International students love Berlin! Here’s why:
Photo by Nik, CC BY-SA 2.0, modified
Berlin is Germany’s capital and largest city. With many universities, its multicultural city life, diverse cultural offering, exciting startup scene, this bustling metropolis is one of the best places you can choose to study abroad. Want to learn more about what makes Berlin such an exciting university town? Read on:
Are you looking for superior education at some of the best universities in the world? Then Berlin will not disappoint you!
Berlin’s three largest public universities - Humboldt University (HU), the Free University (FU) and the Technical University (TU) - are all ranked in the world’s top 100 universities by Times Higher Education, making them some of the most sought after educational institutions in Europe.
You want to study in English? No problem! In Berlin, more than 20 universities offer Bachelors and Masters in English, specifically targeted for students studying abroad.
That includes HU, FU, and TU, the large public universities of applied sciences (like HTW, HWR) as well as a number of private colleges and universities that also teach in English and specialise in particular courses.
Among the benefits you receive for your tuition fees at a private university are high-quality student-focused teaching in smaller class environments and great networking opportunities. SRH Berlin is a popular institution for various programmes in Engineering, Business and related fields.
But there are also more specialised institutions: For example, Hertie School focuses on postgraduate programmes in public policy and international affairs, and is typical of the high quality tuition available here.
If instead you are looking to get a highly respected MBA degree from a well-ranked business school, ESMT Berlin is worth a look. The triple-accredited business school is closely tied to industry giants like Airbus, KPMG, McKinsey or Munich Re.
And if you are rather looking for a career in technology, the still relatively yound CODE University caters to your needs: Their Bachelor’s degrees cover software engineering and product management, and they cooperate closely with companies like Facebook.
First off, public German universities do not charge tuition fees - from anyone. Generally speaking, if you study at the HU, FU, TU or any other of Berlin’s public universities, you will get world-class education for free. (Learn more about how to study in Germany tuition-free.) And even the private universities in Berlin that charge tuition are often cheaper than expensive schools in the UK.
Not only that: Of all large Western European cities, Berlin is likely one of the cheapest to live in. As a student, you can easily rent a room for 300 euros per month or less, especially if you don’t need to live in the city’s hippest districts. Food, transport and leisure won’t set you back too much either. In summary, that makes Berlin the ideal choice for a limited student budget.
Because there are so many universities that teach in English, and because Berlin is so cheap to live in, it has attracted a large community of international students. You will find an enormous number of fellow expatriates here. With around 160,000 students across the whole of Berlin, you will quickly make friends.
And with such a strong international community, you don’t need to worry about the language barrier. Of course, knowing some German phrases is helpful while studying abroad - but in Berlin, you can get by with English very easily!
If you can tear yourself away from your study, you will find there is so much to do in the city of Berlin and further afield. As well as the art culture and museums, when it is time to let your hair down, Berlin does not disappoint. Germany is famous for its beers, and Berlin is famous for its clubs and nightlife; put them together and you will have the recipe for an excellent getaway from your studying.
The clubs in Berlin are very diverse, and whatever time of day you want to party, there will be something going on. Whether you are looking for nightclubs that never shut, old-school, traditional pubs, or classy wine bars, there will be something to take your fancy. There are so many places to have fun - just make sure you don’t forget you are in Berlin to study, after all.
Perhaps you not only want to study abroad in Berlin, but are considering to stay and work after you finish university. Berlin has evolved into a hub for startups (especially tech startups) and international corporations, and is attracting more and more expatriates every year.
So if you are looking for an exciting new place to study and live, then look no further than Berlin. With its friendliness and welcoming attitude to foreign students, this could be only the beginning.
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