Study in Berlin with 5 key tips

The Berlin Sky - Photo Taken by Danielle Neubauer

Berlin! The city that never sleeps, known for its insane nightlife, roaming hipsters, beautiful architecture and also ranked the 9th of the best student cities in the world. Wondering why so many young people between the ages of 18-30 relocate to study in Berlin? Well, the city has a whole lot to offer if you are interested in working hard to integrate. If you are looking to study abroad, Berlin is a great destination for you.  

Berlin has a number of high ranked universities, which are recognized worldwide. It is also one of the most affordable cities in Europe, especially for students. There are low tuition fees, if any at all, free transportation, and discounts on concerts, museums and shows. To enjoy these benefits, one must first need to know how to apply, and how to get around in this big metropolitan. Here are a few tips to get you settled.

1. Find the Right Program for You!

Whether you are interested in studying arts, sciences, music or literature, Berlin has many programs in different topics for international students. Some of the top names in the academic world based in Berlin is the Humboldt Univeristät, established in 1810 and ranked 49th in the world, The UDK, famous for being the biggest art school in Europe, the Technische Universität for sciences, Potsdam University, just 20 minutes from Berlin, and many more. Just pick your subject, and start detecting the right institute for you.

Links for each university:

http://www.tu-berlin.de/

https://www.udk-berlin.de/startseite/

https://www.hu-berlin.de/en

http://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/university-of-potsdam.html

2. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Berlin is filled with expats and almost everyone speaks English, but German is crucial to integrating. University courses offered, are all open to international students, but most German speaking courses. The English courses, also require a German level of A2 at least (one level above the lowest). So actually the process of Studying in Germany, most of the times starts with studying German. Just for that, there are German language schools on almost every corner of the city and in almost any price. The most recommended school would be the Goethe Institute (https://www.goethe.de/ins/de/en/index.html) , a non-profit German association organization, recognized worldwide.

3. Getting the Right Visa

To stay in Germany for more than 3 months (assuming you are a citizen of a country with diplomatic relationships with Germany), you will need a student visa. To get a student visa, you first have to first get accepted to university.  If you choose to apply to a program learned in German, and you wish to perfect your German before the studies start, you will be needing a "preparation for studies visa" to be in Germany. To get this visa, one must show the German authorities proof that they are enrolled in an intensive language course, they have enough money in the bank, that they have a clear history of illegal records, a residency and a school diploma. The "preparation for studying visa" is given to the applicant for the longest, 2 years. This gives enough time to perfect the language, and make sure you're ready for the required language tests. Press on the link to get the exact requirements: http://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305244/en/.

4. What Tests?

Applying to an English program, you will need a certificate of A2 or more (a level above the lowest). Unfortunately most of the programs are in German, and a language test is required to apply to them. There are two tests which one can choose from to do, either the DSH or the TestDaF (a comparison between the two: http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/274683-language-exams-comparing-testdaf-and-dsh/) . These tests require you to have a deep understanding of the German language to ensure that you have the necessary skills to do well in school. The good part is that a lot of the language schools have a preparations course for these tests to help students pass.

5. Work

Having a work permit depends on your visa, and is most of the time limited to an amount of hours per week. It is very important to make sure that one doesn't exceed the limited amount of hours permitted. The good part, is that language schools and universities are sensitive to their students' needs. Some language schools offer their students work at the school, and allow the students to study for free. There are also many scholarships that are being offered to international students, to make their stay financially more comfortable. The DAAD organization (https://www.daad.de/en/), for example offers more than 216 scholarships for international students who come to study in Germany.

Berlin is a city with endless opportunities for students from all over the world. Studying in Berlin requires a lot of hard work, but at the end of the day, the benefits are worth it. All one needs, is to do a little more research in the topics that I have presented above to get accepted. For more information go to www.gradtrain.com or talk to an expert in studying in Germany https://www.gradtrain.com/Main/SetTime?coachID=15735&serviceID=2908&serviceType=2 .  

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Writen by Danielle Neubauer of the GradTrain team