Life at Freie Universität Berlin
The Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin) was founded in 1948 amidst the tumultuous post-war period in Germany. Its formation was a response to the political divisions in Germany and Berlin caused by the Cold War. At the time, the FU considered itself the continuation of the former University of Berlin and retained many of its traditions and faculty members.
Today, the Freie Universität Berlin holds a distinguished status as one of Germany's most prestigious universities, with a strong focus on the humanities and social sciences. In the 2023 Times Higher World University Rankings, FU was ranked as the top German university for social sciences. Additionally, it is one of only eleven universities in Germany designated as ‘Universities of Excellence’. The institution takes pride in its faculty, counting five Nobel Prize winners among its staff and 17 winners of the Leibniz Prize.
As an exchange student, you will be attending classes at the FU Language Centre and the Department of Political and Social Sciences, located on the main campus in the neighbourhood of Dahlem. The campus can be reached within a 30-minute journey by public transport from the city centre of Berlin.
The university offers accommodation for international exchange students via their International Office. There is also a large private housing market and shared accommodation in apartments is popular. Further information for international students is available from the university’s International Office.
Study during your year abroad
BSc Language, Culture and Society students will spend two semesters at FU. In each semester you will take academic modules at the Department of Social Sciences as well as language courses at the FU Language Centre. Students will be able to pick their options from a list of appropriate choices agreed by FU and LSE. We also advise students to take pre-sessional German language courses.
Each academic module will involve 2-3 contact hours per week and the German language courses 2-4 contact hours per week. The winter semester runs from mid-October to mid- February and the summer semester from mid-April to mid-July.
Students are expected to attend all classes regularly and be active participants.
Please remember this important information from your programme regulations:
Students must pass all assessments set by FU in order to be eligible for the award of the degree.
Where a student fails an assessment, they will be provided a resit either at FU at the end of the year abroad or when they are back in London at the start of the final year of the programme.
Please remember this important information from your programme regulations:
Students must pass all assessments set by FU in order to be eligible for the award of the degree.
Where a student fails an assessment, they will be provided a resit either at FU at the end of the year abroad or when they are back in London at the start of the final year of the programme.