Guide for International Students

EBC Hochschule Berlin Campus

Table of Contents

1 Pre-Departure 1.1 Berlin at a Glance ...... 2 1.2 Studying at EBC Hochschule Berlin ...... 2 1.3 German Language Courses ...... 2 1.4 Scholarships and Funding ...... 3 1.5 Residence Permit Service for International Students ...... 3 1.6 Health Insurance ...... 4 1.7 Housing ...... 4

2 Arrival 2.1 Our new Campus ...... 5 2.2 Orientation Session ...... 6 2.3 Residence Registration ...... 6 2.4 Enrolment as Student ...... 6 2.5 Getting Around in Berlin: Public Transport, Tickets and Berlin by Bike ...... 6 2.6 Bank Account ...... 7 2.7 Emergency Assistance, Doctors and Hospitals ...... 8

3 Student Life 3.1 Basic Dictionary ...... 8 3.2 Telephone ...... 9 3.3 Internet ...... 9 3.4 Library ...... 9 3.5 Support ...... 9 3.6 Working as a Student ...... 10 3.7 Student-run Services and Socialising ...... 10 3.8 Learning German ...... 10

4 Leisure 4.1 Daytime Activities : Shopping, Sightseeing, Art and Nature ...... 11 4.2 Nighttime Activities: Pubbing, Clubbing and Live Music ...... 15 4.3 Eating Out ...... 17 4.4 Cinema ...... 19

5 End of Studies 5.1 Returning Home ...... 20 5.2 Staying in Germany ...... 20

1 Pre-Departure

1.1 Berlin at a Glance Berlin is Germany´s international student hotspot. It oozes history, is culturally diverse and offers a high quality academic landscape. Since living and studying in Germany as an international student is both very exciting and challenging at the same time, this guide will help you off to a smooth start in your new hometown. We´ll help you through the bureaucratic challenges and reveal all the Berliner in- places to be.

1.2 Studying at EBC Hochschule Berlin Studying at EBC University in Berlin has nothing to do with crowded lecture rooms and complicated course offers. Small classes encourage individual contact between teachers and learners and contribute to a comfortable learning atmosphere. We follow an »open-door policy«, in which all our administrative staff are always available for any questions you may have.

International Students Our International Office is the main contact point for all international students who wish to study at EBC Hochschule. As an “Incoming Student” you can either come as exchange student (nominated by our partner universities all over the world) or as a visiting student (fee-paying). The International Office staff and Erasmus advisors are happy to help you and will provide you with guidance during your study abroad time with us.

Exchange students If your home university has a partnership agreement with EBC Hochschule, you may study with us for one semester or a full year without paying tuition fees. Please note, however, that you cannot pursue a full degree at EBC Hochschule. Please first direct your application to your home university. If your institution nominates you as an exchange student, you may pursue your application with us.

Visiting Students (fee-paying) If you have not been nominated as an exchange student by your home university or if your home university is not one of EBC Hochschule's international partners, you may come as visiting student on a fee-paying basis for the duration of one or two semesters. Ideally of course, the credits you earn through your coursework at EBC can be transferred to your home institution. We therefore advise you to check with your international office which courses may be credited back at home. Please note that as a visiting student you usually cannot pursue a degree at EBC Hochschule.

Application Please apply to [email protected] with the following documents: • application form • nomination of home institution • transcripts of records • 1 digital passport-size photograph (at least 100 kb) • copy of passport • proof of health insurance cover • course choice form

Course Choice Our Berlin campus offers a special Study Abroad Programme consisting of courses taught in English. Generally, you can choose any courses from the curriculum - whether they are taught in German or English (provided you meet the language proficiency). Our regular courses are predominantly taught in German; many of our senior year courses, however, are taught in English. Please take a look at our course list (which we will send you by e-mail along with the application form) and do not hesitate to consult the EBC International Office staff with any queries you might have about your course choice, ECTS credits attainable, or other.

1.3 German Language Courses

If you intend to complete courses taught in German, you must be proficient in the German language at level B2 of the European language reference system. (CEFR Deutsch); you can do a self-assessment test online (CEFR self-assessment in English). For your application, it is sufficient to prove your proficiency at level B1. However, we strongly advise you to complete an additional German language course prior to your study abroad semester with us.

If your German is not good enough at the time of your application, we will be pleased to advise you on suitable language courses which we offer during your semester; those are free of charge for exchange students. The EBC Hochschule will offer an intensive German language course if there is a sufficient number of interested students. Such a course will gain students ECTS credit points. For further information on fees, dates and registration, please contact the EBC´s International Office.

1.4 Scholarships and Funding Detailed information on funding for international students in Germany may be obtained from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

1.5 Residence Permit Service for International Students European students can study within the EU without applying for visa or a residence permit. If you are not from a country from the EU and want to stay for more than three months, you first apply for a visa in your home country. Usually you will get a visa for the whole time of your stay. But if your visa expires after three months, then you need to register with the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde ) and request a residence permit ( Aufenthaltsgenehmigung ).

At EBC, we offer a Residence Permit Service to help make life easier for you. Instead of going to the Foreigner’s Registration Office yourself, you will only need to hand in the required information at the International Office and we will do the rest for you.

Students who can enter Germany without a visa but want to stay longer than three months Students from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and USA are allowed to enter Germany without a visa, but need to get a residence permit within the first three months of their stay, which is when we come in.

Please hand in the following documents at our International Office: • completed and signed resident permit application form (can be collected at our International Office) • certificate of admission to EBC Hochschule (if you don’t have one yet, the IO will print it) • your passport and a copy of your passport • 1 current biometric passport photograph • evidence of registration at the Local Registration Office ( Bürgeram t) • proof of health insurance cover: very important! It must be valid until at least the last day of your stay in Germany - otherwise your permit will be given only until the day that your health insurance expires • evidence of monthly financial support (at least 750€/month) during the whole duration of your stay • 50,00 € for the permit (our service is free of charge!)

It will take between two and eight weeks until you get your residence permit. The usual cost for this permit will be 50 Euros. These prizes are set by the Ausländerbehörde , we don’t add any cost to it.

Students who already have a visa for studying and have to extend their visa If you come from any other country outside from the ones already mentioned, you need a visa before entering the country. Ideally, your visa covers the whole duration of your stay, but if you have to extend it, we take care of it for you; you only have to hand in the following papers:

Please hand in the following documents: • Passport • 1 current biometric passport photograph • evidence of health insurance cover (If you are over 30)

• matriculation certificate at EBC (to be obtained from our student secretary once you are officially registered at EBC) • evidence of monthly financial support (at least 750€/month) for the whole duration of your stay • 50,00 € for the permit (our service is free of charge!)

If in doubt about anything, ask at our International Office or have a look here.

1.6 Health Insurance Every student in Germany needs to have a proper health insurance; it is something that will be required by every university, no matter if it’s public or private. If you are European you probably have an EHIC card, which is the European Health Insurance Card that will assure you medical coverage in any country within the EU.

To find out if your health insurance is valid in Germany, please check this link. Please note that foreign insurance companies do not always cover all the costs of medical treatment in Germany. In such cases, you will need to pay for additional expenses yourself. So please check with your company in advance.

Students from non-EU countries, or those whose health insurance is not valid in Germany, will need to get a valid health insurance. You can go either for a public or a private insurance. The insurance coverage usually lasts to the end of a semester; and it has to be paid for the entire period, even if you leave Germany beforehand or drop out of university.

Insurance premium rates for students with statutory insurance funds are currently around 80 Euro a month. This amount applies until the 14th semester and up to the age of 30. After this, rates increase to at least 160 Euro a month. A couple of insurance companies that you could check:

Public • Techniker Krankenkasse • AOK • Barmer GEK

Private • Allianz • AXA

1.7 Housing Ideally, you arrive for the Orientation Session prior to the start of your courses. However, we advise students to arrive at least some days before their first classes in Berlin to get used to the city and to allow enough time to find accommodation. Unfortunately, we don’t offer student accommodation ourselves, but we’ll give you tips and hints on how to find a nice and affordable place to stay.

Our favourite website is uniplaces. It´s in English, and you´ll find nice rooms or even whole flats at reasonable prices. However, as the site is fairly new, so far they only offer accommodation in Berlin and Munich, so students going to our other campuses will have to search on the following sites:

If you only stay for up to three months, you might check these agencies:

• Nestpick • Fine and Mine • Coming Home • HomeCompany They place furnished flats and some even offer a cleaning and / or laundry service (at extra charge). If you stay for longer, they will result a bit pricey, so you will be better off checking those sites (don´t worry if you don´t speak German, they pretty much all have the possibility of English translation):

• WG-gesucht

• Studenten-WG • Easy-Living • studenten-wohnung • wohngemeinschaft • dreamflat • immowelt • wggruendung • house-of-nations • studentendorf-berlin

If you prefer to search for your apartment once you are in the city or if the time has come and you still have not found anything, don´t worry about it, we still offer you some solutions; economic hostels and B&Bs, where you will be able to meet other young people and have a good time whilst searching for a new place. We are going to divide them by districts:

Mitte • Citystay: Rosenstraße 16 • Singer 109: Singer Straße 109 • Baxpax downtown Ziegelstraße 28 • Wombats City Hostels : Alte Schönhauser Straße 2

Schöneberg • Berliner Bed & Breakfast: Langenscheidtstraße 5

Kreuzberg • Riverside lodge hostel: Hobrechstraße 43

Friedrichshain • Junker´s hotel: Grünberger Straße 21 • Ostel: Wriezener Karree 5 • Eastern comfort hostelboat: Mühlenstraße 73-77 • Globetrotter hostel odyssee : Grünberger Straße 23

Prenzlauer Berg • Meininger City Hostel & Hotel Prenzlauer Berg: Schönhauser Allee 19 • Circus Hostel: Weinbergsweg 1 A • Seven Hostel: Schwedter Strasse 7 • Lette´m sleep: Letterstrasse 7 • Schlafen im Spätkauf: Choriner Strasse 12

2 Arrival

2.1 Our new Campus

As mentioned on the cover, our campus will move to a new location in August, situated in an old Post Office in Berlin-Schöneberg´s “Akazienkiez”. The area is quieter and less touristy than our current one in Alexanderplatz, still it has a lot to offer: there are loads of nice little shops, cafés, restaurants and bars around. It is very multicultural and vibrant and full of the authentic Berliner flair, far off from its classic tourist hotspots. It´s not only immensely popular with cool and creative Berliners of all ages, but also famous for its appeal to artists and other liberal minds worldwide. A famous example: Popstars David Bowie and Iggy Pop used to share a flat on Hauptstraße in the wild 80s

Our new address: Belziger Straße 33 10827 Berlin

Check its surroundings out here . • nearest U-Bahn: Eisenacher Straße (U7) • nearest S-Bahn: Julius-Leber-Brücke (S1)

2.2 Orientation Session

Before each semester starts we organise an orientation session for our incoming exchange students. This is because we want to provide them with all the necessary information about studying at EBC Hochschule. Attendance at these orientation sessions is not mandatory but it’s a good opportunity to get an overview of your studies at EBC, as well as the bureaucratic processes involved.

2.3 Residence Registration Please keep in mind that all students need to be registered with Berlin’s municipality! Please complete the registration form (Anmeldeformular ). Furthermore, make an online appointment at any of Berlin´s registration offices (Bürgeramt ) and hand in the completed form and your (sub-) let contract. Do not forget to provide proof of identity (passport or ID card).

Once at the Bürgeramt, please ask for the “Begrüßungsgeldantrag” (or let us, at the International Office, print it out in advance for you). The state of Berlin will welcome you with 50€.

Finally, please hand in the registration certificate ( Anmeldebestätigung ) to the International Office at EBC Hochschule.

2.4 Enrolment as Student

Assuming that you have already submitted most of the documents needed for enrolment, we would ask you to hand in the following documents to complete your enrolment: • register with the Berlin municipality ( Bürgeramt ) and hand us in your registration certificate (Anmeldebestätigung ) as in 2.2 • hand in a proof of your health insurance ( Krankenversicherung ), if you haven´t done so yet.

2.5 Getting Around in Berlin: Public Transport, Tickets and Berlin by Bike

Public Transport Berlin´s public transport system is great: U- and S-Bahn, Buses, Trams and even ferries take you quickly and economically across the city and beyond. Regular services run from 4:30 to 0:30; between 0:30 and 4:30, there are night busses which take you around. At weekends, services run all night long. In Berlin, we have three tariff zones: A, B and C. As zone C is already touching the outskirts of the city, you will generally only need zones A and B (unless you want to visit Potsdam or go to airport Schönefeld) to move around.

Semesterticket The Semesterticket is a student ticket for Berlin‘s public transport system. The ticket covers the tariff zones ABC. It costs around 180 € and is valid for six months (01/10-31/03, or respectively 01/04- 30/09) and includes taking a bicycle with you. If you stay for at least five months, it is definitely the cheapest ticket available to you. You can order it from our office and pay in cash or by bank transfer. Just come in and ask.

Reduced fare monthly ticket If you only stay for a few months, it might be cheaper for you to get a reduced fare monthly ticket, which you can get at any ticket selling point. You only need to provide proof of your student status to get the reduced fare; to do so, we will provide you with a letter for that purpose. Just ask at our International Office.

Berlin by bike If you prefer going by bike to using Berlin´s public transport, here are some links to help you find a good value for money bicycle; every shop also sells bicycle equipment. We listed them according to districts:

Charlottenburg Das Spezialradgeschäft. Goethestraße 79, Tue to Fri 16:16-19.19, Wed also 11:11-13:13, Sat 11:11- 13:13. Fahrradstation. Goethestraße 46, Mon to Fri 10:00-19:30, Sat 10:00-18:00.

Friedrichshain Bikedudes. Landsberger Allee 53, Mon to Fri 10:30-19:30, Sat till 16:00. Flair BMX Berlin. Mainzer Straße 1a, Mon to Fri 10:00-19:00, Sat till15:00. Pédalage. Boxhagener Straße 55, Mon to Fri 10:00-20:00, Sat till 16:00.

Kreuzberg Froschrad. Wiener Straße 15, Mon to Fri 10:00-19:00 Uhr, Sat till 16:00. Keirin . Oberbaumstraße 5, Mon to Fri 12:00-19:00, Sat 13:00-18:00. Radspannerei. Kottbusser Straße 8, Mon, Tue & Thu 11:00-19:00, Wed 12:00-20:00, Sat 12:00-17:00.

Lichtenberg Pedalpower. Pfarrstraße 115/Ecke Kaskelstraße, Mon to Fri 10:00 -18:30 Sat till 13:00.

Mitte Fahrrad Flöckner am Alex Cube Bike Store Berlin, Karl-Marx-Allee 46, Mon 13:00-19:00, Tue to Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat 11:00-15:00 (March - October) Radkraft.Schwedter Straße 268, Mon to Fri 10:00-19:00 (till 20:00 in Summer), Sat 11:00-16:00.

Neukölln Guidos Fahrradwelt. Hermannstraße 32, Mon to Fr 10:00-18:30 Uhr, Sat till 14:00.

Pankow Fahrradtechnik Nord. Blankenburger Straße 41, Mon 14:00-18:00, Tue to Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat till 13:00. Das RADhaus. Treskowstraße 5/Prenzlauer Promenade, Mon to Fri 10:00-19:00, Sat till 18:00 (Oktober-Februar till 16:00). FamilienRad. Prenzlauer Allee 216/Ecke Wörther Straße, Mon to Fri 10:00-19:00, Sat till 16:00. Ostrad. Winsstraße 48, Mon to Fri 9:00-19:00, Sat 10:00-15:00.

Schöneberg Fahrradklinik Schöneberg. Grunewaldstraße 86, Mon to Fri 10:00-19:00, Sat till 14:00.

Treptow Goldsprint . Plesser Straße 2, Tue to Fri 13:00-20:00, Sat till 18:00.

2.6 Bank Account

We recommend you open up a bank account in Germany for transferring money in an easy and inexpensive way. Please keep in mind: up to 10 euros may be otherwise charged for a cash deposit. You can open a free student bank account with most of the banks. To do so, you will only need to submit your Immatrikulationsbescheinigung (Certificate of enrolment) and Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate) of the Berlin municipality (Bürgeramt ). Below you can find some common banks in Berlin:

• Berliner Bank • Berliner Sparkasse • Deutsche Bank • Postbank • Sparda-Bank

2.7 Emergency Assistance, Doctors and Hospitals

Emergency numbers

Police 110

Medical emergency/ accident services; fire brigade 112

Berlin police hotline (+4930)46644664

Breakdown services

Power supply: Vattenfall (formerly BEWAG) (+49)1802112525

Gas: GASAG breakdown service (+4930)787272

Water: breakdown service (+4930) 800 /2927587

If a breakdown service for power, gas and water supply is not available to contact in an emergency (strong smell of gas in your building, danger of a fire) the fire brigade should be called.

Hospitals and health services

Charité Schumannstraße 20-21 10117 Berlin

First aid, emergency department switchboard (+4930)450531000 (+4930)45050

Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain Hospital (+4930)130230 Landsberger Allee 49 10243 Berlin

Emergency service provided by the public health services (+4930)310031

National emergency number for on-call medical service 116117

Poison hotline (+4930)19240

Emergency dental service (information) (+4930)89004333

Other important telephone numbers

National enquiries (+4930)11833

International enquiries (+4930)11834

BVG (public transport) customer services (+4930)19449 Central (public) lost property office (+4930) 90277 Platz der Luftbrücke 6 12101 Berlin

3 Student Life

3.1 Basic Dictionary Good morning! - Guten Morgen!

Good afternoon! - Guten Tag! Good evening! - Guten Abend! Good bye! - Auf Wiedersehen! Thank you! - Danke! How are you? - Wie geht es dir? Excuse me! - Entschuldigung! Sorry! – Entschuldigung! Enjoy your meal! - Guten Appetit! Cheers! - Prost! Two beers, please! - Zwei Bier, bitte!

3.2 Telephone

Regarding your mobile phone, you have two options: prepaid card or contract.

Contract You can set up a contract with any of the more important companies like: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, Base or E-Plus, the information about all the possible rates you will find on the German internet site or in the shops, but you will need a German bank account in order to be able to sign up a contract.

Prepaid card You can also take a prepaid card with any of the companies mentioned above but there is also a couple of really economic options like:

• Blau.de • Simyo • fonic They may be bought online or at a store (e.g. a drugstore, such as DM).

3.3 Internet

When on campus, you may use the Wi-Fi network for study purposes and within certain limits for your private use. However, you are not allowed to access pornographic or racist websites or websites with anti-constitutional content and/or download copyrighted music/licensed material, files, or software.

Consequences in case of violating these rules will be: denied access to Wi-Fi, you will be held liable and should the violation be relevant under criminal law aspects, we will exmatriculate you and inform the according law enforcement authorities. All internet activities on our campus are protocolled, evaluated and saved. So far this has never happened, which shows that our students use the Wi-Fi respectfully.

3.4 Library

Each of the four campuses of the EBC Hochschule has its own private academic library, to be used exclusively by students, members of staff and lecturers. Our virtual campus will provide information on opening hours under EBC Departments/Library.

The main emphasis is on business administration, tourism, event management, business psychology, fashion, luxury and retail management.

In addition to our print-media stock, which is updated regularly, we also offer e-journals, e-books, PDFs and other electronic resources. Students, members of staff and lecturers have access to our online catalogue (library online) to search books and other media, and extend lending periods through our virtual campus, provided they have obtained a reader’s code number at our library. We also offer a range of trade journals corresponding to each individual course of study.

3.5 Support

Your first point of contact at EBC Hochschule is the International Office. If you can’t figure out a problem yourself, come to us and we’ll try to help you.

International Office Ms. Kirsten Matthes [email protected] Tel. +49 30 3151935 14

International Admissions Ms. Eva Kasova & Ms Sophia Schulz [email protected] Tel. +49 30 3151935 15

Student Advisor Ms. Maria Hörndler [email protected]

3.6 Working as a Student

Earning money alongside studying is everyday life for many students in Germany. In total, around two thirds of all students have a job to gain some (extra) money.

Students from the EU or EEA countries practically stand on equal terms with German students and have free access to the job market. For all other students, work is restricted but possible if you respect certain regulations:

International students (who do not come from the EU or EEA) are allowed to work 120 full or 240 half days a year. To do this, they do not need authorisation from the local Employment Agency (Arbeitsamt).

If you want to work more than 120 full or 240 half days you will need the approval of the Arbeitsamt and the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde). Whether you receive the approval depends on the situation of the job market in your place of study. In regions with high unemployment you will have little chance of working more than 120 days.

One exception, however, is the occupation as academic or student assistant. As long as your studies are not affected by it, this work can be carried out for an unlimited period of time. The Arbeitsamt must still be informed.

International students who do not come from the EU cannot go self-employed or work freelance!

Please keep in mind that if you work too much and not in line with your qualifications, you might lengthen the time of study.

3.7 Student-run Services and Socialising

To help you get off to a good start here in Berlin, some students organise a “Buddy Programme” every semester. Our buddy programme's goal is to enable German and International students to meet and exchange culture, language and experiences. The German students are responsible for supporting the International students in the first weeks after their arrival in Berlin. Furthermore, it is their responsibility to organise leisure time activities, cultural events and a lot more things to make the exchange students feel comfortable during their first time in Berlin. Please take a look at the EBC Buddy Programme Facebook page for further details.

Besides our Orientation Session at the beginning of the semester, we also plan several social events every semester, e.g. welcome parties and get-togethers. Those are also great opportunities to get to know your fellow students, as well as the staff of the International Office.

3.8 Learning German

If you want to learn German EBC Hochschule provides some German courses for you (see also ) but if you would like to have some classes outside the school to meet new people, or because the

schedules in EBC don´t go well with your free time or maybe because you arrive before the courses are provided and you still want to learn some German here´s a couple options to choose from:

• Deutsch Akademie

Other possibilities to learn German are the following options. They have intensive courses which will be 4 weeks long, 4 days a week, 3 hours a day and the prices are around 205 €, they also provide grammar courses and conversation courses. They have 2 centers one in and one in Wittenbergplatz.

• Prolog Berlin • Sprachwerk • Anda Sprachschule

4 Leisure

4.1 Daytime Activities : Shopping, Sightseeing, Art and Nature Berlin’s Traditional Sights

Reichstag It is an old and majestic building where laws have been passed since the late 19 th Century. It has (with an interruption during the Cold War) been serving as home of the German parliament ever since. If you want to visit it from the inside, you will need to preorder your tickets online. • Where is it? Platz der Republik 1 • Public Transport: U55 Bundestag • Opening hours: Every day from 8:00-22:00.

Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical triumphal arch built on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to the town of Brandenburg an der Havel. Due to its later position, right in between the old Berlin Wall, it has been a symbol for the city´s division; after its fall, however, it has become a symbol of freedom and unity. • Where is it? Pariser Platz 1 • Public Transport: U55 Brandenburger Tor

Berlin Wall There is only a small piece left, which serves to represent the wall, but you can find a sidewalk along 5.7 km which traces the historic set representing the former separation between the Eastern and Western parts of the city. • Where is it? Runs from Bornholmer Straße to the bridge of Britzer Kanal • Public Transport: S1 or S2 Bornholmer Straße

East Side Gallery The East Side Gallery is a 1.3km piece of the wall located close to the city center, which is a permanent exhibition for expressive and moving street art. • Where is it? Mühlenstraße • Public Transport: U1 Warschauer Straße

Checkpoint Charlie Checkpoint Charlie is the most famous of all of Berlin´s old border crossing points where people could cross the city from the Eastern to the Western part or vice versa during the Cold War. It is located in Friedrichstraße, and used to divide the districts of Mitte (Eastern part) and Kreuzberg (Western part). • Where is it? Friedrichstraße 43-45 • Public Transport: U6 Kochstraße, U2 Stadtmitte • Opening hours: every day from 9:00-22:00.

Neue Synagoge

It is the most visible symbol of the Jewish reassurance into Berlin´s community and the biggest synagogue in Germany. • Where is it? Oranienburger Straße 28-30. • Public Transport: S1 or S2 Oranienburger Straße. • Opening hours: open every day except Saturday.

Fernsehturm (TV tower) Measuring 368 meters, the Television Tower is the tallest building in the whole of Germany. If you want to take the elevator to the viewpoint at 203 meters to enjoy a perfect 360° view over the city, or dine in the TV Tower´s own restaurant, you are best advised to reserve your tickets online to avoid large queues. • Where is it? Panoramastrasse 1A • Public Transport: U5, U8 or U2; S3, S75, S5 Alexanderplatz • Opening hours : Every day from 9:00-24:00 (March to October ), November to February from 10:00.

Nature

Berlin is boasting great nature in- and outside the city. Since Berlin is known as the “greenest city in Europe”, you will find many parks and greens such as the following:

Flughafen Tempelhof It used to be an airport but it has been transformed over the years into a park which offers amusing entertainment for the day: you can go barbecue with your friends and enjoy the good weather, you can practice different sorts of sports like kite boarding –kite skating, basketball, rollerblading... since the park provides different courts for it. Also all around the year different fairs are held inside the old airport building, one of the most popular ones being Berlin´s fashion week.

Victoria Park The small mountain in the middle of the park is what gives the surrounding district “Kreuzberg” its name. Apart from the Kreuzberg, on top of which you can fly kites and enjoy a great view over Berlin, there is a beautiful waterfall running down the whole way to the bottom at which you can relax in Berlin´s best beer garden “Golgatha”.

Tiergarten It is the main and biggest park in Berlin, situated right in its center. It reaches from the Berlin Zoo right through to Mitte and is surrounded by various sights like the Reichstag or Brandenburg Gate. Inside the park, there are various Restaurants, beer gardens and a lake where you can rent boats. Bus number 100 will take you around the area. If you want to get directly to the park, just get off at S- Bahnhof Tiergarten.

Special Tip: Check out Badeschiff Berlin: It is an outdoor swimming pool that is located inside the river Spree. There is a cool beach bar with real sand. We are sure you will have a good time tanning, having some drinks and refreshing in this unique pool.

Entry is usually 5 euro, 3 for students (you will need to provide your student ID).

• Opening hours: Mon to Sun 8:00-24:00 • Where is it? Arena Berlin, Eichenstraße 4 • Public Transport: S8, S85,S9,S42,S41 Treptower Park + 5min. walk; U1 Schlesisches Tor + 10min. walk; Bus 104, 194, 265, N65: Eichenstraße/Puschkinallee

Shopping and Hanging Out in Berlin

Store Shopping in our best shopping streets

Kurfürstendamm: Berlin´s classic in the city west. • Public Transport: U9 Kurfürstendamm

Friedrichstraße: exclusive and fashionable. • Public Transport: U6; S1,S2, S3, S5, S7, S75 Friedrichstraße

Alexanderplatz: quite convenient not only for the proximity to EBC Hochschule but because you will be able to find everything from cosmetics to clothing, food and technology. • Public Transport: U5, U8 or U2; S3, S5, S7, S75 Alexanderplatz Hackescher Markt: check out all the unique and creative stores, as well as small, stylish boutiques. • Public Transport: S5, S7, S75 Hackescher Markt Vintage and Second Hand Shopping

If you love to shop vintage, Berlin is definitely your city! There are plenty of second hand and vintage stores, pretty much in every corner; you just have to search for the ones that suit you best. Great places to shop vintage and hang out generally are:

Mitte

• Hackescher Markt, find all the unique and creative stores, as well as small, stylish boutiques. Public Transport: S5, S7, S75 Hackescher Markt • Oranienburger Straße Public Transport: S1, S2, S25 Oranienburger Straße or S5, S7, S75 Hackescher Markt

once you´re there, make your way down to check out Garments Vintage, Linienstr. 204-205, a great place for vintage designer fashion and accessory hunters. If you don´t want to walk all the way, take the U-Bahn straight through to Rosenthaler Platz (U8)

Kreuzberg

• Bergmannstraße; definitely one of our favourite streets in Berlin Public Transport: U7 Mehringdamm or U6 Platz der Luftbrücke • Oranienstraße Public Transport: U8 Moritzplatz

• Schlesische Straße Public Transport: U1 Schlesisches Tor

Prenzlauer Berg

• Kastanienalle Public Transport: U2 Eberswalder Straße

Flea markets

Mauerpark: there is a big flea market on Sundays which attracts a great variety, as well as quantity, of visitors: musicians, singers, clowns, locals, tourists A piece of the wall was maintained between the Mauerpark and the Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Stadion and it is a place where graffiti artists can work legally. • Where is it? Bernauer Straße 63-64 • Public Transport: U2 Eberwalder Straße, U8 Bernauer Straße • Opening hours: Sundays 8:00 - 18:00. Boxhagener Platz: The flea market at Boxhagener Platz offers a wide range of second hand products like bags, graphics, paintings, furniture and lamps. The distinctive feature of this flea market is its many book and old record stalls. One might discover real treasures! The international snacks and drinks make it easy to spend the whole day there. • Where is it? Boxhangener Platz 1 • Public Transport: U5 Frankfurter Tor • Opening hours: Sundays 10:00-20:00.

Straße des 17. Juni: this one offers the typical products such as second hand clothes, accessories, but also beautiful antique furniture, porcelain and paintings. It is the biggest and most traditional of all Berliner flea markets, so definitely worth checking out! • Where is it? Straße des 17. Juni • Public Transport: S5, S7, S75 Tiergarten • Opening hours: Sat & Sun 10:00-17:00.

Art

Berlin oozes art! Here´s just a small selection of what our big city has to offer:

Mitte KW Institute for Contemporary Art: KW was a pioneer for contemporary art in Germany. Not two years after the fall of the Wall, an industrious group of artists and art lovers rented an abandoned margarine factory on Auguststraße, called it Kunstwerke and embarked on what would shortly become one of the most productive, internationally recognized programmemes of contemporary art exhibitions and artist residences. • Where is it? Auguststrasse 69 • Public Transport: S1, S2 Oranienburger Straße, U8 Weinmeisterstraße • Opening hours: Wed to Mon 12:00-19:00, Thu 12:00-21:00, closed on Tuesdays.

Charlottenburg C/O Berlin: The international forum for visual dialogue was founded in 2000 by three individuals from different disciplines: photographer (Stephan Erfurt), designer 8Marc Noroska) and architect (Ingo Pott). C/O has gained an international reputation with large photography shows by prominent artists but there is also a focus on the promotion of emerging talents with dedicated programmes for promising critics and photographers. • Where is it? Hardenbergstraße 22-24 • Public Transport: S5, S7, S75, or U2, U9 Zoologischer Garten • Opening hours:11:00-20:00

Tiergarten Haus der Kulturen der Welt: A little off the beaten track, inside Tiergarten park you will find one of Germany's most unique art institutions. The Haus der Kulturen der welt focuses on artist’s production from non-European cultures and societies • Where is it? John Foster Dulles Allee 10 • Public Transport : S3, S5, S7, S75, S9 Hauptbahnhof, U55 Bundestag • Opening hours: 10:00-19:00

Schöneberg Esther Schipper: Across the river in Schöneberger Ufer, you will find one of the first Bel Etage galleries. Esther Schipper, one of the country's most respected gallerists, was among the first to initiate the gallery migration from Mitte. • Where is it? Schöneberger Ufer 65 • Public Transport: U1, U2 Kurfürstenstraße, U2 Mendelssohn-Bartoldy-Park • Opening hours: Tue to Sat 11:00-18:00

Kunstsaele Berlin: Gallery focusing on young contemporary art. • Where is it? Bülowstrasse 90 • Public Transport: U2 Bülowstraße, U1, U2 Kurfürstenstraße, U7, S1, S2 & S25 Yorkstraße • Opening hours: Wed to Sat 11:00-18:00

Kreuzberg Grimmuseum: Grimmuseum's mission is to create an interdisciplinary platform for the Berlin based international art community. • Where is it? Fichtestraße 2 • Public Transport: U7 Südstern • Opening hours: Wed to Sat 14:00-18:00

Fashion

After its reunification, Berlin has become more and more of a creative metropolis and a fashion capital, it homes a great number of designers, which continues increasing year by year. Here´s a short insight around Berlin’s most fashionable districts, so just have a look around and check it out yourself:

Mitte: the epicenter - not just for shopping but it also serves as location for all the Berlin based designer stores. Many of the city’s independent fashion labels can be found in Mitte. • Public Transport: U6 and S1, S2, S5, S7, S75, S9 Friedrichstraße

Friedrichshain: the rookie - Berlin’s fashion DIY, also home to the studios of a few bigger fashion labels. • Public Transport: U5 Samariterstraße or U1, S5, S7, S75, S9 Warschauer Straße

Charlottenburg : the phoenix - it used to be the “in” place of old West Berlin. After being overshadowed by the “New Mitte” (after Berlin´s reunification), the area is resurrecting and becoming popular again. • Public Transport: U2, U9 and S5, S7, S75, S9 Zoologischer Garten or U1, U9 Kurfürstendamm

Neukölln – the laboratory: Currently Berlin’s hippest neighbourhood, homes laboratories for designers and stores floating new concepts. • Public Transport: U8 Schönleinstraße

4.2 Nighttime Activities: Pubbing, Clubbing and Live Music Check out those web pages to buy tickets, find the new hot spots, festivals and party environments on:

• Redsidentadvisor • Berlin.de • facebook.com/OpenAirBerlin

We listed our favourites according to districts:

Bars

Mitte

Cinema Café: Rosenthalerstraße 39, a small café/bar based on a cinematographic ambiance.

Aufsturz: Oranienburger Straße 67, choose between more than a 100 different kinds of draft beer.

Am to pm: Hackescher Markt Open 24h a day, perfect to have a cocktail or a drink with friends when everything starts closing.

Kreuzberg

Golgatha: Dudenstrasse 48-64, beer garden inside Victoria Park - a great place to have a drink. After 22h there is also a DJ.

Oststrand: Mühlenstraße, a beach paradise which runs along the East Side Gallery. Just tan, relax or party.

Friedrichshain

Künstliche Beatmung: Simon-Dach Straße 20, you enter a wale’s stomach, Thursdays there are amateur DJ’s, Fridays and Saturdays professionals, they play minimalist music, electro and funk.

Kptn. A. Müller: Simon-Dach Straße 32, this bar is not like the kind you are used to, it is on a boat, offers drinks at economic prices, and you don’t have to pay extra to use the table kicker or access the Wi- Fi.

Prenzlauer Berg

Druide: Schönhauser Allee 42, more than 300 cocktails and 100 kinds of absinths, there are DJs at the weekends and a happy hour from 18:00-21:00 and 24:00-2:00. You will find it hard to go out of this bar once you get in; the sofas are comfortable and the atmosphere quite cool.

Deck 5: Schönhauser Allee 80, a beach bar on the top floor of the Schönhauser Arkaden. Contemplate the city lights laying on the sand with a mojito in your hand

Music

Mitte

Zosch: a traditional German Pub with live music almost every night. • Where is it? Tucholskystrasse 30 • Public Transport: S1, S2 Oranienburger Straße Prenzlauer Berg

White Trash Fast Food : an alternative and crazy environment for rock’n’roll lovers with over 400 live bands a year! • Where is it? Schönhauser Allee 6/7 • Public Transport: S1, S2 Oranienburger Straße

Friedrichshain

Monster Ronson’s Ichiban Karaoke: We recommend you have a drink before daring to go and sing in front of everybody; there are also cabins for the not-so-brave-ones. However you go about, we assure you, you will have a laugh! • Where is it? Warschauer Straße 34 • Public Transport: S5, S7, S75; U1 Warschauer Straße

Kreuzberg

Junction Bar: 365 days a year live music, from the classic soul and jazz to neo soul, post trip-hop, noise-pop, gypsy ska concerts and more. And there is usually a DJ to party on after the performances. • Where is it? Gneisenaustraße 18 • Public Transport: U7 Gneisenaustraße Lido: It used to be a movie theater in the 50’s and has now become an almost religious place for indie- rock-electropop fans. There are live performances and DJs. • Where is it? Cuvrystrasse 7 • Public Transport: U1 Schlesisches Tor

Clubbing

Kater Holzig: a large indoor/outdoor club in Kreuzberg by the waterside. • Where is it: Michaelkirchstr. 23 • Public Transport:

Berghain / Panorama Bar: Sitting on the border of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, Berghain has two dance floors: Berghain, a dark main room where most DJs play techno, and Panorama Bar, the upstairs space which is more focused on house. Watch out for its door policy: hundreds of people are turned away each weekend, including regulars, often for reasons that are completely mysterious to everyone except the doormen. • Where is it: Am Wriezener Bahnhof • Public Transport: S5, S7, S75 Ostbahnhof

Watergate: The spree view is beautiful. DJs play the best music you can find in electro-minimal. Quick- tip: check the name of the DJ playing on the night you're going as they might ask you at the entrance to let you in. Also split in groups if you're multiple friends, best days are Wednesdays. • Where is it: Falckensteinstr. 49

• Public Transport: U1 Schlesisches Tor; U1, S5, S7, S75 Warschauer Straße

Cookies: a stylish club in a stylish area, located on the corner of Friedrichstrasse and Unter Den Linden. Tuesdays are the best days to go and you can also go have dinner there. Check out the great vegetarian restaurant upstairs (“Cookies Cream”) for a pre-party dinner. • Where is it: Unter den Linden 41 • Public Transport: S1, S2, S5, S7, S75 Friedrichstraße

Chalet: Situated in the center of Kreuzberg in a 150 year-old building, spreading the atmosphere of the 19th century. The club was created by the owners of the former Bar 25 and the current Kater Holzig (see above), but don’t go expecting any of those. Think of Chalet as the younger sibling of the two, the one who dresses posher, more like a hipster, and presents a more fashionable side of the family. • Where is it: Vor dem Schlesischen Tor 3 • Public Transport: U1 Schlesisches Tor

Puro sky lounge: Located on the 20 th floor of the Europa Center, it invites you to enjoy a spectacular view over Berlin´s City West. This club attracts party people from 21 to 40 – the best day to go is on Thursdays. They play mainly House & Dance, but also Old School Hip Hop and 80s. • Where is it: Tauentzienstrasse 11 (Europa Center) • Public Transport: U1, U9 Kurfürstendamm

Weekend: Located in Berlin's central Mitte, it takes over the twelfth and fifteenth floors as well as the rooftop terrace floors of the “Haus Des Reisens”-building in Alexanderplatz. We highly recommend the terrace, it offers spectacular views in a stylishly relaxed atmosphere. • Where is it: Alexanderstrasse 7 • Public Transport: S5, S7, S75, U2, U5, U8 Alexanderplatz

Special tip Schlesische Staße: Schlesische Straße is a street in Kreuzberg´s district, which is becoming quite a fashionable place for young bohemians. Most bars and restaurants have a terrace for summery days. You have all kinds of restaurants and bars like Indian, Italian, art galleries - soft music lounges, buildings covered in graffiti ... the street is very alive at any time during the day or night.

4.3 Eating Out Being a multicultural city, Berlin offers a wide range of international food. In every part of the city, you will find something delicious for every taste and budget. The following restaurants and snack bars are just a small selection of what Berlin has to offer on the culinary front, if you wish to get a broader overview, we recommend the special Tip and Zitty editions on eating out in Berlin. We listed our favourites according to districts:

Mitte Asian Ishin: Mittelstraße 24 - We recommend the amazing Japanese dishes like “Cey –Ro”. Main dishes from 5,20 €; menu prices are cheaper during happy hour (Wed. & Sat. all day long, other days from 11:00-16:00). Green tea is unlimited and free. Open: Mon to Sat 11:00-22:00.

Fuki Sushi: Rosenthalerstraße 61 - If you want well homemade sushi, you have to eat here, a Japanese couple owns the restaurant, they prepare the sushi the same minute you order it. It is delicious and quite inexpensive. Open: Mon to Fri: 13:00-23:00, Sat & Sun: 17:00-23:00

Susuru: Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 17. Japanese Noodle Bar. Everything is healthy, delicious, and homemade. Main dishes between 6,5 - 9 €. Open: 11:30-23:30.

Monsieur Vuong: Schönhauserstrasse 46. Fantastic Vietnamese kitchen. Never mind the queues – it´s worth waiting and you can´t reserve. Daily changing menus at 6,90 € per dish. Open: 12:00-23:00 (24:00 at weekends).

Oriental Dada Falafel: Linienstraße 132. It is a really well known place for fresh falafel and shawarma. All dishes under 7€. Open 9:00-2:00.

German Zur Letzten Instanz: Waisenstraße 14-16. Rustic restaurant with old Berliner charm. Perfect for checking out authentic Berliner dishes like Eisbein or Bouletten. Main dishes 9-18€. Open: Tue – Sat 12:00-1:00.

Schwarzwaldstuben: Tucholskystraße 48. They serve Southern German specials, we recommend Geschnetzeltes, Maultaschen, Schnitzel (with tons of lemon) and Flammkuchen, all accompanied by a good German beer, of course. Dishes 4,50 - 14€. Open: 9:00-24:00.

French Café Nord Sud: Auguststraße 87. Always stuffed with people because of its French charm and excellent value for money: 3-course meal at 7,50€. Open: 11:00-15:00 and 18:00-24:00.

Charlottenburg

Vegetarian Natural’mente: Schustehrusstraße 26 - We recommend Sunday’s big buffet, although it is so popular that it is hard to get a table without reservation, the prize is 15 € and they serve fish but absolutely no meat.

Italian Ali Baba: Bleibtreustraße 45 - Traditional pizza place where the pizzas are hot and great, inexpensive and they come accompanied by smiles. Pizzas between 3 – 7 €. Open: 11:00-2:00.

Oriental Karun: Pestalozzistraße 26 and Kantstraße 36. Great falafel, halloumi and shawarma at small prices. Quick and friendly service. Open: 11:00-23:00. Special tip El Borriquito: Wielandstraße 6. Authentic Spanish restaurant, all staff are Spanish or Latinamerican, great atmosphere, always packed, good value for money, live music every night 9pm to 3am, kitchen open: 18:00-5:00.

Schöneberg

German Maultaschenmanufaktur: Lützowstraße 22. Try the Maultaschen, you have every kind to choose from, even vegetarian ones. Dish 5 € during lunch, 10 € during dinner. Open: 18:00-23:30.

Joseph Roth Diele: Potsdamer Str.75. It is named after a Jewish writer who used to live next door; the walls are plastered with quotes from his work. Dishes are between 2-7€. Open: Mon to Fri 10:00- 24:00.

Oriental Habibi: Goltzstraße 24 – Try the amazing falafel and the fresh homemade juices (our favourite is the freshly squeezed orange and carrot juice). Open: 11:00-3:00, Sat & Sun 11:00-5:00.

Shayan: Goltzstraße 23. Here you can find a great variety of Persian specialities, you will feel like in the Arabian Nights tales.

Italian Dolce Pizza: Belziger Str. 73. Thin and crunchy pizza made out of different fresh ingredients. Huge pizzas 12-15 euros, 2 € a slice. Open: 12:00-21:00.

Kreuzberg

Turkish Defne: Planufer 92c. If Kebab is your favourite Turkish meal, you need to visit this restaurant! Try the different starters as well as the Ali Nacik. We also recommend the brunch buffet every Sunday from 11:00. Beautiful location next to the river. Open: 16:00-1:00 (kitchen open till 24:00).

Hasir: Adalbertstraße 10. Food and ambiance are both magnificent. It has become so popular that they have six restaurants in different parts of the city. Open: 11:00-1:00.

German Henne: Leuschnerdamm 25. Traditional Berliner Wirtshaus since 1888. Even John F. Kennedy has dined there. You won´t have much difficulty choosing your meal as the choice is limited to chicken (their speciality), sausages and bouletten. Dishes are between 3,20 and 8,30 € . You can either eat inside or in the garden. You will probably need to make a reservation. Open from 18:00.

American Kreuzburger: Oranienstraße 190. Burgers between 2,70 and 4,50 €. Open: 12:00-3:00, Fri & Sat till 4:00.

Italian Gorgonzola Club: Dresdener Str. 121. You have a huge variety of original Italian dishes, from appetising antipasti to delicious desserts. Main dishes between 6-11 €. Open: 18:00-24:00, Sat & Sun till 2:00.

Special tip Il Casolare: Grimmstrasse 30. Definitely the best pizza in town, and authentic Italian feeling on top. Always packed, but definitely a must! If you don´t want to wait, reserve: 030 69506610. Pizzas from 5,50 €. Open: every day 12:00-24:00.

Friedrichshain

Oriental Alarabi: Krossener Straße 19. Exotic decorations and a candle light atmosphere. A tray of appetizers can feed two people. Dishes between 5 and 10 €. Open: 9:00-1:30.

Prenzlauer Berg

French Poulette: - Knaackstr. 30-32. It is more of a pricey restaurant but they have quite an interesting option for lunch, a 3-course menu for 10€. Open: 12:00-23:00.

Gugelhof: Knaackstraße 37. Cheese fondue, Flammkuchen and other Alsatian dishes. Main dishes between 7-15€. Open: Mon to Fri from 17:00, Sat & Sun from 10:00.

Asian Sasaya: Lychener Straße 50. Every kind of Japanese food you can imagine, all really fresh and prepared by the expert hand of Chef Isao Sasaki. Main dishes between 6 and 16 €. Open: Thu to Mon 12-15 and 18:00-23:30.

4.4 Cinema Berlin offers a broad choice of cinemas screening original version movies. Those films are usually labeled OF (Original Fassung) or OmU (Original mit Untertiteln) behind the titles.

The biggest cinema to watch the latest original version movies is Cinestar in Potsdamer Platz. It is quite affordable: 6,50€ for students during the week, 7€ at weekends.

To watch movies in other languages, take a look at the official language centers: • for Spanish: Instituto Cervantes (S5,7,75 Hackescher Markt) • for French: Institut Francais (see below)

Our favourite is Cinema Paris, next to the French language institute. • Where is it? Kurfürstendamm 211 • Public Transport: U1 Uhlandstraße

5 End of Studies

5.1 Returning Home You should plan your return home just as carefully as you planned your stay in Germany. If you are not planning to study again in your home country right away, take a look at the job market at home in advance. The Employment Agency can help you here since they also act as an agent for job vacancies in Europe. Students from developing countries can sometimes claim repatriation grants which differ widely. There are grants for setting up a business, transport subsidies; time limited financial support and the like.

Before you return to your homeland you should definitely do the following:

• Deregister at your place of residence: To do so, you will simply need to print out the deregistration form from here (scroll down to “Formulare” and click on “Abmelden einer Wohnung”), fill it out and send it by post to any of Berlin´s Registration Offices. A possible one would be this one:

Bürgeramt 1 Egon-Erwin-Kisch-Str.106 13059 Berlin

• Most lease contracts must be cancelled two to three months in advance, so check your contract and notify your landlord. You may be responsible for making renovations to the room or apartment before you move out. • If you have an electricity account for your current residence, make arrangements with the electricity company to have your service discontinued. You may need to leave your address in your home country with the company in order for them to send you your final bill. It’s a good idea to make a note of your final meter reading before you depart. • Cancel health care (if applicable) and telephone contract • Close your bank account • Contact the pension insurance fund in case you had a job in Germany

There is a lot to think about when you leave Germany. To gain a better overview, please take a look at this Returning Home checklist from the Studentenwerk, and, as always, contact us if in doubt about anything.

5.2 Staying in Germany Once they have graduated, a number of international students stays in Gemany. Some students go on to specialize on a postgraduate course, others try to find work in Germany. For students from the old member states of the EU this is no problem at all because generally they have free access to the German job market.

Students from the new EU member states and all other international students can extend their residence for a further 18 months, provided they have completed their studies successfully. In that time, they can find a job which is appropriate to their education.

If university graduates find a suitable position their previous residence permit can be converted to a temporary residence permit for the purpose of employment. After five years of working you can receive a permanent residence permit.

Please find further information here.