Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Department of Social Sciences

Where to look for an apartment?

It is a good idea to start searching for housing before coming to Berlin. Most students opt for private accommodation since there are many affordable and conveniently located housing options in the city. Where to live is a personal choice, areas  like Mitte, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Wedding, Prenzlauer Berg and Schöneberg are quite popular among students. However, there are many reasonably priced and convenient housing options all over Berlin. Be sure to obtain a rental contract (Mietvertrag) when signing for a room or apartment. Additionally, a statement from your landlord is needed at the Bürgeramt.

Good places to start looking for own apartments are:

If you are searching for your own apartment. Zitty and Tip, the two most popular entertainment magazines in Berlin, also have smaller apartment rental sections (they are published bi-monthly in an alternating pattern).

If you are looking for a shared apartment, good website to look at are: Studenten WG, WG Gesucht and Wohngemeinschaft. There you can search for your desired location, price, etc. You may also be interested in contacting a 'Mitwohnzentrale', an office which rents furnished rooms in WGs or apartments for short periods of time. Please note that they charge a commission.

We also recommend to register for the Department of Social Sciences’ student email list (SoLi). Other subscribers frequently forward information about student life (including apartment offers). You can also post your apartment request for an apartment (please mention “OT” –meaning ‘off topic’ in the subject line).

Once you are in Berlin you should further check the bulletin boards (Schwarze Bretter) at the Department of Social Sciences and at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin main building.

If you are interested in living in a Studentenwohnheim (student dorm), you can find more information here: