a work
permit.
54
If you are a student from a Non-EU/EEA country and have successfully completed your studies, you may extend your residence permit
in Germany for an additional 18 months for the purpose of seeking
employment. You can apply for this extension at the Foreigner Registration Office (Auslnderbehrde). You must be able to prove that
you have adequate financial resources in order to support yourself
while you search for a job.
In addition, during this 18 month extension period, you still have
the right to work full without a work permit and registrations.

Please notice: upon completing your studies, your residence permit as a student is no longer valid, regardless of
whether the permit was designated for a longer period of
time. Without extending your residence permit, you cannot
legally stay in Germany.
The Central Placement Office (ZAV) is the service of the Federal Employment Agency in Germany that places Germans in jobs abroad
and international persons in jobs in Germany. The ZAV works with
employment agencies throughout Germany as well as with each
Federal States employment administration.
Zentralstelle fr Arbeitsvermittlung der Bundesagentur fr Arbeit
(ZAV)
53107 Bonn
Phone: +49 (0)228 713 13 13
You can search for current employment opportunities in Germany:
European Employment Service (EURES): http://ec.europa.eu/

eures/
Zentralstelle fr Arbeitsvermittlung der Bundesagentur fr

Arbeit (ZAV): www.europaserviceba.de
Berlin.de: www.berlin.de/special/jobs-und-ausbildung
Federal Employment Agencys website: http://jobboerse.arbeitsagentur.de/vamJB/startseite.html?kgr=as&aa=1&m=1e
Stellenbrsen website is also a very useful resource with a

variety of career information and links to other job search sites:
www.stellenboersen.de/
in addition, various local and national newspapers, such as:

o
Berliner Zeitung:
www.berliner-jobmarkt.de/
o
Berliner Morgenpost:
http://stepstone.morgenpost.de/includes/listing/DE/
pb/ASVbm/home.cfm
o
Tagesspiegel:
http://anzeigen.tagesspiegel.de/stellenindex.php
o
Die Zeit:
http://jobs.zeit.de/
o
Zitty
http://kleinanzeigen.zitty.de/
o
Tip
http://service.tip-berlin.de/anzeigen/index.php/
Stellenmarkt
Further detailed information about laws and regulations pertaining
to international job seekers in Germany is available from:
55
Legal process
Federal Employment Agency:

www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_426134/EN/zentraler-Content/Arbeiten/Arbeit-in-Deutschland-EN.html
Federal Foreign Office: www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/EinreiseUndAufenthalt/LernenUndArbeiten/ArbeiteninD_node.html
DAAD: www.daad.de/deutschland/index.en.html
More general information on how to finish your studies from

Deutsches Studentenwerk: www.internationale-studierende.de/en/
finishing_your_studies/
5. Legal process
The following chapter shows you what rights and possibilities you
have if you disagree with a decision.
5.1 Notification and objections

After an application at a department you will normally get a written notification (Bescheid). If you think this notification is wrong
or your situation is misunderstood, you will have the possibility to
submit an objection (Widerspruch). Every notification has to have
information on legal remedies (Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung) within the
period an objection is possible (normally one month). After this period processing is only possible in exceptional cases. You can submit
an objection without any costs.
Please notice: Objections should be couched in German.

An objection should contain the following things:
Your name, address (with phone number) and date
Address of department
Declaration that you submit an objection
Date of notification to which you object
Reference number of notification
Your signature
Approximate reasoning is not necessary. But it has to be handed in

later. You should immediately explain why you are not content with
the notification. You should comment on things that are not known
or have been overlooked.
5.2 Emergency appeal
56
If an existential benefit is not accomplished because an objection

is not processed fast enough or rejected without any justification,
then you will have the possibility to submit an emergency appeal
(Eilantrag) in court. Consequently the court can prompt an interim
injunction to end the emergency situation temporarily.

An emergency appeal should contain the following things:
Copy of application of department (if existent)
Explanation of hardship (for example benefits are needed to pay

food or the rent)
Copy of objection or lawsuit (if existent)
Statement of current proceedings (when and where was the

application turned in (viva voce and written), what was further
done to get the requested benefits: on which days or dates did
you speak with or call whom and what was the reaction of the
department)
The emergency appeal can be presented with the objection or

lawsuit at the same time if an urgent demand exists. The court will
request the department to provide the concerned records. After that
the court will present a statement of the department to you. You
should answer quickly (incorrect statements should be denied and
refuted). The court will usually pass the adjudication in a speedy
trial without a hearing within three to six weeks. In very urgent
cases the adjudication can be done in a few days.
Please notice: The court only temporarily regulates what

the department has to do until the final decision is made.
The emergency appeal does not replace the main trial.
5.3 Lawsuit
If the disagreement is not solved by the objection proceedings the
department will pass a notice of objection (Widerspruchsbescheid).
In that notice the department will justify its decision. Only with
a notice of objection can you file a lawsuit. Without a notice of
objection a lawsuit is inadmissible.
The notice of objection will contain information on legal remedies
as well and where you can file the lawsuit. At the legal application
office (Rechtsantragsstelle) of the court the lawsuit will be placed on
record.
Legal application office of the social welfare court Berlin
Rechtsantragsstelle Sozialgericht Berlin
Invalidenstrae 52 | Ground floor, room 11 | 10557 Berlin
Office hours: Mo Thu: 9:00 14:00, Fri: 9:00 13:00
Legal application office of the administrative court Berlin
Rechtsantragsstelle Verwaltungsgericht Berlin
Kirchstrae 7 | Ground floor, room 0103 | 10557 Berlin
Office hours: Mo Fri: 8:30 13:00
A law suit should contain:
Name, address (with phone number) and date
Address of the court
57
Legal process
Date of notification of objection
Data of defendants (department)
File reference of notice of objection
Declaration that you file a lawsuit
Explanation why you are not agreeing with the notice of

objection
Application which contains the issue that you demand from the
defendant
Signature
You can turn in evidence or witness statements as well if they exist.

The proceedings can cause in some cases costs. Lawsuits at the
social welfare courts are without any charge. Lawsuits at the
administrative court are free for issues like: BAfG, housing benefits
(Wohngeld), maintenance advance.
Please notice: Proceedings for failure to act is a possibility

in addition to the emergency appeal. This requires that the
department hasnt reacted after 3 months (administrative
jurisdiction) or hasnt reacted to an application after 6
months or to an objection after 3 months (social jurisdiction).
5.4 Legal advice
Legal advice is offered by:
Lawyers. Mostly their service is charged. There is the possibility

that the lawyer can apply for you for support of legal advice
(Beratungshilfe) if you fulfil the requirements
Legal advice centers of the unions; counselling for foreigners is

not charged
Legal advice of the district offices (Bezirksmter), with low

income without a charge
Please notice: For students in particular some student

unions offer free legal advice by lawyers (see chapter 6 for
more Information).
5.5 Support of legal advice
58
Support of legal advice (Beratungshilfe), according to the law on

support of legal advice (Beratungshilfegesetz), enables persons of
low income with competent legal advice in return for a very low
payment. Besides the advice the support contains representation
towards departments. Support of legal advice will be granted for:
Civil law (rental, divorce, maintenance and other family issues)
Administrative law (BAfG, housing benefits, university law)
Constitutional law
Employment law (e.g. to be given notice)
Social law
If you are suspected of commission of an infraction or a crime you

can get advice, but you will not get support in representation.
Support of legal advice will be granted at the district court (Amtsgericht) of your city district or at the lawyer of your choice.
www.berlin.de/sen/justiz/gerichte/kg/formularserver/beratungshilfe.html
Please notice: The legal advice that you can get for instance
at the district court is without a charge. At a lawyer you
can count on a charge of 10 (even with a warrant for
support of legal advice / Berechtigungsschein fr Beratungshilfe from the district court). This payment can be
waived if the person in search of advice cant afford that.
5.6 Legal aid
Legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe) shall support those, who have very low
income, to insure their rights and represent them at court. Required
for granting the legal aid is the prosecutions possibility of parole.
Legal aid depending on the height of income takes over the costs
(in whole or in part) of the court and ones own lawyer. The costs
for the opposing lawyer are not covered by legal aid. You can get
information on income limits from your lawyer or the district court.
The application of legal aid will be decided by the district court of
your city district. The application should contain the contentious
issue with the according evidence. Furthermore a declaration of
economic and personal circumstances has to be submitted.
Please notice: If the issue has a relation to foreign law the

support of legal advice and legal aid are only possible if
there is a connection to Germany.
Vocabulary
Alibi
Alibi
Objection/Appeal
Widerspruch
Court
Gericht
Evidence
Beweis
Hardship
Notlage
Judge
Richter
Lawyer
Rechtsanwalt
Voc
59
Index of all universities of Berlin
Notfication
Bescheid
Notice of objection
Widerspruchsbescheid
Legal advice
Rechtsberatung
Legal aid
Prozesskostenhilfe
Legal application office
Rechtsantragsstelle
Prosecution
Staatsanwaltschaft
6. Index of universities of Berlin

6.1 Alice Salomon Hochschule (ASH)
www.ash-berlin.eu/en
International Office:
Alice-Salomon-Platz 5 | 12627 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0) 99 24 53 44
E-mail: ioffice@ash-berlin.de
www.ash-berlin.eu/en/programmes-of-study/incoming-students/
Student counselling:
Allgemeine Studienberatung
Phone: +49 (0)30 99 24 51 25
E-mail: studienberatung@ash-berlin.eu
www.ash-berlin.eu/studienangebot/studienberatung/
General Students Committee of the ASH (AStA)
Referat fr Soziales
Phone: +49 (0)30 99 24 5 - 367
E-mail: soziales@asfh-berlin.de
www.asta.asfh-berlin.de/soziales/das-sozialreferat
Language course
Intensive introductory German course and semester courses
Ms Frances Kregler
Tel. +49 (0)30 99 24 54 40
E-mail: kregler@ash-berlin.eu
www.ash-berlin.eu/studienangebot/fremdsprachen-kursangebot/
deutsch-als-fremdsprache-german/
60

6.2 Beuth-Hochschule fr Technik
www.beuth-hochschule.de
International Office
Akademisches Auslandsamt
Luxemburger Strae 10 | 13353 Berlin
Office hours: Tue and Thu: 10:00 -12:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 45 04 - 29 50
E-mail: ausland@beuth-hochschule.de
www.beuth-hochschule.de/518/
Student counselling
Zentrale Studienberatung
Luxemburger Strae 10 | 13353 Berlin
Office hours: Mo: 10:0012:00, Wed: 16:0018:00
Phone counselling: Tue: 13:0015:00, Thu : 10:0012:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 45 04 - 20 20
Fax: +49 (0)30 45 04 - 27 20
E-mail: studienberatung@beuth-hochschule.de
www.beuth-hochschule.de/studienberatung/
General Students Committee (AStA)
Luxemburger Strae 8 | Haus Bauwesen, Room ME03 | 13353 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 45 04 25 25 | Fax: +49 (0)30 45 04 20 93
E-mail: info@asta-bht.de
http://asta-bht.de/
Sports (Hochschulsport)
www.tfh-sport.de/wordpress
6.3 Charit Universittsmedizin Berlin

www.charite.de/en/charite/
Charit International Cooperation
Angelika Cernitori
Incoming students coordinator
Charit Campus Mitte
Charitplatz 1 - Virchowweg 24 | Level 03. Room 03028-29 | 10117
Berlin
Office hours: Tue: 9.30 - 12.30 and 13.30 16.00, Thu: 9.30 - 12.30
Phone +49 (0) 30 4 50 57 60 02
Fax +49 (0) 30 4 50 57 69 00
E-mail: Angelika.Cernitori@charite.de
Student affairs office
Referat fr Studienangelegenheiten
Charit Campus Mitte
Charitplatz 1 | 10117 Berlin
Office hours: Mo Fri: 9.00 - 12.00; Mo Thu: 13.00 - 16.00
Servicehotline: +49 (0)30 45 05 76 04 2
61

E-mail: stud-hotline@charite.de
www.charite.de/en/studies/dean_of_student_affairs_office_teaching_and_learning/student_affairs_office/
Look at AStA FU or ReferentInnenRat HU
Language Course
A basic German course for medical students of the Charit
(costs 65 )
www.charite.de/studium_lehre/international/sprachtraining/
wochenendkurse/
6.4 Evangelische Hochschule Berlin (EHB)

www.eh-berlin.de/
International Office/ student counselling
Akademisches Auslandsamt/ Allgemeine Studienberatung
Teltower Damm 118 | F-Building, Room F 103 | 14167 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30) 845 82 135
E-mail: preiss-allesch@eh-berlin.de
Student counselling by students
Studentische Studienberatung
Teltower Damm 118 | A-Building, Room A 108 | 14167 Berlin
Office hours at: http://eh-berlin.de/studium/beratungsangebote/
studentische-studienberatung.html
Phone: +49 (0)30 84 58 22 92
E-mail: studienberatung@eh-berlin.de
Bro-AStA-Service in the students room across the dining hall
Teltower Damm 118122 | 14167 Berlin
Office hours: Mo Thu: 11:50 12:10
Phone: +49 (0) 30 84 58 21 06
E-mail: service@asta.eh-berlin.de
Legal advice (Rechtsberatung)
The student project FRehDS is a general, free and social legal
advice in matters of financing and legal aspects
Room E 112
Office hours: Mo: 12:00 14:00
E-mail: frehds@eh-berlin.de
http://eh-berlin.de/studium/beratungsangebote/beratung-zufinanzierung-und-rechtsfragen.html
6.5 Freie Universitt Berlin (FU)

www.fu-berlin.de/
62
International Office:
Internationale Studierendenmobilitt Welcome Services
Brmmerstrae 52 | 14195 Berlin

Office hours: Mo, Tue: 9:30 - 12:30; Thu: 14:00 - 17:00
www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/verwaltung/abt-4/ivc/
Center for Academic Advising and Psychological Counseling
ZE Studienberatung und Psychologische Beratung
Center for Academic Advising Information desk
Brmmerstrae 50; Otto-von-Simson-Strae 26; Iltisstrae 1 |
14195 Berlin
Office hours: Mo, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9:00 15:00; Thu: 9:00 17:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 83 87 00 00
E-mail: info-service@fu-berlin.de
www.fu-berlin.de/en/studienberatung
Individual Advising (without appointment)
Brmmerstrae 50 | 14195 Berlin
Office hours: Mo, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9:00 15:00; Thu: 9:00 17:00
Information and Advising Chat
www.fu-berlin.de/studienberatung/info-service/
Academic information from the Information service
Mo: 15:00 16:00
Psychological counselling via Chat
Mo: 19:00 21:00
Psychological Counselling Service
Phone: +49 (0)30 83 85 52 42
E-mail: psychologische-beratung@fu-berlin.de
Counselling for International students from the AStA
AStA Auslnder_innenberatung
Otto-von-Simson-Strae 23 | 14195 Berlin
Office hours: Mo: 10:00 15:00, Tue: 10:00 15:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 83 90 91 - 17
E-mail: arefberatung@astafu.de
www.astafu.de/
International Club of the FU
Garystrae 45 | 14195 Berlin
Office hours: Tue: 16-17
Phone: +49 (0)30 83 85 50 52
www.internationalerclub.de
Language course
Language tandem at international club of the FU (no costs!)
E-mail: isap@internationalerclub.de
www.internationalerclub.de/component/option,com_dfcontact/
Itemid,54/lang,de/
Language courses at language center of the FU (costs can vary)
www.sprachenzentrum.fu-berlin.de/
www.hs-sport.fu-berlin.de
63

6.6 Hertie School of Governance GmbH
www.hertie-school.org/
Friedrichstrae 180 | 10117 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 25 92 19 0
Fax: +49 (0)30 25 92 19 11 1
E-mail: info@hertie-school.org
Student Affairs & Study Abroad
Phone: +49 (0)30 25 92 19 11 6
E-mail: studentaffairs@hertie-school.org
6.7 Hochschule fr Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin (HfM)

Auslandsangelegenheiten
Dr. Ute Schmidt
Hochschule fr Musik Hanns Eisler
Charlottenstrae 55 | 10117 Berlin
Office hours: Mo: 13:30 15:30, Tue: 9:30 12:00, Thu: 9:30 12:00,
13:30 15:30
Phone: +49 (0)30 68 83 05 83 1
Fax: +49 (0)30 68 83 05 73 1
E-mail: schmidt_ute@hfm.in-berlin.de
Student counselling
Studienberatung
Charlottenstrae 55 | Main building | room 633 | 10117 Berlin
Office hours: Mo and Thu: 11:30 13:00, Tue and Wed: 13:00
15:30 and by appointment
Phone: +49 (0)30 68 83 05 83 0 | Fax: +49 (0)30 68 83 05 73 0
E-mail: studienberatung@hfm.in-berlin.de
www.hfm-berlin.de/Kontakt_Beratung
Charlottenstrae 55 | Room 376 | 10117 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 68 83 05 89 8
Fax: +49 (0)30 68 83 05 89 8
E-mail: asta@hfm.in-berlin.de
www.hfm-berlin.de/Kontakt_Beratung
Language course
German course at the Hochschule fr Musik Hans Eisler (costs 125 )
www.hfm-berlin.de/Sprachkurs_Deutsch_als_Fremdsprache
6.8 Hochschule fr Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch

Berlin (HfS)
www.hfs-berlin.de
64
Academic Affairs and International Office

Dr. Jessica Kregel-Olff

Schnellerstrae 104 | 12439 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 75 54 17 162
Fax: +49 (0)30 75 54 17 17 5
E-mail: kregel-olff@hfs-berlin.de
6.9 Hochschule fr Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin

(HTW)
www-en.htw-berlin.de/
International Office - Counsellor for foreign students
Treskowallee 8 | Main building, room 148 | 10318 Berlin
Office hours:
Mo: 14:00 16:00 at Wilhelminenhofstrae 75A, 12459 Berlin
(Building B, room 102); Tue and Thu: 13:00 17:00 at Treskowallee
8, 10318 Berlin (main building, room 148)
Phone: +49 (0)30 50 19 27 43
Fax: +49 (0)30 50 19 22 10
E-mail: Gernot.Welschhoff@HTW-Berlin.de
Student Counselling
Treskowallee 8 | Main building, room 137 and 151 154 | 10318
Berlin
Office hours:
Mo: 10:00 12:00, Tue and Thu: 14:00 17:00; phone counselling
Wed: 10:00 12:00 and Fri: 10:00 12:00
E-mail: studienberatung@htw-berlin.de
AStA HTW
Treskowallee 8 | Main building, room 41 | 10318 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 50 19 22 65
Building B, room 106 | Wilhelminenhofstrae 75A | 12459 Berlin
+49 (0)30 50 19 26 18/ 25 40
E-mail: asta@students-htw.de
Language course
German course at Language center (Zentraleinrichtung Sprachen)
of the HTW
E-mail: ze-fremdsprachen@htw-berlin.de
www.htw-berlin.de/Studium/Fremdsprachen
www-en.htw-berlin.de/service/sports
6.10 Hochschule fr Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin

(HWR)
www.hwr-berlin.de/en/
Campus Schneberg
Badensche Strae 52 | House B, Room 57 | 10825 Berlin
65

Phone: +49 (0)30 30 87 71 26 1
TRIDEM-Helpdesk for international students
TRIDEM-Helpdesk fr auslndische Studierende
Program that supports international students with an extern
mentor and a student mentor.
Campus Schneberg
Badensche Strae 52 | House A, Room 3.38 | 10825 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 30 87 71 32 5
ccm@hwr-berlin.de
Central student counselling of the HWR
Zentrale Studienberatung der HWR
Badensche Strae 52 | House A, Room 3.06 and Room 3.07 | 10825
Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 30 87 71 25 4
E-mail: studienberatung@hwr-berlin.de
www.hwr-berlin.de/en/study-at-hwr-berlin/student-counselling/
central-student-counselling/
AStA HWR-Berlin
Campus Schneberg
Badensche Strae 52 | House B, Room 121 | 10825 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 30 87 71 40 2
Fax: +49 (0)30 30 87 71 38 1
Campus Lichtenberg
Alt Friedrichsfelde 60 | House 6, Room 0.61 | 10315 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 30 87 72 59 0
E-mail: asta@hwr-berlin.de, internationales@asta-hwr.de
www.asta -hwr.de/index.php
Language course
German course and summer school at HWR
Koordination Berlin International Summer School
Katja Zhlsdorf
Phone: +49 (0)30 30 87 7-11 20
E-mail: summer@hwr-berlin.de
www.hwr-berlin.de/index.php?id=2831&0=
6.11 Humboldt-Universitt zu Berlin (HU)

www.hu-berlin.de
66
Abteilung Internationales
Humboldt-Universitt zu Berlin
Abteilung Internationales
Unter den Linden 6 | 10099 Berlin
Office hours
Tue: 10:00 13:00 and 14:00 16:00
Wed: 13:00 16:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 20 93 25 65

Fax: +49 (0)30 20 93 27 80
E-mail: aia@uv.hu-berlin.de
Counselling Services
Studienberatung
Invalidenstrae 110 | 5th floor | 10099 Berlin
Open consultation on the phone:
Mo, Wed 10:00-12:00, Tue 13:00-15:00
Open consultation hours at Invalidenstr. 110, 5th floor, room 522:
Mo 13:00 - 15:00, Wed 13:00 - 16:00, Fri 9:00 - 11:00
Open consultation hours at campus Adlershof: Rudower Chaussee
25, Johann von Neumann-Haus, house 2, room 2228:
Fr 10:00 - 12:00
Phone: +49 (0)30 / 20 93 - 702 70
E-mail: studienberatung@uv.hu-berlin.de
www.hu-berlin.de/studies/beratung/wir1-eng
General Students Committee (Referent_innenRat)
Counselling for international students
Beratung fr internationale Studierende
Monbijoustrae 3 | Room 6 | 10117 Berlin
Office hours: Mo, Wed, Thu: 12:00 - 16:30
Phone: +49 (0)30 20 93 -10 62 or -46 64 7
E-mail: beratung.auslaenderinnen@refrat.hu-berlin.de
www.refrat.de/
International Club Orbis Humboldtianus
At HU-main building, Room 3120, 2nd Floor (above the Audimax)
Unter den Linden 6 | 10117 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 20 93-22 21
E-mail: orbis@uv.hu-berlin.de
Language course
Language tandem at the international Club Urbis Humboldtianus
(no costs!)
Meetings every Tuesday during lectures 12:00 14:00
E-mail: sprachboerse@uv.hu-berlin.de
www.international.hu-berlin.de/an_die_hu-en/studierende/orbis/
sprachboerse/standardseite?set_language=en&cl=en
Language courses at language center of the HU (costs can vary)
www.sprachenzentrum.hu-berlin.de/standardseite-en?set_
language=en&cl=en
www.zeh.hu-berlin.de
6.12 International Psychoanalytic University (IPU)

www.ipu-berlin.de/en
Study office
Studienbro
Begga Beyersmann (Bachelor programs)
Susanne Kott (Master programs)
67

Stromstrae 2 | Room 1.01 /1.06 | 10555 Berlin
Office hours:
Bachelor programs:
Wed: 10:00 13:00, 15:00 17:00 and by appointment
Master programs:
Wed: 10:00 13:00, Fri: 13:00 15:00 and by appointment
Advice by telephone:
Bachelor programs:
Tue: 11:00 12:00, Thu: 11:00 12:00
Phone: +49 (0) 30 300 117-544
Master programs:
Tue: 12:00 13:00, Thu: 12:00 - 13:00
Phone: +49 (0) 30 300 117-540
E-mail: studienbuero@ipu-berlin.de
6.13 Kunsthochschule Berlin Weiensee (KHB)

www.kh-berlin.de
International office
Bhringstrae 20 | 13086 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 47 70 52 32
Fax: +49 (0)30 47 70 51 23
E-mail: international@kh-berlin.de
Student counselling
Bhringstrae 20 | Room A 23a | 13086 Berlin
Advice by telephone: Tue: 14:00 16:00, Wed: 10:00 12:00
Office hours: Tue: 11:00 13:00, Thu: 14:00 17:00 and by appointment
Phone: +49 (0)30 47 70 53 42
E-mail: studienberatung@kh-berlin.de
Bhringstrae 20 | 13086 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 47 70 53 60
E-mail: asta@kh-berlin.de
www.kh-berlin.de > sitemap > Asta
6.14 Katholische Hochschule fr Sozialwesen (KHSB)

www.khsb-berlin.de
68
Students counselling
Studienberatung
Prof. Dr. Petra Focks
Kpenicker Allee 3957 | Room 1.085 and 1.077 | 10318 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 50 10 10 - 40
E-mail: studienberatung@khsb-berlin.de
Open consultation-hours: Wed: 11.00 14.30 at room 1.077
Phone: +49 (0)30 50 10 10 70 3

Appointments can be fixed over the Studierendensekretariat
Phone: +49 (0)30 50 10 10 - 10
E-Mail: studentensekretariat@khsb-berlin.de
www.khsb-berlin.de/studium/studieren-an-der-khsb/beratung/
studienberatung/
Students union
Studierendenvertretung (Studierendenschaft der KHSB)
Kpenicker Allee 3957 | 10243 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 50 10 10 - 43
Fax: +49 (0)30 50 10 10 - 88
E-mail: stupa@khsb.de
www.khsb.de/Startseite.htm
6.15 Private Hochschule Gttingen (PFH),

Campus Berlin
www.pfh.de
Studienservice Berlin
Marion Schellenberg
Badensche Strae 24 | 10715 Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Phone: +49 (0)30 88 6239 3-40
E-mail: berlin-studieninfo@pfh.de
6.16 Technische Universitt Berlin (TU)

www.tu-berlin.de/menue/home/parameter/en/
International exchange programs
Internationale Austauschprogramme
Strae des 17.Juni 135 | 10623 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 42 46 94
E-mail: auslandsamt@tu-berlin.de
www.auslandsamt.tu-berlin.de/international- office/ueber_uns/
kontakt/parameter/en/
Support for international students with full time studies at the TUB
Betreuung Internationaler Studierender
Strae des 17.Juni 135 | 10623 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 42 43 59
E-mail: bintstud@referat-1e.tu-berlin.de
www.betreuung-int-stud
General Student Counseling
Strae des 17. Juni 135 | Main building ,
1st Floor, Room H 70 | 10623 Berlin
Personal counseling:
Mo, Thu, Fri 9:30 12:30,
69

Thu: 14:00 16:00, Tue: 14:00 18:00
Initial information:
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 42 99 99
E-mail: telefonservice@tu-berlin.de
www.studienberatung.tu-berlin.de
Department for foreigners
Auslnder*innen-Referat
Strae des 17. Juni 135 | Sekr. EB 20, C/O AStA | 10623 Berlin
For current office hours please send E-mail request.
The Asta is currently located in the basement of the extension building [Erweiterungsbau (EB)] behind the stairs at the
staircase Aufgang C
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 42 52 54
E-mail: auslaenderinnen@asta.tu-berlin.de
Language course
Preparatory German course at Technische Universitt (costs 160 )
Web: http://www.auslandsamt.tu-berlin.de/international-office/
betreuung_internationaler_austauschstudierender/deutschkurse/
parameter/en/
www.tu-sport.de
6.17 Universitt der Knste (UdK)

www.udk-berlin.de/sites/content/topics/home/index_eng
Ursula Stephan-Rechenmacher
Einsteinufer 43-53 | Room 16 a | 10587 Berlin
Office hours: Mo, Tue, Thu: 9:30 - 12.30 and by appointment
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 85-21 96
Fax +49 (0)30 3185-2727
E-mail: aaa@udk-berlin.de
www.udk-berlin.de/sites/content/topics/service/international_office/
akadem_auslandsamt/index_eng
70
Student counselling
Universitt der Knste Berlin
Einsteinufer 43-53 | Room 16b | 10587 Berlin
Office hours: Mo, Thu 9:30 - 12:30; Tue 15:00 17:30, Fri only by
appointment only; Only short information Wed: 10:00 12:00
Phone counselling: Mo: 14:00 16:00; Tue : 9:30 10:30; Wed:
10:00 - 12:00, Fri: 9:30 11:30
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 85-22 04
E-mail: beratung@udk-berlin.de

General Stundents Committee (AStA)
Hardenbergstrae 33 | Room 9 | 10623 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 31 85 - 24 64 / -27 65
Fax: +49 (0)30 31 85 - 26 70
E-mail: soziales@asta-udk-berlin.de
www.asta-udk-berlin.de
Language course
German course (costs 100 120 )
E-mail: Deutsch.Info@udk-berlin.de
www.udk-berlin.de/sites/content/themen/service/deutschkurse/
index_ger
71
7. Public Transport in Berlin
72
73
8. Index
A
Academic year 19
Alimentations 12
Arabic region tutor 15
Arrival 21, 29
B
BAfG 36, 43
Bank account 31f., 52
C
Career service offices 53, 54
Car liability insurance 28
Child day Care 16
Children 12, 33 f.
Chinese tutor 15
Chronic illnesses 14
Churches 50
Citizen Registration Office 30, 52
Costs of living 23
Counselling and Support 11 ff.
Credit card 32
Crisis 12 ff., 41
Cultural offers/Kulturkalender 13, 49
Currency 32
D
DAAD 20, 54
Deutsches Studentenwerk 6, 21, 56
Development Education Programme for students 50
Dining facilities 7
Disabled and chronically ill students 14
Dismissal protection 33
74
E
Electronic residence permit 31

EC card or Girocard 32
Eligibility of university admission 21
Emergency situations 12, 41
Employment agencies 10, 46
Employment opportunities 55
End of studies 52 ff.
Enrolment 29
European Health insurance card 27
F
Federal Law on Support in Education/BAfG 36 ff.
Flat-shares 26
Foreigner Registration Office 25, 54
Foundation Hilfe fr die Familie 34
Foundations for emergency situations 41
G
German habits 17
German pension insurance fund 52
H
Health insurance 27
Heinzelmnnchen 10, 46
Hochschulsport 49
Home contents insurance 28
Housing 25 f.
Housing benefit 41
I
Individualistic culture 18
Information on legal remedies 56 ff.
Institutes 19
Insurances 27
Integration assistance 14
International clubs 20, 49
International Office 20 ff.
Internet 9
Internships 45, 47
75

J
Jobs and Employment service 10, 46
K
Kindergartens 16
Kommentiertes Vorlesungsverzeichnis 19
Kulturkalender 13, 49
L
Language 22
language courses 23
language test 23
lawsuit 57
Learning difficulties 13
Legal advice 58
Legal advice 58
Legal aid 59
Legal process 56
Liability insurance 28
Loans 12, 42 ff.
M
Maternity benefit 34
Maternity protection 33
Matriculation 29
Mensa 8
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24
N
Notfond 41
Notification 56
O
Objection 56
76
Parent benefit 36
Participation fee 11, 24

Postgraduate Studies 54
Pre-departure 21 ff.
Private health insurance 27
Proof of financial reserves 24
Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counselling 13
Public health insurance 27
Public transportation 30
R
Reintegration program 53
Residence permit 24, 31, 54
Residence registration 30
Returning home 52
Rules and restrictions 17
Rundfunkbeitrag 24
S
Scholarships 38 ff.
Semester contribution 29
Semester ticket 30
Semester ticket grant 30
Seminar 19, 51
Social counselling 12, 41
Social inhibition 13
Social insurance identification 11
social survey of the Deutsches Studentenwerk 2
Specialist employment 10
Sports 49
Staying in Germany 54
Structure of the brochure 3
Student accommodations 7, 25 f.
Student council 19
Studentenwerk 6
Student life 33 ff.
Student loans 42 ff.
Students self administration 10
Student tutors in student accommodations 15
Study college 22
Studying and children 33 ff.
StuPa 19
77

T
Transportation (public) 30, 72
Technical and personal assistance 14
U
Unemployement benefit 41
Uni-assist 21, 22
Universities of Berlin 60
V
Visa application 24
Visa-service 20
W
Wireless LAN 9
Wohnheim 8
Wohnheimtutor 15, 49
Working permit 45 f.
Y
Youth welfare office 16, 36
78
Impressum:
Editor: Studentenwerk Berlin - ffentlichkeitsarbeit Hardenbergstrae 34, 10623 Berlin

v.i.S.d.P.: Petra Mai-Hartung (Geschftsfhrerin)
Edited by Sozialberatung Studentenwerk Berlin:
Iris Altheide, Julia Trke und Felix Schwindack
Coverfoto: Gnter Menzl - Fotolia.com
Karte: BVG
Layout und Satz: Jrgen Morgenstern, Studentenwerk Berlin
Druck: FORMAT Druck- und
2. Auflage (2013)
Erscheinungsdatum: 15. Mrz 2013
Editorial inquiaries concerning this broschure should be directed to:
info@studentenwerk-berlin.de
79
The addresses and

phone numbers of
Sozialberatung for
students at the
FU, Charit, HWR and EHB:
Thielallee 38, Zi. 202 - 204,
14195 Berlin
(030) 939 39 - 9022
and - 9024
sozialb.thielallee@
studentenwerk-berlin.de
HU, HTW, Beuth HS, KHB,
HfM, HfS, ASH and KHSB:
Franz-Mehring-Platz 2, 2.
Etage, 10243 Berlin
(030) 939 39 - 8437
and - 8440
sozialb.f-mehring-pl@
TU, UdK, IPU, HdpK, PFH and
Hertie School:
Hardenbergstr. 34, 10623
Berlin
(030) 939 39 - 8403/
-8405 and -8406
sozialb.hardenbergst@
80

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Information for International Students

The team of the Sozialberatung of the Studentenwerk

1 Internationalisierung des Studiums Auslndische Studierende in Deutschland

Information for International Students

Structure of the brochure

Sozialberatung des Studentenwerkes Berlin

You can find this brochure online as pdf-document at:

Information for International Students

Structure of the brochure

Dining facilities Mensen & Cafeterien

Student accommodations Studentenwohnheime

Employment service Heinzelmnnchen

Counselling, support and child day-care Beratung,

Social counselling Sozialberatung

Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counselling

Counselling for students with disabilities

Student tutors in student accommodations

Tips and tricks to deal with Germans

Universities and structure of studies

What - When - Where

Health insurance and other insurances

Enrolment and semester ticket

Residence registration and residence permit

Studying and children

Financing academic study

Federal Law on Support in Education

Information for International Students

Foundations for emergency situations

National social benefits (Soziale Leistungen)

Loan (Darlehen) of the Studentenwerk

Jobs and internships

Finding a Job Back Home

Index of universities of Berlin

Alice Salomon Hochschule (ASH)

Charit Universittsmedizin Berlin

Evangelische Hochschule Berlin (EHB)

Freie Universitt Berlin (FU)

Hertie School of Governance GmbH

Hochschule fr Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin (HfM)

Hochschule fr Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch

Hochschule fr Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (HTW)

Hochschule fr Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin (HWR)

Humboldt-Universitt zu Berlin (HU)

International Psychoanalytic University (IPU)

Kunsthochschule Berlin Weiensee (KHB)

Katholische Hochschule fr Sozialwesen (KHSB)

Private Hochschule Gttingen (PFH), Campus Berlin

Technische Universitt Berlin (TU)

Universitt der Knste (UdK)

Public Transport in Berlin

I take pride in the words Ich bin ein Berliner!

1.1 Studentenwerk Berlin

Studentenwerk Berlin what do we do?

Information for International Students

Jobs and Employment service

Counselling and support

BafG (German Federal academic loan program)

We have also put together quite a bit of information regarding

1.1.1 Dining facilities Mensen & Cafeterien

Our guests can expect more than appetizing, wholesome and

we are constantly modernizing our mensen and cafeterias.

we prepare more than 25,000 meals a day.