About Berlin
- Capital and largest city in Germany
- Population of nearly 4 million
- Second most populous European city (after London)
Berlin is a city of contrast and fusion: East meets West, history meets future, art meets underground. As a European center of politics, culture, and art, countless people are attracted to Berlin’s unique cultural vibrancy, sizzling creativity and raw charm. Residents and visitors alike are fascinated by the traces of an eventful past that can be encountered almost everywhere in the city. Berlin offers unrivalled educational, intellectual, cultural, and recreational opportunities. Enjoy Berlin’s renowned museums, its monuments and memorials, its concert halls and opera houses, its theatres, its pubs and clubs. You will have the opportunity to explore the cultural and historical aspects of Berlin, and follow how the city has been at the center of twentieth- and twenty-first century events. You will see the layers of remembrance and the construction of a new modern city that can't be seen to forget its darker past. You will meet new Berliners, and see how the fabric of the city continues to shift in a globalized world.
For more information about Berlin please click here.
Students will be provided with weekly transportation passes that cover all buses, trains, and metro systems within the Berlin metro area. This will be included in the program fee. Follow the links below for more information about
- the public transportation system and
- other activities.
The course that you will take with the Temple faculty member will meet on-site around the city of Berlin, and your other course taught by FUBiS faculty will take place on the campus of the university, but with field trips built in.
About FUBiS
The program is based and hosted at the Freie Universitat Berlin, summer programs (FUBiS), which is in Lankwitz, Berlin. Freie Universität Berlin is a premier destination for research and education in Europe. Founded in 1948 by students, scholars, and scientists with the support of the American allied forces and politicians in Berlin, the university nowadays holds an enrollment rate of circa 32,000 students. Freie Universität Berlin is ranked nationally and internationally among the top research universities in Germany. Early in 2017, the Times Higher Education magazine published its World Reputation Ranking which upholds the university’s status as one of the top five most prestigious universities in Germany.
The Freie Universität Berlin is proud of its strong international profile and focus on featuring leadership in international education. Whether international students come to study at Freie Universität as part of an academic exchange program or summer faculty-led program, the university’s student body is diverse and continuously includes a large percentage of foreign students. Numerous partnerships with foreign universities help to maintain these important intellectual, academic and cultural interactions, which students, faculty, and staff at Freie Universität Berlin value greatly.
The university campus is located in a charming and mostly residential section of former "West-Berlin". Yet – thanks to Berlin’s superb public transportation network – it is within easy reach of the city's downtown areas. Students will have access to all FUBiS facilities, including the library and WiFi access (via Eduroam).
For more information on the university's libraries, computer labs, and dining options, please follow the links below:
Please visit the website of Freie Universität Berlin for further information.
Housing and Meals
FUBiS arranges accommodation for students in single rooms in shared student residences/apartments.
The student residence, Goerzallee, is located in the southwest of Berlin in Lichterfelde. The apartment complex consists of four buildings which are embedded in a green area and surrounded by small garden plots. The commute to the FUBiS campus takes about 30 minutes. The city center can be reached in about 40 minutes from the student residences. The residences are located within walking distance to grocery markets, a number of restaurants and bakeries, as well as doctors' offices. The center of the district Steglitz is within easy reach from the FUBiS campus and the dorm and is located around “Schloßstraße”. You can find several malls, cafés and a cinema there. The commute takes about 25 minutes from campus via the stop “Rathaus Steglitz”. In addition to the city’s many vibrant hubs, Berlin also offers numerous recreation areas. The Grunewald or the Schlachtensee are popular day-trip destinations and can be explored easily by bike or public transport starting from the Studierendenwerk.
Facilities
Students will stay in individual rooms of approx. 12 sqm within an apartment of up to 6 bedrooms, sharing the bathroom and kitchen. The open living structure offers a familiar atmosphere and makes getting to know each other easier. Meals will not be provided, except at the opening ceremony organized by FUBiS. There are multiple cafeterias on campus in Lankwitz and the kitchens in the student residence are equipped with cooker, fridge, cookware, and dishes. There are plenty of food stores, cafes, and restaurants available, and Berlin is one of the most affordable cities in Europe, making it easy to eat well for a very reasonable cost. It is possible to eat a very good full lunch or dinner in Berlin for 10-12 Euros, often less ($11-$14).
Each room is furnished with a bed (including bed linen), a desk, book shelf, a closet, and a chair. Towels are not included, so accepted students should bring their own. There is a laundry room with token-operated washing machines and dryers available as well.