- 70th place in the 2010 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
- Also ranked 34th place out of the Top 50 Universities for Arts and Humanities in the 2010 World University Rankings
- 4 Nobel Prize Winners who either currently teach or have taught at FU in the past
- 15 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize winners since 1988
- 15 Departments and Central Institutes, 160 degree programs and 16 doctoral programs
Visa + Requirements|Travel advice + advisories
Partner university’s areas of study
- Almost all subjects are taught in German
- Some undergraduate courses are taught in English — mostly in political sciences, international studies and business/economics
- Students must have a language skill equivalent to Level 2 Test DaF in all 4 categories if they wish to take classes in specific subjects in German (for more info see: www.testdaf.de)
- Subjects taught in English outside of the Departments of English and North American Studies are very limited in number (see "Courses in English" at www.fu-berlin.de)
- FUB offers a preparatory language course for language levels A2-C1, 6 weeks before the start of the fall and spring terms (600EUR for UBC exchange students, and students may receive 6 ECTS credits)
- Language classes also offered during the semester for Levels A2 (no absolute beginners) - C1, free of charge (depending on the level, classes are 4-12 hours per week with 5 to 10 ECTS for the course)
Eligibility and Timing
Terms Offered
Who can go?
- Arts and Science students are eligible to apply to this partner university
Term Dates
- Term 1 - Winter Semester: Beginning of October to End of February
- Term 2 - Summer Semester: Beginning of April to End of July
Timing
- A mandatory orientation takes place approx. 5-10 days before the lecture period starts
- Students will be provided with essential information about studying at Freie Universität Berlin such as course selection and enrolment, campus tours and how to use libraries and computers
Credits
Summer programs
Course equivalency formula
- ECTS credits divided by 2 = UBC credits
Credit transfer process
The transfer credit process takes approximately 16 weeks following each submission deadline. You should allow sufficient time to meet important deadlines that may affect you (e.g. application for graduation, registration in courses that require prerequisites that you took on exchange, entry to a major/honours program, etc.)
For more information about Go Global transfer credit
Grading scheme
- All departments, except for the Law Department, use the following grading scale:
- 1,0 – 1,5 very good
- 1,6 – 2,5 good
- 2,6 – 3,5 satisfactory
- 3,5 – 4,0 sufficient
- 5,0 fail
Passing grade
3,5Course Information
* Students who have special requirements or require academic accommodation should contact a Go Global advisor regarding their needs at least six weeks prior to the application deadline.
Type of Go Global Experiences
Course information and restrictions
- In addition to language courses, FUB offers a number of German Studies courses taught in German on history, literature etc. specifically for exchange students (for credit)
- With few exceptions all undergraduate programs are open for exchange students
- Medicine and Veterinary Medicine are NOT open to exchange students
- Restrictions apply in Law, Pharmacy, Economics and Business Administration
- Most universities in Germany provide a “Schein," which you will receive for each course completed - please ensure that you keep it for your records and provide a copy to Go Global upon return from exchange
Transfer Credits And Equivalent Courses At This University
Check out the courses that previous students have transferred back to UBC in the last 5 years using our Course Search Tool. If you don't see a particular course you listed, it simply means you need to submit it as a new course request through the Transfer Credit Portal while on your Go Global experience. For more information, please visit the Go Global Transfer Credit webpage.
Exchange Tuition
- 15 credits or equivalent full-time program fee per term, paid to UBC
- For the FUBIS program, tuition and other fees, aside from the Go Global application fee, are paid directly to the partner
- Some exceptions may apply
Scholarships and awards
The Go Global Award $1000
All students accepted to Go Global for Exchange, Research Abroad, or Study Abroad travel programs are automatically considered for this award. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll be notified of your award after you're accepted to Go Global and after you get nominated to apply to the partner university.
Additional awards
Students who are eligible for awards may receive one UBC or UBC-affiliated international learning award. If you're eligible, you are always offered the highest-value award. Unless stated otherwise, you need to meet eligibility criteria set out by the University Senate regarding awards.
Check out international learning awards and eligibility.
Information for US students:
If you are a student from the United States, please check the US Department of Education Lookup Tool to ensure that any partner institution you wish to attend on Exchange is Title IV ‘eligible’ for Federal Student Aid for the year in which you intend to study there. For institutions outside of the US, select “Foreign Country” from the “State” dropdown menu.
If you attend an eligible institution, then you may receive Title IV federal student loans while on Exchange.
If you attend an ineligible institution:
- You will not be eligible for US federal student loans,
- You may invalidate any US student aid you have previously received for your studies at UBC,
- You may be required to immediately begin repaying your US student loans, and
- You may not be eligible for any future US student aid for the remainder of your studies at UBC.
Types of accommodation available
Housing notes
- Students can either organize their own private accommodation (such as student share apartments) or use the university’s housing service ERG
- ERG housing service offers a variety of accommodation options, including dorms, shared flats and fully furnished single apartments
- Since there has been a dramatic increase of student housing demand, students wishing to use our accommodation service must apply online as soon as possible