German language skills

At Freie Universität Berlin most courses are conducted in German. In order to successfully complete modules and courses, all students except native German speakers must first demonstrate sufficient German language skills:

• in the humanities and social sciences: level 3 TestDaF (in all four areas) or European Language Certificate B.2.1 – in accordance with the Council of Europe scale;
• in the natural sciences: European Language Certificate B.1.1 – in accordance with the Council of Europe scale.

Additional information can be found on the websites of the TestDaF-Institute and the Goethe-Institute.

German language courses

For exchange students the ZE Sprachenzentrum (Language Center) offers a limited number of German language courses free of charge at different levels during the semester. If you wish to attend a German language course, you must first take a placement test. After having passed the test, you will be assigned to a course at a level suitable for you.

This placement test will be offered shortly before the beginning of each semester. Without this test, international students are not able to take language classes. During the academic year, the language classes are free of charge for programme students.

It should be pointed out that there are no courses for absolute beginners. Good basic skills are therefore indispensable for participating in a language course.

In addition, exchange students also have the option of taking a six-week German intensive language course (before the beginning of each semester), with 20 hours of language instruction per week.

This course is geared toward students with a small prior knowledge of the German language (not for beginners!).

Further information concerning the fee and the application form for the German course before the beginning of the semester is available under ERG Universitätsservice GmbH.

Exchange students are not obliged to pass the Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH).