Auditors (Nebenhörer und Gasthörer) at Freie Universität Berlin

Auditing students affiliated with a different university (Nebenhörer)

Students of other higher education institutions who wish to attend individual courses (not more than six hours a week per semester or one module) at Freie Universität Berlin may register as auditors (Nebenhörer/Nebenhörerin status) upon request and with the approval of the instructor. These students may also earn course certificates by prior arrangement, but they are not entitled to take tests or examinations. Auditing students from other universities are not considered members/students of Freie Universität Berlin, therefor they do not get a student-ID-card oder can apply for a student-visa.

Information and applications:
Student Records and Registration Office
Iltisstraße 1 (right by the Dahlem-Dorf U-Bahn station)
14195 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 838-70000
Office hours: See Freie Universität Info Service Studium

Guest auditors (Gasthörer)

Guest auditors (Gasthörer/Gasthörerin status) do not have student status. Guest auditors are permitted to attend individual courses with the approval of the course instructor. They are not required to have earned a university entrance qualification (Abitur or equivalent). Guest auditors are not entitled to earn course certificates, or to participate in any tests or examinations given as part of the course of study or in intermediate and final examinations. Guest auditors are required to pay a fee. There are two different ways to become a guest auditor at Freie Universität Berlin:

Guest Auditor Card (GasthörerCard)

A GasthörerCard gives an auditor access to a wide range of different ways to benefit from the courses offered at Freie Universität Berlin. This opportunity is open to anyone who is interested in scientific, academic, or cultural education. Guest auditors are not required to have earned a university entrance qualification (Abitur or equivalent). The Guest Auditor Card Program (GasthörerCard-Programm), published each semester, lists the range of courses offered. The following general points apply:

• The courses listed in the Guest Auditor Card Program represent only a selection (primarily from the humanities, cultural studies, and social studies) and can be attended without further formalities because the instructors have already given their consent.
• Guest auditors are also permitted to base their personal course selections on the full range of courses offered at Freie Universität Berlin in all disciplines so that they can put together a learning program tailored to their individual interests. The lecture and course catalog (in German) provides an overview of the courses offered.
• The instructor’s consent is required if a guest auditor wishes to attend a course. The best way to obtain an instructor’s consent is to approach him or her immediately following the first course attended (oral consent is sufficient for the Guest Auditor Card Program).
• The number of courses is not limited in the Guest Auditor Card Program.
• The Guest Auditor Card Program includes an exclusive offer for guest auditors focusing on art history (course offered: “Kunstgeschichte vor Ort” (Art History on Site), certificate: “Kunst im Kontext” (Art in Context)).
• Guest Auditor Card users can earn a certificate after at least four semesters of advanced study in the areas of East Asia, the Near and Middle East, Ancient History, and in the “Theologie im Dialog” (Theology in Dialogue) program.
• A Guest Auditor Card entitles the bearer to a discount of up to 50% on the price of admission to various cultural institutions and facilities in Berlin and to special rates for admission to various institutions at Freie Universität Berlin, from the Botanic Garden to the Center for Recreational Sports.

Guest Auditor Card validity and costs

For the winter semester, the Guest Auditor Card is valid from October 1 through March 31 of the next year, and for the summer semester it is valid from April 1 through September 30 of the same year. Guest Auditor Cards are available as GasthörerCard Classic (€ 125 per semester) or GasthörerCard Art (€ 176 per semester). Guest auditors who wish to set up a subscription to the GasthörerCard receive a discounted rate; the GasthörerCard Classic costs € 110 and the GasthörerCard Art € 161.

Guest auditors are eligible for a discount of 50% with an approval notice from the Employment Agency (Arbeitsamt) or a housing benefit (Wohngeld) notice or comparable pieces of documentation.

Information and program

http://www.fu-berlin.de/gasthoerercard/ (in German)
or
Freie Universität Berlin
Center for Continuing Education
Otto-von-Simson-Str. 13-15
14195 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 838 514 24, Fax: (030) 838 513 96
E-Mail: gasthoererinfo@weiterbildung.fu-berlin.de

Registering as a guest auditor for one or two courses

Guest auditors are also welcome to continue registering for individual courses. In this case, auditors must decide before the semester starts how many courses, and which specific courses, they wish to attend. This method is less expensive than obtaining a Guest Auditor Card (GasthörerCard, see Sec. 2.1 above) only if the auditor plans to attend not more than one or two courses. Each credit hour (Semesterwochenstunde, abbreviated SWS) carries a fee of € 15.34. A course is generally worth two SWS (€ 30.68). Auditors are limited to a maximum of six credit hours if registering in this way.

The guest auditor registration process (in German) for individual courses is as follows:

• A special registration form (in German)  is required. This form can be requested directly at the Center for Continuing Education.
• The guest auditor may attend his or her chosen courses after speaking to the instructor and obtaining the instructor’s signature on the registration form to indicate his or her approval.
• Guest auditors are required to register using this form at the Center for Continuing Education of Freie Universität Berlin within a specific admissions period. This period begins on the Monday of the second week during which classes are in session. The guest auditing fee is charged when the auditor registers.

Information and applications
Center for Continuing Education

    Otto-von-Simson-Str. 13-15
    14195 Berlin
    Tel: (030) 838 514 24
    E-Mail: gasthörerinfo@weiterbildung.fu-berlin.de

    Office hours:

Mon. + Wed. 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.