Free University of Berlin (FU)

Berlin · BEPublicFounded 1948

Official site

Recorded values

144

Excluding editorial notes

With a source

83%

120 of 144 link to the page that stated them

With a read date

67%

The rest could be any age

Editorial assessment

Somebody’s judgement, not a sourced value. Useful for shortlisting, not for a decision.

Tier: Elite
Selectivity: Medium
Strong subjects: Political Science, Sociology, Biology, North American Studies, JFK Institute
Fit notes: Strong for IR, political science. Some niche English masters.
Tuition summary: EUR 0 (small admin fees)
English bachelor: No
English master: Yes
Teaching languages: English
Summary: Strong for IR, political science. Some niche English masters.

Standing and scale

A rank means nothing without its edition, so the year travels with it.

QS 2027#98THE 2026#113US News#59

Students
34400 (2024/2025)
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International
23.5%
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International students
8000
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Acceptance rate
15%
FU Berlin does not publish official acceptance rates. Programs without admission restriction accept most qualified applicants. Competitive programs like Computer Science, Psychology, and Political Science have much lower rates.
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Fees

Money is kept as written. German sources use a thousands dot and a decimal comma.

4/5 sourced

Tuition bachelor noneu
0 EUR
No tuition fees for any nationality at public universities in Berlin
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Tuition master noneu
0 EUR
No tuition fees for any nationality at public universities in Berlin
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Application fee
75 EUR
Non-refundable. VPD via uni-assist required before applying to FU Berlin.
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Tuition eea
376.8 EUR
Semester contribution for Winter 2026/27, includes public transport ticket (Berlin ABC zones). For transfers from non-EU countries, select OUR option to pay all transfer fees.
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Tuition eea
358.8 EUR
Semester contribution for Summer 2026, includes public transport ticket (Berlin ABC zones). For transfers from non-EU countries, select OUR option to pay all transfer fees.
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Deadlines

A deadline is a date for a given intake and applicant group, never a single number.

5/5 sourced

Bachelor's restricted admission
1 June - 15 July 2026
Applies to Admission-restricted (NC) programs + combined Bachelor with at least one restricted part
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Bachelor's unrestricted admission
1 June - 1 September 2026
Programs without admission restriction
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Master's restricted admission
15 April - 31 May 2026
Admission-restricted Master's programs
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Master's unrestricted admission
15 April - 15 August 2026
Programs without admission restriction
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Master's
15 December - 15 January
Most Bachelor programs only start in Winter Semester
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Language requirements

2/5 sourced

Ielts
6.5 - 7.0 overall, no band below 6.0 · Bachelor
Varies by program. Some programs require 7.0. CEFR level B2-C1.
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Ielts
6.5 - 7.0 overall, no band below 6.0 · Master
Varies by program. Some programs require 7.0 (e.g., Pharmaceutical Research). CEFR level C1.
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Toefl
80-100 · Bachelor
Varies by program. CEFR level B2-C1.
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Toefl
80-100 · Master
Varies by program. CEFR level C1.
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Cambridge
not recorded · Any
Accepted as alternative to IELTS/TOEFL (FCE, CAE, CPE)
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How you apply

0/1 sourced

Process
no portal recorded
International applicants with non-German qualifications must apply for VPD at uni-assist before applying to FU Berlin. VPD assessment converts grades to German scale. VPD processing time: 4-6 weeks. Deadlines are strict. Late applications are automatically rejected. International applicants should request VPD at least 6 weeks before the application deadline.
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Credential requirements

Keyed by where your degree is from, because the answer genuinely differs.

3/5 sourced

Moi acceptance
Pakistan
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Ibcc equivalence
Pakistan
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Hec attestation
Pakistan
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Percentage cutoff
Pakistan
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Documents required
Pakistan
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Scholarships

4/7 sourced

Deutschlandstipendium (Germany Scholarship)
300 EUR monthly
All enrolled students at FU Berlin, merit-based, regardless of nationality or background Half funded by Federal Government, half by private sponsors. Can be combined with other scholarships. No social criteria considered - purely merit/talent-based.
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DAAD STIBET I Scholarship
250 EUR monthly for 10 months
Currently enrolled international students at FU Berlin with refugee background, child under 12, caregiver, or disability/chronic illness (degree of disability >= 50) Only for students currently enrolled at FU Berlin. Not for PhD students or exchange students.
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DAAD Scholarships
934 EUR monthly (Master's) / 1,200 EUR monthly (PhD)
International graduates from developing countries Various DAAD programs available (Study Scholarship, EPOS, Research Grants). Apply through DAAD, not FU Berlin directly.
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Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarship
490-640 EUR monthly
Students at Erasmus+ partner universities
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Political Foundations Scholarships
Typically 934 EUR/month + allowances
Varies by foundation - typically commitment to specific social/political values Various political foundations offer scholarships (Konrad-Adenauer, Friedrich-Ebert, Heinrich-Boll, Rosa-Luxemburg).
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SBW Berlin Scholarship
amount not recorded
Fully funded scholarship for international students in Berlin. Covers tuition, flight, accommodation.
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FU Berlin Scholarships for Expanding Access
amount not recorded
International students currently enrolled at FU Berlin. Fields: Computer Science, Biology, Philosophy, History, Sociology, Social Work, Geography, Communication, Education, and more.
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Housing

1/3 sourced

Student dormitories
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Shared flat wg
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Private rental
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Support services

4/9 sourced

Peer mentoring
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Orientation days
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Visa support
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Career services
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Language courses
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Student organisations
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Pakistani student society
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Blocked account
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Post study work
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Courses

You apply to a course, not to a university — the deadline, the fees and the entry requirements all differ between them.

64 of 68 can be tracked today