I was excited to be moving to Berlin to study, I didn’t sleep at all because I was so worried about finding student accommodation in Berlin as an international student, never having rented a room abroad before and having no idea where to start. After being overwhelmed by everything from scams, price comparisons, I can now say that I was glad I planned the move ahead of time, which helped make the move an overall easier one for me.
Background
I am Mahak Chopra, from India, currently studying for my Bachelor’s Degree in International Management at the International School of Management in Berlin.
I chose Berlin because it is one of the vibrant student cities in Europe, with excellent schools, a global atmosphere, and many opportunities for development. But it has also made it difficult to find student accommodation in Berlin.
The Challenge
Finding accommodation online presented me with thousands of choices – each site was different, each property was unique, each had different pricing and as I’m sure you can imagine, there was no way for me to know if the listing was real or fake.
My concerns were:
1) Finding accommodation that was within my budget.
2) Living in a safe neighbourhood.
3) Being near my university and public transportation.
4) Avoiding online scams.
Being an international student, making a huge decision without seeing the property was overwhelming.
Discovering University Living
While I was searching the Internet, I came across University Living’s website and spent some time checking out their platform. They allow you to compare a variety of different student apartments from across Berlin based on different criteria such as location, price, type of room and the amenities offered.
The first thing I noticed was that all of the properties listed on University Living’s website have been verified and they’re much more simple to book through University Living. This saved me time and gave me much more confidence in my final decision.
My Experience with University Living
From the beginning of the booking process until it concluded, the entire process of reserving an apartment at University Living went very smoothly.
Being able to figure out the best option/price for me by looking at properties that fit my budget, and chosen location was very helpful in making a decision. I could see exactly how my apartment would look before booking.
The support staff were quick to respond to my questions on the booking process and they were very helpful in explaining step of the booking process to me. The support provided to me during my entire accommodation search made the move to another country much easier and less stressful.
My Student Accommodation in Berlin and Daily Experience
At the moment, I am residing in a student-share apartment Nazarethkirchstraße 51 in Berlin and I have enjoyed my time here so far.
I appreciate having my own room, but I also love being able to use the common areas like the kitchen and be able to socialize and mingle with other students.
I have an excellent connection to public transport which makes it easy for me to commute to ISM Berlin every day. There are supermarkets, cafés, pharmacies and other essential shops in close distance. It makes my life easier on a daily basis.
I also took advantage of the Money Transfer service through ULInfinity, which helped me with my logistics.
As an international student, I had never made a transfer from India to Germany before. I was looking for a safe and reliable way to transfer funds.
The money transfer service made my financial planning much easier before arriving in Germany. I was able to transfer my funds for living expenses.
Because I was able to arrange my housing and financial payment before I arrived at the university, I had to focus on settling into university life rather than worrying about logistics.
I usually wake up and have to do my lectures on campus, then go to the campus library to study. I go have coffee with friends, then go back to my room to relax and prepare for tomorrow.
Why It Helped
One of my best decisions regarding moving to Berlin was booking accommodation prior to arrival.
Instead of spending my first few weeks trying to find a place to live, I could focus on:
- Completing my registration with the university
- Getting to know Berlin
- Meeting other students
- Adjusting to living in a new country
- Starting school on the right foot
The money transfer made managing my finances during a transition easier.
Knowing that I had housing and financing in place gave me peace of mind.
Tips for Future International Students
I recommend the following seven things from my experience:
- Begin searching for housing as soon as possible.
- Compare as many different types of housing as possible before making a choice.
- Choose reliable websites when booking housing to lessen the chance of being scammed.
- Understand how far your housing is from the location of your school.
- Check out the reviews left by previous students staying in your housing.
- Understand exactly what you’re paying in rent before making a reservation.
- Consider using additional services such as a money transfer to make your transition easier.
Planning ahead will save you time and stress once you arrive at your destination.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I found the process of finding student accommodation in Berlin to be one of the most challenging aspects of relocating to another country. However, by using University Living, I was able to streamline my experience and make things easier for myself by having access to verified accommodation and receiving support during my booking process.
I used the money transfer system as well, I felt more confident in my ability to plan for my relocation than if I had simply relied on cash from my bank account or local bank. Instead of worrying about my housing and financial issues after arrival in Berlin, I was able to focus on getting to know this amazing city, getting settled into school and enjoying my first year in an international environment.
If you’re going to be studying abroad, my recommendation is the same: start searching for student accommodation in Berlin in advance, carefully compare all your options, and be organized. You’ll experience a much more seamless transition into being a student when you do so.
