if money isn't an object, forget about brooklyn and queens and just move to manhattan. you can suck it up and live in a studio and you won't spend half your time travelling into the city, since you're only here six months. i lived in london years ago for six months. i was so broke i ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day to subsidize my rent and cultural outings, but i lived in one of the best neighborhoods and it was well worth it to me.
here is a great site with all the no-fee apartments in the city. yes, a lot of them are doormen buildings, which sound expensive at first, but you won't be paying a month's rent to a realtor, which if you do the math can come out to a couple extra hundred a month. i prefer downtown, anything below 23rd street.
http://www.nybits.com/apartments.html
or you can always try craig's list and do the search on your own.