honestly the exmatriculation thing is a mess and it really depends on your uni. at HU they told me you're out the day you submit, but other friends at freie said they stayed enrolled until the last grade was in. just ask your prüfungsamt directly, they deal with this every day.

for the job seeker visa, the 18 months starts when your current permit ends, not when you graduate. so if your student visa runs til september and you finish in july, you still have til september to apply for the switch. but don't wait til the last minute, the LEA appointment slots are a nightmare rn.

one thing nobody told me: if your part time job is related to your degree, that time can count toward the 21 months for PR later. so keep that contract safe. also the full time offer you might get, if it's above the blue card threshold (around 43k for 2024) they can start the process while you're still enrolled, just need your degree certificate to finalize it

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The key thing is that you don't automatically lose your student status the second you submit. You're technically still enrolled until you officially exmatriculate, which often happens when your final grades are entered or when you request it. Most people I know waited until they had the job contract signed before requesting exmatriculation, then immediately switched to the 18-month job seeker visa at the LEA (Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24).

For your situation with the full-time offer, the cleanest path is usually to finish your thesis, keep your part-time job and your student visa, then once you have the full-time contract in hand, go to the Ausländerbehörde to apply for a work permit under the Skilled Immigration Act. You don't need to use the job seeker visa at all if your employer can sponsor the work visa directly, which is much faster and doesn't have that 18-month clock ticking.

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The key thing is that you're not automatically exmatriculated the moment you submit. Usually it happens when your final grades are officially entered, which can take weeks or even a couple months depending on your department and how fast your advisor submits the paperwork. You want to time it so your full-time contract starts after you've officially graduated and switched to the 18-month job seeker visa, not while you're still on a student visa that limits you to 120 full days or 240 half days per year.

For the job seeker visa, you go to the Landesamt fur Einwanderung in your district once you have your degree certificate in hand. You don't need to wait for the physical document, a printed confirmation from your university that you've passed everything is enough. The visa itself is straightforward to get, you just need proof of health insurance, enough savings or a blocked account (about 1,000 euros per month for the duration), and your passport.

One practical thing - if your potential employer is flexible, ask if they can start you on a Werkstudent contract until your student status officially ends. That way you're earning legally without overstepping visa limits, and you switch to full-time once the job seeker visa is approved. It's a common workaround here in Berlin and most companies with international employees are familiar with it.

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tbh the gartenstadt falkenberg tip is underrated, most tourists never make it out that far. i went last spring and the gardens were blooming like crazy, each house has a different color scheme and the whole place feels like a tiny fairy tale village. the s-bahn ride out there is pretty too, you go through all these foresty bits before reaching the station.

for a different evening spot try the schwarze riese bar in friedrichshain, it's a tiny place hidden behind a heavy black curtain with no sign outside. they do experimental cocktails and the lighting is super dim, feels like being in someone's weird living room. gets busy after 10pm though so go early if you want a seat.

also if you're near neukölln on a weekend check out the neuköllner oper, they do affordable opera and theater in german but the building itself is worth seeing, it's this old factory turned into a performance space. tickets are like 15 euros and it's never packed with tourists.

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fwiw the viktoriapark tip is solid but the waterfall is seasonal, it's usually turned off in winter so don't plan around it. the view from the top is still worth it though, especially around golden hour when the light hits the monument.

if you're doing the boros bunker thing, book like a month ahead minimum, those tickets sell out fast. i'd also check out the KW Institute in mitte as a backup, they have rotating contemporary shows and usually no queue.

one thing missing from this guide is the flea market at mauerpark on sundays. yeah it's kinda touristy now but if u go early around 9am it's chill and you can find weird old berlin stuff. the karaoke in the amphitheater after noon is pure chaos, def a local experience.

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honestly this is a solid list, i live in neukölln and you nailed the weserstraße vibe. one thing i'd add is that markthalle neun is great but thursdays get packed by 7pm, go earlier if u can. for a real hidden meal try the falafel at alibabas on sonnenallee, it's a tiny spot with no seating but some of the best in the city.

the klunkerkranich tip is good but be warned it's on top of a parking garage and the stairs can be a slog. if you want a quieter view with less climb hit the tempelhofer feld at sunset, it's an old airport turned park and you can just lie on the runway watching the sky. no beer up there but you can bring your own.

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