FAQs

Becoming a Student at Freie Universität Berlin

http://www.fu-berlin.de/studium/bewerbung/index.html

Registration period for the winter semester 2024/25

https://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/campusmanagement/N3InfoStudenten/Anmeldezeitraum/index.html

What do I need to know about the Department of English Philology?

You can find all information about the department (address, telephone, e-mail, homepage) and the general study structure on the following website: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studienangebot/grundstaendige/englische_philologie_kombi/index.html.

What are the general requirements and what documents do I need to have ready?

The language requirements for the subject English Philology are knowledge of German (at least C1) and English (at least B2.2). You can find the recognised certificates to prove your English language skills here: https://www.sprachenzentrum.fu-berlin.de/en/sprachtests/index.html.

Since English Philology has an admission restriction, your Abitur (high school diploma) grade is crucial for the admission procedure. You can check the NC values from previous years here: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/allgemein/nc/index.html.

Information on the documents required for an application for our degree program can be found on this website: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/bachelor/dt-hzb/index.html.

How do I apply?

Many of the degree programs on offer at Freie Universität Berlin in the arts or natural sciences are “combined bachelor’s degrees.” This means that they consist of one core subject (roughly equivalent to a “major”) and either two modules from other subject areas worth 30 credit points each or one module from another subject area (roughly equivalent to a “minor”) worth 60 credit points. When applying for a combined bachelor’s degree, you must apply for the core subject and the additional module(s) that you would like to attend for your application to be considered complete.

All the necessary information can be found at: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/bachelor/index.html.

The application period for the winter semester is from 1^st June to 15^th July each year. For an application for the summer semester it runs from 1^st December to 15^thJanuary

How do I apply as an international student?

If you have not completed your degree (high school diploma or undergraduate) in Germany, you will have to apply through Uni-Assist. Uni-Assist checks your documents and transfers your grades into our system but the admissions decisions are made by the Freie Universität.

The online application form, information about the address, the procedure and the fees can be found on the Uni-assist website:

http://www.uni-assist.de

What do I have to do if I want to apply for a higher semester?

Before applying, it is generally advisable to contact one of the professors on your study programme with an overview of your previous achievements (e.g. transcript from your previous university) in order to obtain an assessment of which semester you can apply for. A written assessment will be issued, which you can enclose with your application. However, this assessment can also be submitted at a later date; you would then initially be admitted to the relevant semester with reservations. For the Bachelor’s programme, you can apply for the 2nd, 4th and 6th semesters in the summer semester and for the 3rd and 5th semesters in the winter semester. Please note that your application for a higher semester should be realistic; if you do not receive the appropriate placement, you may lose your place. Crucial for the placement is the number of credit points earned in the subject as well as a thematic/scientific correspondence or equivalence of your study and examination achievements with the modules in the degree program at the FU Berlin.

Once you have successfully enrolled (i.e. once you have received a matriculation number), the second step is to have your credits and grades recognised. To do this, you have to contact the person, who issued the assessment, again. The recommendation for recognition is then usually forwarded directly to the Examinations Office, where the recognised achievements are entered into your Campus Management

How can I have credits earned at other universities or abroad or credits from other degree programs recognised?

Please contact one of the professors on your study prorgamme and submit the relevant transcript of records. The recommendation for recognition will then usually be forwarded directly to the Examinations Office, where it will be entered into Campus Management.

If you wish to have credits recognised when changing from a core subject to a module programme (or vice versa), please contact the responsible examination office.

For the recognition of achievements in practical language courses (BA degree programme), please contact the English Language Department Coordination of the Language Centre. Website: https://www.sprachenzentrum.fu-berlin.de/ueber_uns/mitarbeiter/sprachbereich_englisch/koordination-englisch/index.html; email: koordinationenglisch@sprachenzentrum.fu-berlin.de.

For the recognition of achievements in English didactics, please contact one of the professors.

https://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/studium/bachelor/abv/FAQ_ABV_PhilGeist/X_Anrechnung.html

https://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/dse/service-beratung/anrechnungen/_inhaltselemente_anrechnungen/anrechnungsbeauftragte_iss_gym/index.html

I would like to study abroad for one or two semesters - how do I go about it?

You can find detailed information on this website: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/international/studium_ausland/erasmus/index.html.

Where can I find the courses for the coming semester?

The course catalog (https://www.fu-berlin.de/vv/ ) lists all courses offered at our university. For courses in the BA English Philology and MA English Studies programs, select department > Philosophy and Humanities and scroll down to <Institute of English Philology (WE 6)>

How do I register for courses?

Registrations for courses are done through Campus Management: https://www.fu-berlin.de/sites/campusmanagement/

Please make sure to register for the courses you wish to attend within the first three weeks of the semester in Campus Management. If you decide not to attend certain courses, please remove them accordingly. After this period, changes to bookings can only be made by the examination office, and this will only happen in justified exceptional cases.

If you encounter issues with registration, you can also contact the instructor of your course.

What is a module?

Modules are teaching and learning units that cover thematic, methodological, and other subfields or focuses of your study program. Your study program consists of a series of mandatory or elective modules. These typically consist of several (usually two two-hour) courses of different types (e.g., lecture, introductory course, seminar, tutorial, etc.) focused on a specific subject area. Modules are concluded with a module examination (e.g., exam, term paper). More information about the mandatory and elective modules in your program, as well as the examinations, can be found in the study and examination regulations: https://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/we06/lehre_und_studium/Studiengaenge/index.html

Language tests

The FUB Language Center is responsible for testing the special language requirements.You can find more details on the website.

inFUtage 2024 - Events

https://www.fu-berlin.de/studium/beratung/veranstaltungen/infutage/index.html

First steps after enrollment

After enrollment, you will receive your access data for your personal FU account via ZEDAT at FU Berlin. This includes an FU email address, which will be used to send important information and instructions. Please check your emails regularly! If you prefer to use a different email address, you will need to activate the forwarding service in order to avoid missing any information.

Attend the orientation events. Here you will find the corresponding list with all information; the core subject is crucial here. In these events and meetings, you will receive important information about your institute and can meet instructors, responsible persons, and mentors.

Get to know Blackboard. Blackboard is the central e-learning platform of the FU, where your instructors and mentors create courses, provide materials and information, and communicate via the distribution list or forum. If you have registered for a course through Campus Management, you will usually have automatic access to Blackboard. You can log in here with your FU account: https://fu-berlin.blackboard.com/

Familiarize yourself with Campus Management. You can learn how to use the web functions and manage your account here.

Set up Webex. The digital offers of FU mainly take place through the Webex service.

Install the necessary software for the FU WLAN Eduroam. FU Berlin provides all members of the university with the overarching WLAN Eduroam. Please inform yourself before your first visit to FU and install the necessary software.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Both your instructors and mentors are there to help you with your first steps in your studies.

International Student Support

In September 2023, the new department International Student Support began its work. Building on the expired projects "ISFU - International Students at the FU Berlin" and the "Welcome Open Office Hour", the International Student Support will implement various measures to support international prospective and current students. The measures are geared towards the complete student journey and pursue the following goals: improving the information available to international students, facilitating their connection to the FU Berlin and supporting their academic success. In addition, the International Student Support aims to provide information and advice that is sensitive to diversity and discrimination across all departments. In order to achieve these goals, the International Student Support team will be active in three areas: Advising, Information Management and Event Organization.

Newsletter for international students

Since October 2023, the International Student Support team has been sending out a monthly newsletter with information, event announcements and tips for international students at FU Berlin.

Mentoringreferat

The Mentoring Department, which was established in the winter semester 2012/2013, organises the mentoring programme and offers first-year students the opportunity to take part in group mentoring in their core subject. The main objectives of this mentoring programme are to support students at the beginning of their studies, to assist them in planning their studies, developing learning strategies, writing term papers, and dealing with or reducing exam anxiety. The programme also provides information about the comprehensive range of advisory services offered by the Department of Philosophy and the Humanities and Freie Universität Berlin and encourages and supports networking among students. In the mentoring groups first-year students of a subject (mentees) are guided by experienced students (mentors). In addition, the Mentoring Department, in cooperation with the institutes and the Career Service, organizes events to support students at the beginning of their studies as well as in their transition to professional life.

Libraries

FU libraries

External libraries

What options are there to finance my studies?

You may qualify to apply for benefits under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG). You can find more information on this at: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/service/studierende/studwerk/bafoeg-studwerk/index.html.

Freie Universität offers the opportunity to apply for the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. You can find more information at: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/deutschlandstipendium/index.html.

In addition, there are always advertisements for student jobs at the university, for which you can of course also apply: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/universitaet/beruf-karriere/jobs/index.html

Certificates

The issuance of module, examination, and attendance certificates is done by the instructors or upon consultation in the secretariats during the specified office hours.

You can find applications and forms here

General Career Preparation (ABV) for Core Subject Students

The Department of Philosophy and Humanities offers its core subject students in the competency area "Subject-Specific Additional Qualifications" a specially developed ABV program for humanities scholars.

Registration for the ABV modules "Career Field Orientation and Communication Practice," "Team and Project Work," and "Humanities Research and Writing," as well as for events within these modules, takes place during the regular registration period through Campus Management.

You can find more information here.

Further information can be obtained here

How do I register my Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis?

You can find the registration forms on this website: https://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/studium/downloadbereich/index.html

Fill in your data and the topic agreed upon with your supervisors, and sign the form. Ask your primary supervisor and your second examiner to sign the form as well. (Electronic signatures are accepted.)

Only professors in the respective study program are authorized to supervise. Generally, you choose your primary supervisor yourself (usually someone you have studied with and who is relevant to your topic). The topic is agreed upon with your primary supervisor. In exceptional cases, doctoral research associates from the department can take over the second examination. In this case, this person must submit a request for examination authorization. Please note that research associates are not obligated to evaluate theses.

The topic of the thesis can be the final title or a working title that can be specified or slightly modified in the final version. In this case, the originally registered topic must also be mentioned on the title page of the thesis. Please note that only the registered topic will appear on your certificate.

To register for the Bachelor’s thesis (English Philology), you must have completed modules totaling at least 90 credit points in the Bachelor’s program. To register for the Master’s thesis (in the English Studies program), you must have completed at least two subject-specific and one practical language module.

Submit the completed form to Ms. Monika Cheng in the examination office (Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin, JK 29/105; email: monika.cheng@fu-berlin.de; website: https://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/studium/pruefungen/monika_cheng/index.html).

You will usually receive confirmation of your registration within a few days; from this day, the processing time begins (8 weeks for the BA thesis, 23 weeks for the MA thesis). The confirmation will include the submission date, as well as instructions for submitting the thesis, designing the title page, and the declaration of independence that you must attach to your thesis.

The review period is four weeks. Once both evaluations are available, you will be informed by the examination office. There is no defence of the thesis.

Study Office for BA in the Department of Philosophy and Humanities

http://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/studium/studienbuero/index.html

Examination Office I (Master’s Program in Applied Literary Studies)

http://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/studium/pruefungen/

Examination Office II (Bachelor English Philology, Master English Studies, Teaching Master’s Program, Magister English Philology)

http://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/studium/pruefungen/

What are the requirements for the MA English Studies?

In order to be eligible for the MA programme in English Studies, you will need to provide proof of English-language competence to a clear CEFR C1 level, either by submitting an official statement from your university administrator that the language of instruction across all courses and faculties was English; or with the results of one of the following tests: IELTS, CPE or Pearson Academic.

The only exception can be made for students who completed their degree in a country where the national language is English, or who got their undergraduate degree in English Philology at Freie Universität Berlin.

Applicants must meet the following requirements for admission to the Master's degree program:

- professionally qualifying German or an equivalent foreign degree from a higher education institution

a) with a degree in English Philology that is at least equivalent to the 60-credit point module in English Philology offered by the Department of Philosophy and Humanities at Freie Universität Berlin or

b) in General and Comparative Literature (Comparative Literature), Cultural Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Cultural Sociology, Gender Studies, Film Studies, Theater and Dance Studies or in other philologies with a literary and cultural studies component in English Philology of at least 20 CP.

- Proof of English language skills (level C1 CEFR) for applicants whose degree was not obtained at an institution/university where English is generally the language of instruction across all courses in all faculties.

There are a limited number of places that can be given to applicants with a minor in English and a major in one of the following areas: Comparative Literature; Cultural Studies; Cinema Studies; Theatre and Dance Studies; Philology in other languages. You would still need to have taken classes in English Literary and/or Cultural Studies that amount to a minimum of 15% of your credits.

When can I apply?

The application period is generally between mid-April and end of May for the winter semester; for the summer semester, you can only apply for a higher semester (2nd or 4thsemester), for instance, when you have already studied English at another university and plan to continue your studies at FU Berlin. The application period for the summer intake is 1^st Dec – 15^th Jan.

For detailed information on the application process please see the following link: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/master/index.html

If you have applied for a higher semester, please contact one of the professors at the institute after receiving your letter of admission and submit the relevant transcripts of records. For more information on transferring between Education Institutions in higher semesters, please visit the following page: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/allgemein/hochschulwechsel/index.html.

How do I proceed knowing that the visa process may take longer than the application and enrolment period?

You can still apply as a regular international student via uni-assist. If you face difficulties with getting your visa, please contact one of the professors on the programme, who may be able to offer support. If you have already signed up for courses, please inform the respective lecturers about the situation, and discuss with them how you can catch up in case you miss the first weeks of the semester. Even if your visa application takes longer, you won’t lose your admission – provided that you are enrolled at Freie Universität and pay the semester fees.

Institute for English Language and Literature (WE6)