The Department of Philosophy at FU Berlin considers itself as open to the world and pluralistic. We invite students from all over the world to study philosophy with us. Students from abroad can choose between multiple options to study philosophy at FU Berlin. One possibility is to apply for the regular program with the aim of a degree as Bachelor or Master of Arts. In this case you will study as a degree-seeking student of FU Berlin. The application is to be done with the Freie Universität Berlin Student Administration Office, not with us as the Department of Philosophy. Sufficient language skills are essential. More information about how to become a degree-seeking student will be found here.

Furthermore, there are several opportunities to spend one or two semesters at our department as a non-degree-seeking student. In this case your academic performance will be recognized at your home university as part of your regular degree program. There a several ways in order to do so, from direct exchange with our numerous partner institutions to mobility with DAAD, Fulbright, and Other Programs. A low-threshold way to FU Berlin is through Erasmus+.

(!) If you are coming to the FU Berlin as a Phd-student, please look for a supervisor indipendently and agree for the details of the Phd-Supervision before your stay.

Please note that at present we do not offer any Erasmus+ internship positions. On the other hand, if you found yourself a supervisor here at our institute and have all necessary forms ready, we are happy to accept your application for an Erasmus+ internship.

What to expect?

• The idea that guides us at our department is an active and controversial group discussion in the seminars. Lectures are meant rather to provide an overview of the respective subject for beginning students. Prepare yourself to engage in the discussion.
• All Non-degree-seeking students enjoy the full right to participate even in overbooked courses. There are no privileges for degree-seeking-students in this regard.
• It is possible to take courses outside the department at other FU's departments or at other universities at Berlin, namely UdK, HU and TU. Please note: There is no legal framework for this cooperation. So you have to ask the respective course instructor for admission. You need to state explicitly your status as FU incoming student.

  
The following information is mostly but not exclusively dedicated to Erasmus+ students.

How to prepare?

• Your academic performance will be graduated according to the European Credit Transfer Systems (ECTS). Note: One Credit Point is equivalent to one ECTS as both are rewarded for a workload of 30 hours. See for general information these pages of FU´s incoming service.
• IMPORTANT: Your performance will be graduated in a modularised manner. The specific requirements of the moduls vary, please find an overview of all Bachelor modules here. Details for Master students can be found in the "Studien- und Prüfungsordnung" here (modules are listed at the bottom).
  These documents list ETCS, the constellation of courses in every modul, e.g. two seminars or one lecture and one seminar, and the type of the exam. Please use it together with the course catalog to compile your Learning Agreement.
• Please note: Minor subjects (ETCS list can be found here), courses explicitely offered for international students and language courses are an exemption to that rule. They are not modularised.
• The course catalog for the proceeding term is published during the second half of the semester before. If you need your LA done before, please, use the preliminary one for the time being and adjust your LA later. Experience shows that many incomings change their LA in the first weeks after classes get started. The LA form sheet allows for these changes.
• All incoming students, including Erasmus+ students, select their courses with Campus Management. It is highly advised to keep your records on Campus Management as close to reality as possible.
  Please note: Some of the courses have limited access, a registration for these courses via Campus Management is only possible at the beginning of the lecture period.
• Only if Campus Management does not work for your course combinations, you need to use the paper form ("Papierschein") to track your records.
• Look at this LA-example to get an Idea of how to organize your LA and adopt it to the specific requirements of your sending institution.
• The Learning Agreements are to be sent to erasmus@philosophie.fu-berlin.de to have them duly signed. Electronical processing via PDF is prefered.
  Name: Freie Universität Berlin/ Address: Habelschwerdter Allee 30, 14195 Berlin, Germany / Erasmus+ code: D BERLIN01 / Faculty: Philosophy and Humanities/ Department: Philosophy / Contact person: Barbara Vetter / E-Mail: erasmus [at] philosophie.fu-berlin.de
• All sorts of Confirmations of Stay/Arrival etc. are to be sent to International Office, Section Incoming Mobility in order to have them duly issued.

What to organize by the end of your stay?

• In order to have your Transcript of Records (ToR) issued you have to request it by the end of your stay. There is no automatic process, it is your responsibility to schedule the administrative process. 
• The teaching staff is asked to evaluate the academic performances in a timely manner but if you need your ToR at a specific date please indicate the time pressure at an early stage.
• The Leistungsnachweise (PDFs generated from Campus Management or Papierscheine) and a second form have to be sent to erasmus@philosophie.fu-berlin.de.
  If your Campus Management account is not activated anymore after finishing your study at FU Berlin, you may ask for assistance from the International Office, Section Incoming Mobility.
• Please keep in mind that processing your request for a ToR takes a little time.

FAQs

For more detailed information please see our Frequently Asked Questions.