Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin) for international applicants: Bachelor entry in 2027

A Bachelor at Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin) with a school certificate from abroad starts with a VPD from uni-assist: apply for a VPD at uni-assist and then use it to apply through the FU application portal. The latest published window for limited-admission programmes ran 01.06.2026 - 15.07.2026 (winter semester 2026/2027), and the university does not charge any tuition fees. Only one Bachelor is taught in English with no German needed: North American Studies (Bachelor of Arts).

FU Berlin is a public research university in Berlin. This report covers Bachelor entry for applicants who hold a school-leaving certificate from outside Germany, with the next intake in the winter semester 2027/2028. The page FU keeps for deadlines shows the winter semester 2026/2027, and the university adds that the exact dates can vary and will be published for the respective year on this website each March. Dates below therefore come from the winter semester 2026/2027 page (2026/2027, the latest published), and past dates are in the past tense.

University institute building of the Freie Universität Berlin on Königin-Luise-Straße

The key facts by topic

Three rules that catch applicants out

• A valid VPD is a condition: FU only accepts applications received via its application portal that contain a valid VPD issued for Freie Universität Berlin.
• Allow time for uni-assist: processing by uni-assist can take up to 8 weeks, and the decisive factor for meeting the application deadline is the complete receipt of your application documents, including the VPD, in the FU portal.
• German is the default: you have to prove at least German proficiency at level C1 unless you apply to the English-taught Bachelor.

Cost in one line: FU lists €376,80 as the total for registration in the winter semester 2026/2027 (2026/2027, the latest published); the fees chapter has the breakdown.

FU Berlin's applicant pages state no acceptance rate; places in restricted programmes go through quotas, and 8% of available places are reserved for non-EU and stateless applicants, where selection is based only on the average grade of their higher education entrance qualification.

The statements in this chapter are according to the pages as of October 2026. To see whether a programme is restricted, look for the phrase "lokale Zulassungsbeschränkung (local admission restriction)" in the program description. The university publishes NC tables showing the results of the last admission process (available in German only), so the last cut-offs can be read there; this report does not quote them.

Advance quotas

The three main quotas

For applicants with an EU citizenship and applicants with a German Abitur (regardless of their nationality), three main quotas are important in the admission procedure: about 60% by the university's own selection criteria, about 20% for the best entrance-qualification grades and about 20% by waiting time. The page describes the non-EU route through the separate quota above, so read that row first if you hold a certificate from abroad and no EU citizenship.

After the main round

The number of study places in the first semester is always decided anew for each semester. If places remain, you must indicate in the application portal that you want to take part in the succession procedure, and spots are finally awarded by lottery to applicants who have submitted a lottery application in due time.

With a foreign entrance qualification you must apply for a VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation, preliminary review documentation) at uni-assist and then use this document to apply for an undergraduate program at FU within the application deadlines using the FU application portal. The VPD does not replace an application for admission.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026. A second FU page words the same step as submitting your application to Freie Universität Berlin via uni-assist and adds that uni-assist is not responsible for carrying out selection procedures. The application page for non-German qualifications describes the VPD route, so follow that page.

What the VPD is

Uni-assist does not transmit any data to Freie Universität Berlin and does not carry out any admission procedures. The VPD must be issued for Freie Universität Berlin, it is valid for one year, and for several programmes one VPD is sufficient. In rare cases uni-assist gives you a substitute certificate instead of a VPD when entrance qualifications are unclear. Note the country-specific information provided by uni-assist.

Fee and timing

A fee is charged for the VPD through uni-assist and your VPD application is only processed after the fee has been received; the FU page names no amount. Uni-assist usually needs four to six weeks to process the VPD application, and even longer during peak periods. FU asks you to apply early, especially up to 8 weeks before the application deadline on July 15.

Who is exempt from the VPD

Without a grade conversion the exemption has a cost: if the letter of recognition does not convert your grades into the German grading system, the qualifications can only be considered with a procedural grade of 4.0. FU strongly recommends the VPD rather than a Statement of Comparability.

The VPD application at uni-assist needs all school leaving and university certificates which are part of your university entrance qualification, with official translations of all certificates if issued in any language other than English or German.

The statements in this chapter are according to the pages as of October 2026. The translation rule names the issuer: a sworn translator or an institution authorized to provide translations for official purposes.

What to prepare

• School-leaving certificates and any university certificates that form your entrance qualification: all of them are required by uni-assist.
• Translations: official translations of certificates in any language other than English or German.
• APS certificate for some countries: applicants with certificates from China, India or Vietnam generally have to submit a certification from an Academic Evaluation Centre.
• German proof: upload it to the FU application portal by the application deadline.

Late documents

Handed in documents after the deadline cannot be taken into consideration. Check each upload before the closing date of your programme.

FU Berlin publishes no per-country list of accepted certificates: the assessment of international certificates is determined by the Central Office for Foreign Education of the Kultusministerkonferenz, and FU points you to the DAAD admissions database, the anabin database and the uni-assist page on the HZB to find out whether your certificate qualifies.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026. It does not depend on the location of your school whether you have a German or an international higher education entrance qualification, but on the type of school-leaving certificate you have. The recognition portal tells you whether your diploma confers direct eligibility to study at a German higher education institution.

IB Diploma

FU names the IB in two places. An IB from an international school in Germany is an international entrance qualification: you also have an "international HZB" if you have completed an International Baccalaureate at an international school in Germany, so these prospective students must apply for a VPD from uni-assist. For the English test of the English-taught Bachelor, an IB from an English-speaking country is an exemption (see the English chapter).

A-levels and AP

FU's applicant pages set no separate A-level or AP rule. A-levels appear only as an English-test exemption: university entrance qualification from English-speaking countries (high school diploma, A-levels, IB). Whether your A-levels or AP courses meet the entrance requirement is decided by the assessment in the databases above and by the VPD.

French Baccalauréat and AbiBac

For AbiBac holders from the French Gymnasium in Berlin, the route depends on the certificate you use: if you apply with your German school leaving certificate, you have a German university entrance qualification, and as soon as you apply with your French school leaving certificate, you are considered a prospective student with a foreign university entrance qualification and must apply for a VPD.

Matura, bachillerato, apolytirion and other national diplomas

The pages state no rule for the Polish matura, the Italian maturità, the Romanian bacalaureat, the Spanish bachillerato or PAU, the Greek apolytirion, or certificates from Brazil, Indonesia, Algeria, Japan, Egypt or Saudi Arabia. The route is the same for all of them: apply for a VPD from uni-assist and check the assessment. For Vietnam there is one named extra: an APS certificate is generally required for certificates from China, India or Vietnam.

If your certificate does not give direct access, you still start with the VPD: even if you already know that you must attend a preparatory course, apply for a VPD for the undergraduate program. If your qualifications are recognized as sufficient to apply directly to degree programs in Germany, you are not eligible for the Studienkolleg.

The statements in this chapter are according to the pages as of October 2026. The Studienkolleg is a preparation course that ends with the Feststellungsprüfung (assessment exam).

How you get in

Choose one university: do not apply for the Studienkolleg via more than one of FU, Humboldt-Universität or the Charité. Which course program you get assigned to depends on the degree program you have chosen; you do not choose it yourself. The Studienkolleg admissions period is 1 June to 15 July and there is no admission for the summer term. For the winter semester 2026/2027 the dates via uni-assist were 01.06.2026 to 15.07.2026.

The test takes place on university premises in Berlin and cannot be taken online.

German for the Studienkolleg

The advice is to hand in C1: we recommend handing in proof of German at level C1 with your application, because the assessment of your entrance qualification decides whether you attend the Studienkolleg. If you are completely sure you must attend the Studienkolleg, B2 such as DSH-1, TestDaF level 3, a B2 certificate or a C1 course participation certificate is sufficient.

External Assessment Exam

You can sit the exam without the course, but the number of candidates who can take this exam is limited due to capacity constraints. Documents must be sent by post no later than 15 January. The Assessment Exam takes place only once every year in May/June.

FU Berlin asks for German in two steps: to apply, you have to prove at least German proficiency at level C1 CEFR, and to enrol you need DSH 2 or an equivalent certificate. German language skills on a high level are an essential precondition for studying.

The statements in this chapter are according to the pages as of October 2026. Proof must be uploaded to the application portal by the application deadline, and the enrolment certificates must not be older than three years.

To apply: level C1

To enrol: DSH 2 or equivalent

• DSH 2.
• Telc C1-Hochschule with at least level "gut".
• C2-Zertifikat des Goethe-Instituts.
• DSD II with the result C1 in all parts of the examination.
• Feststellungsprüfung des Studienkollegs (Assessment Exam of the Studienkolleg).
• TestDaF with at least level 4 in all four parts.

One programme asks more: for the Bachelor Deutsche Philologie enrolment needs TestDaF with level 5 in all four parts or DSH 3.

Taking the DSH at FU

If you have no enrolment certificate yet, you can take the DSH at FU on one of the dates offered if you are admitted. There are no DSH preparation courses.

Who needs no German

Applicants to the English-taught Bachelor need none: no German proficiency is needed for this program. The general exemption is narrow: only exchange participants or doctoral candidates with approval do not need German language skills.

The English-taught Bachelor asks for English at level C1 CEFR, shown by passing an English test at the FU Language Center unless a listed certificate waives it.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026 and concern North American Studies. Certain documents can be used to waive the language test, and language certificates are valid for 3 years.

Certificates that waive the test

Degrees and school certificates

Two non-test routes exist, with no time limit: a university degree with English as the first language of instruction and a university entrance qualification from English-speaking countries (high school diploma, A-levels, IB). For the German Abitur, a written Abitur exam with at least 12 points (erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau) counts, while an Abitur certificate with a designated level B2/C1 CEFR is not sufficient for an exemption.

Sending your certificate

English language certificates must not be older than 3 years. Language certificates sent with your application materials are not accepted: send a copy to the Language Center address named on the institute's page.

Other programmes with English or French entrance tests

These Bachelor programmes have specific language entrance requirements in English and French: English Philology, North American Studies, Elementary Education with English or French, Applied North American Studies, French Philology, German-French Literary and Cultural Studies and French Studies. The test is not necessary where there are grounds for exemption, and registration for the test or exemption must be made for each subject of study. The pages used here state no level for English Philology.

The pages name no general entrance exam for Bachelor applicants. The tests they do name are language tests and the Studienkolleg entry test: English test dates for the winter semester are mid to late July.

This is according to the pages as of October 2026; the selection criteria of each restricted programme sit in the university's selection rules, which this report does not quote. Language proof for the English-taught Bachelor and the German proof are in their own chapters.

SAT, ACT and AP

The pages used here do not mention the SAT, the ACT or AP scores as an admission criterion. The factor they do rank is the grade of your entrance qualification, as the quota chapter shows.

FU Berlin's deadline page covers the winter semester 2026/2027: the same deadlines apply to all applications with non-German educational qualifications. For limited-admission single-subject programmes the window was 01.06.2026 to 15.07.2026.

Dates below come from the winter semester 2026/2027 page (2026/2027, the latest published). FU states that the exact dates can vary and will be published for the respective year each March; the calendar part of the page gives the general pattern: 1.6. - 15.7. for restricted admission programmes (with NC) and 1.6. - 1.9. for unrestricted admission programmes (without NC).

The order of steps

After the offer

Enrolment follows the offer, with payment: enrolment will only take place once the corresponding amount has been received in full and all other requirements have been met.

FU Berlin offers two Bachelor shapes: single-subject ("mono") Bachelors have only one study subject and combination Bachelors in which, as the university puts it, programmes consist of a core subject and either two modules with 30 credit points each, or one module of 60 credit points.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026. The shape matters for the application: your application for a combination Bachelor is not complete unless you have applied for both the core subject and the module(s).

Which window applies

Check the programme description for the phrase on local admission restriction before you pick a window; the quota chapter shows where it appears.

Transfer into a later semester has its own window: applications for higher semesters ran 01.06.2026 to 15.07.2026, via the FU portal for applicants with a German entrance qualification and via uni-assist for those without.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026. For North American Studies the institute states for higher semesters June 1 - July 15 for the winter semester and December 1 - January 15 for the summer semester.

To graduate, students must complete at least 50% / 90 CP of their degree at the John-F.-Kennedy Institute. Language tests still apply: if the language admission requirements are not met, the admission notice will become invalid.

One Bachelor is taught in English with no German needed: FU's page on programmes in English lists North American Studies (Bachelor of Arts) as the Bachelor, and says no knowledge of German is required for admission to the programmes on that list.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026. A second list on the same page covers programmes offered with the UNA Europa alliance, and for those admission requires knowledge of the German language.

Entrance of the Faculty of Economics building of the Freie Universität Berlin

The two lists

Everything else is taught in German

German language skills on a high level are an essential precondition for studying in the other programmes, and the German chapter lists the certificates. Some programmes require specific language skills that have to be proven within enrolment.

The John F. Kennedy Institute teaches the Bachelor in English: it offers a study program taught entirely in English, and applicants are not required to demonstrate proficiency in German. It is a Bachelor of Arts of 6 semesters with a winter semester start.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026. The programme provides specialized knowledge of the United States and Canada in six disciplines: history, cultural studies, literary studies, political science, sociology and economics.

How the degree works

Library and institute

The institute's research library holds approximately 900,000 media units. Application, English proof and higher-semester rules are in the admission chapters above.

FU Berlin does not charge any tuition fees (except for continuing education programs) but collects semester fees: €376,80 is payable for registration for the winter semester 2026/27 (2026/2027, the latest published).

The statements in this chapter are according to the pages as of October 2026. The pages show no amount for the winter semester 2027/2028 yet.

The ticket element applies to eligible students: students with a valid disability card and eligibility for free public transport are exempt from the semester ticket payment. For the summer semester 2026 the same page lists 358,80€ in total.

Paying from abroad

For transfers from non-EU countries, select the OUR option so that you pay all transfer fees, and enrolment only takes place once the full amount has been received. Re-registration carries a penalty: a late fee of currently 19.94€ is charged if the payment deadline is exceeded.

The VPD fee

The uni-assist step has its own cost: a fee is charged for the VPD through uni-assist. The FU page names no amount, so read the current fee on the uni-assist site before you apply. The applicant pages state no living-cost estimate.

The VPD helps with the visa: to apply for a student visa in good time, you can present the VPD from uni-assist to the German Embassy in your home country.

The statements below are according to the pages as of October 2026. Another FU page says the same about the uni-assist letter: you can use the confirmation letter by uni-assist to apply for a study visa at the German embassy in your home country.

What to do and when

Start the VPD early, because it is also the document the embassy sees. The FU pages used here give no visa fee, financing proof or permit details, so take those from the German embassy or consulate in your home country.

Housing

The applicant pages used here state no accommodation guarantee and no rent figures. Search for a room as soon as you hold an offer.

FU Berlin suits you if you can reach German at level C1 to apply or want North American Studies, the Bachelor taught in English, and if you are ready for the uni-assist step: FU only accepts applications with a valid VPD issued for FU.

It does not suit you if you want a wide choice of English-taught Bachelors: the page lists one, and the other English-language programmes require knowledge of German. All statements are according to the pages as of October 2026.

Comparison with other universities

Compare the route, language and fee rules chapter by chapter with the pages of the other universities you consider.

Official pages of Freie Universität Berlin, UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/bewerbungsfristen/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/bachelor/ausl-hzb/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studienangebot/english/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/allgemein/deutschkenntnisse/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studienangebot/grundstaendige/nordamerikastudien_mono/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studieren/studienorganisation/gebuehren/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/allgemein/nc/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/VPD-FAQ/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/bachelor/allgemein/informationen/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/allgemein/zugangsvoraussetzungen/Internationale-Hochschulzugangsberechtigung.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/bachelor/allgemein/FAQ/05.html · https://www.sprachenzentrum.fu-berlin.de/en/sprachtests/sprachtests_fuer_Studienbewerber/englisch/Befreiung-NEU/Befreiung-Nordamerikastudien.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/studienkolleg/bewerbung/index.html · https://www.jfki.fu-berlin.de/en/academics/ba/Bewerber/index.html · https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/bachelor/allgemein/zugangsvoraussetzungen/Englisch-und-Franzoesisch.html

Photos: Freie Universität Berlin campus in Dahlem: photo Alex All, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · University institute building of the Freie Universität Berlin on Königin-Luise-Straße: photo Axel Mauruszat, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Entrance of the Faculty of Economics building of the Freie Universität Berlin: photo Dirk Ingo Franke, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons