Further Information
Libraries
Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum (Central Library)
The University Central Library, the Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum, is located at Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 3. With around 2 million volumes available, it boasts one of the largest inventories in the German-speaking world, and is accessible to all HU students. Your Student ID is simultaneously a user-ID for the library.
The Grimm Zentrum is a lending library, through which you can borrow a range of media for up to 84 days. For this, you must scan your student ID at one of the circulation desks and confirm your loan with the password for your library user account. The user account is automatically created at enrolment and should not be confused with your HU account. The password is, by default, the post code of the student’s registered address.
The Primus Search Portal can help you to find the books you need. You can employ a “simple” or “extended” search to get more precise results. The University Library offers guidance and workshops around academic research in its archives.
Other Branch Libraries
Along with the Central University Library there are several branch libraries, from which books can also be borrowed. They are spread out over the whole campus, and function exactly the same as the Central Library.
State Library (Staatsbibliothek, StaBi)
The Berlin State Library is located very close by to the Humboldt-Universität. Users need to register prior to their first visit and pay an annual fee of 30 euros.
Canteens
The Studierendenwerk, the union of students, runs many cafeterias and canteens throughout Berlin, which are all accessible for students and non-students. The closest canteen to the ISW is the Canteen HU South in the Main Building.
Students can see the weekly menus of all of the canteens online (and in the app). On site electronic payment is possible with a Mensa-Card. Students can obtain a Mensa-Card at many cash desks at the university, which can be topped up at many facilities in the entryway of the canteens. Students can also use the Mensa-Card to access lockers at some university libraries.
Orbis Humboldtianus – International Club / Student Services
Many international activities of the Humboldt-Universität come together at the Orbis Humboldtianus. It is a place where German and foreign students can meet, get to know each other and build contacts with each other. Furthermore, it is possible to register for a range of activities, developing participants in a range of directions and getting to know Berlin and the wider world; for example the mentoring program “studis4studis”, intercultural training programs and a language exchange, amongst many other activities.
You can find a calendar with all offerings and dates for the Orbis club online!
University Sport
The Humboldt-Universität offers a comprehensive range of sporting activities to students, from Aerobics to Zumba almost all areas of physical exercise are covered. Students can register online on the University Sport webpage. As with the language courses, the sporting activities get fully booked very quickly, so make sure you take a note of the registration period! For students who are in Berlin over the summer it is also possible to make sailing and surfing trips during the summer break!
Accomodation
The following apartment-hunting possibilities are available for students in Berlin:
Living in a student dormitory
The students’ organisation, Studierendenwerk, offers exchange students various dormitories in and near Berlin. Students can reserve a place in a dormitory through the online application system. They can find information about the dormitories, their location and prices on the Studierendenwerk website, as well as on-site at the Studierendenwerk information stands. Exchange students at the Humboldt-Universität will normally be offered places in Studierendenwerk dormitories in the East of the city, in the districts of Lichtenberg, Marzahn and Hohenschönhausen (for example, dormitories at Storckower Strasse, Sewanstrasse, Allee der Kosmonauten, Werneuchener Strasse, Oberfeldstrasse and at Franz-Mehring-Platz). Students unfortunately do not have the possibility to choose freely which dormitory they would like to receive a place in!
Private Housing Market / Living in a Shared Flat (Wohngemeinschaft, WG)
Students can also try to find a rented property on the private housing market. The best internet portals for both flats and rooms in shared flats are:
Students already in Berlin are encouraged to check the notice boards of the different Departments for adverts offering rooms or flats to sublet.