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How much does Freie Universität Berlin cost for international students?
Freie Universität Berlin charges no tuition fees for standard Bachelor's and consecutive Master's programmes, for EU and non-EU students alike, because Berlin funds its public universities and the Berlin Hochschulgesetz rules out general tuition fees.
| Item | Cost for international students |
|---|---|
| Bachelor | No tuition fees |
| Master (consecutive) | No tuition fees |
| Semester contribution (everyone) | 376.80 EUR per semester (winter 2026/27) |
What every student pays is the semester contribution, and it is not a fee for teaching. For winter 2026/27 it comes to 376.80 EUR, of which the largest share, 226.80 EUR, is the Deutschlandsemesterticket contribution covering public transport nationwide. The amount is set each semester, so it changes.
No tuition doesn't mean no proof of funds: for the student visa you still need to show about 11,904 EUR for the year, usually in a blocked account, and that money has to be transferred months before the semester starts.
What are the application deadlines?
These deadlines apply equally to EU and non-EU applicants; Freie Universität Berlin states explicitly that the same dates apply to all applications with international qualifications. Master's deadlines fall much earlier than the widely quoted 15 July winter deadline.
| Degree | Intake | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Master, limited admission | Winter (October) | 31 May |
| Master, unrestricted admission | Winter (October) | 15 August |
| Bachelor, limited admission (NC) | Winter (October) | 15 July |
| Bachelor, unrestricted admission | Winter (October) | 1 September |
Applications for winter 2026/27 opened 1 June 2026 (Bachelor) and 20 April 2026 (Master). Applicants without a German university entrance qualification must additionally request a VPD from uni-assist, ideally weeks before the deadline as processing can take 4 to 8 weeks. Pharmacy and veterinary medicine follow separate dates via hochschulstart.de.
How do you apply to Freie Universität Berlin?
Applicants without a German university entrance qualification first request a VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation) from uni-assist, then submit their actual application directly through Freie Universität Berlin's own online application portal within the deadline. uni-assist charges 75 EUR for the first programme and 30 EUR for each additional one in the same semester; this fee is the same for the VPD procedure as for a standard uni-assist application, and Freie Universität Berlin does not charge a separate application fee of its own.
Pick your programme and check its language
Check whether the programme is taught in English or German, whether it has restricted admission (NC), and whether it has a summer intake. Requirements are set per programme, not centrally.
Register — request your VPD, then register in FU Berlin's own portal
Apply for the VPD at uni-assist as early as possible; it can take 4 to 8 weeks. The VPD is valid for one year. Once issued, use it to apply through Freie Universität Berlin's application portal.
Submit before your deadline
31 May for Master's programmes with limited admission, 15 July for Bachelor's programmes with limited admission. Certified copies and translations can take weeks to obtain, so start collecting documents well in advance.
Then start to prepare your visa
You need the admission letter for your visa appointment, and appointments in peak season take six to twelve weeks.
How many programmes are taught in English?
Freie Universität Berlin offers 58 study programmes taught fully or partly in English, concentrated in the natural sciences, computer and data science, and area studies (Latin American, East European and Middle Eastern studies), out of about 173 degree programmes in total (78 Bachelor's, 95 Master's). The great majority are Master's programmes; only two Bachelor's programmes, English Language and Literature and North American Studies, are taught fully in English. You can study the English-taught programmes without German, though everyday German still helps with housing, part-time work and dealing with the authorities.
Which English certificates does Freie Universität Berlin accept?
Freie Universität Berlin sets requirements by CEFR level (B1, B2 or C1) rather than a single central score, and most English-taught Master's programmes ask for C1. Unlike many universities, it accepts IELTS General as well as Academic. The English-taught-degree waiver is broader than the norm: a full degree with English as the language of instruction counts whatever country it was earned in, not only degrees from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, New Zealand or Australia.
| Certificate | Typical range (C1 level) |
|---|---|
| IELTS (General or Academic) | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 95 or above |
| Cambridge | C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency, 180+ overall |
| UNIcert | Level III |
| Degree-based waiver | Degree with English as language of instruction, any country |
The exact score is set per programme, so check your programme page before booking a test.
When does the semester start?
Work backwards from the lecture start rather than the semester start. The winter semester formally begins on 1 October, but lectures start on 12 October 2026 — plan to be in Berlin a few weeks earlier for city registration, a bank account and a room.
| Semester | Semester period | Lecture period |
|---|---|---|
| Winter 2026/27 | 1 Oct 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | 12 Oct 2026 – 13 Feb 2027 |
| Summer 2027 | 1 Apr 2027 – 30 Sep 2027 | 12 Apr 2027 – 17 Jul 2027 |
About Freie Universität Berlin
Founded in 1948 in the former West Berlin as a de facto continuation of the university that had come under Soviet-sector control, Freie Universität Berlin is one of Germany's largest comprehensive universities and a University of Excellence, continuously since 2007. Its particular strengths are area studies through the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, the Institute for East European Studies and the Institute for Latin American Studies, alongside strong natural sciences, computer science and social sciences.
Its main campus sits in leafy Dahlem in the south-west of the city, part of the Berlin University Alliance together with Humboldt University, Technical University Berlin and Charité, and its international networks span more than 200 partner universities worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Freie Universität Berlin use uni-assist?
Yes, but only for a preliminary check. Applicants without a German qualification first request a VPD from uni-assist (75 EUR for the first programme, 30 EUR for each additional one), then apply directly through Freie Universität Berlin's own portal. There is no separate application fee from the university itself.
Do I need German to study at Freie Universität Berlin?
Not for the 58 English-taught programmes, but almost all of these are Master's; only two Bachelor's programmes are taught fully in English. Most of the roughly 173-programme catalogue is German-taught, so check the language of instruction of your programme first.
What does Freie Universität Berlin require when you enrol?
Your letter of admission, a completed enrolment application, an identification document, your university entrance qualification, and proof of German if your qualification is non-German. A German statutory health insurance provider must send FU Berlin an electronic proof of your status directly, using the university's sender number, H0000657 — a paper certificate or chip card copy is not accepted. See our health insurance comparison.
Is Freie Universität Berlin really free for international students?
Yes for tuition, for EU and non-EU students alike, because Berlin funds its public universities and state law rules out general tuition fees. Everyone pays the semester contribution of 376.80 EUR for winter 2026/27, most of which is the nationwide Deutschlandsemesterticket.
Does an English-taught Bachelor replace the language test?
Yes, and more broadly than at many universities: a full degree taught in English counts as proof whatever country it was earned in, alongside recognised test certificates such as IELTS (General or Academic), TOEFL iBT, Cambridge exams and UNIcert.
Visa Support
Your visa support at Freie Universität Berlin
Three steps from your admission letter to a visa plan built for your nationality.
2
Enter your university access code
The Freie Universität Berlin provides it: check your international office page, or ask them by email.
3
Your plan is ready
Documents, deadlines and your visa appointment, in the right order.
Sources and Maintenance
Fees and semester contribution: fu-berlin.de, "Fees and dues" page, winter 2026/27 breakdown.
Application route and deadlines: fu-berlin.de, Deadlines for Applying, Registering, and Enrolling, winter 2026/2027, and the academic calendar page; uni-assist.de, VPD and handling-fee pages.