Berlin isn’t a university town in the sense that the institutions shape the overall character of the city, but it’s an excellent place for students. The city is littered with cafes and bars ideal for brooding over Nietzsche, Brecht or the theory of relativity, and is a living monument to both recent and distant history. If university libraries don’t hold enough information, the city’s other public libraries will, complete with government archives.

All three universities are well-versed in foreign students and offer comprehensive information on their websites in English. International students can get help adjusting to life in Berlin, finding work (student visas carry limited work allowances) or the right topic for study – all for free.

Student housing is available on or near campus, but very few students take advantage of it. Berlin rents are cheap and living with fellow students in a Wohngemeinschaft or WG – a shared apartment – is a rite of passage for the educated. The schools all have deep resources for finding roommates; just stop by the English-language part of the relevant website or check in with Studentenwerk (www.studentenwerk-berlin.de), the organisation tasked with supporting student life.

Many 20 something Germans enrol for university without ever attending, just to get the endless discounts on things from theatre tickets to renting a car. You’ll need your student ID for these.