The Free University of Berlin is the largest educational institution in the German capital. It first opened its doors in 1948, and to this day is one of the key research centers in Germany. First of all, humanitarian, social and natural sciences are cultivated here.
History of University
The institution has been leading its history since 1948. The Free University of Berlin was established on December 4. At that time, the Second World War had just ended, and the German capital was divided into zones between the Allies. And Berlin University, one of the oldest in the country, ended up in the Soviet sector. It has been operating since 1946, but disagreements in politics between the allies were accompanied by disagreements in the outlook on the education system. That is why since April 1948, the American administration has taken care of creating a new university in the western part of Berlin.
A special student committee was organized that issued the manifesto. It called on the public for support.
After the blockade of the German capital began, city officials agreed that the Free University of Berlin should be open. Only on one condition - he had to earn in the winter semester at the end of 1948.
In the eastern part of Berlin, the school has been repeatedly criticized. Students living in the free zone protested against its existence, and in official documents and the media it was invariably called the "so-called free university." This attitude changed only in the 90s after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the final unification of Germany.
Student government
From the municipality, the Free University of Berlin received broad self-government rights. Moreover, the educational institution was subordinate to the board of trustees, and not to state bodies, as was the case with other universities. The council consisted of representatives of the state of Berlin and the leadership of the university. In addition, students themselves took a direct part in the work of the council.
The Charter of the educational institution was also very modern for its time, in which all the mistakes of the old Berlin University were scrupulously taken into account. First of all, the powers of the state and the university were clearly divided, its independence was separately specified.
Maximum rights were given to the student community. After all, it played a large role in the education of the institution. Until the 70s, this model remained unique and in the future received the name "Berlin".
The first rector was Friedrich Meinecke. The motto that glorified the Free University of Berlin is: "Truth. Justice. Freedom."
Admission to undergraduate
Today, education in Germany for Russian students is quite affordable. If you want to get to Berlin University, more than real. It is only necessary to observe certain conditions.
The student must be at least 17 years old, 16-year-old applicants are allowed if they enter preliminary courses in mastering the German language.
An appropriate certificate of knowledge of the German language must be provided at the level corresponding to TestDaF4.
The selection committee must provide characteristics from graduate teachers from a school or secondary vocational school. Characteristics from universities are not accepted. Moreover, they should be from specialists in mathematics, history, social studies or the English language (two depending on the profile to which the applicant enters).
A prerequisite is a certificate with positive ratings. All documents must be translated into German and certified by a notary. The final document is the availability of health insurance.
How to get to the magistracy?
Many dream of graduating from the Free University of Berlin. How to enter there? It is not difficult to answer this question. Here are the requirements for those who are going to study for a master's degree.
Firstly, a diploma of graduation from a Russian higher educational institution, in which there should be an insert with all the grades, a certificate of knowledge of the German language of the 4th level (TestDaF 4), certificates from the educational institutions in which the applicant studied after school, grades and the level of preparation of the applicant.
Secondly, a motivation letter and a description from at least one of the university teachers. As well as translation of all documents into German, certified by a notary, and paid medical insurance.
Faculties of the University of Berlin
Education abroad is very much appreciated in Russia today. Even if you are not going to work in the future outside the country, a diploma of a foreign university will only be at your fingertips when hiring.
One of the most popular is the faculty of biology, chemistry and pharmaceuticals. Here you can master biology at the molecular and cellular levels, and study bioinformatics in detail. Duration of study varies from one to three years. It all depends on your chosen specialty and direction.
The Faculty of Business and Economics prepares first-class managers and marketers who will be in demand in any company in the world.
There is also a rare enough faculty of Earth sciences for a Russian university. On it you will master geology, geography and even meteorology.
Those who wish to study abroad can choose the faculty of pedagogy and psychology. Here they will be prepared for work at school, including with primary school students and middle managers.
Most popular faculties
In recent years, more and more people who wish to enter the Free University of Berlin in Russia. The faculties for which the largest number of applications are submitted are legal, medical, as well as political and social sciences.
In the legal field, you will be prepared for work in the bar, courts and prosecutors.
Students of the Faculty of Medicine master various medical specialties, including high-tech, such as molecular medicine, bioinformatics and epidemiology.
Very popular are the graduates of the faculty of political and social sciences who graduated from the Free University of Berlin. Germany and other European countries are eager to hire them. They train specialists in political science, sociology and other related fields.
Also, a big competition is traditionally at the faculty of history and culture. Graduates of this direction receive the most diverse, sometimes completely exotic specialties - Egyptology, archeology, study the culture of the East, Iranian and Greek.
The faculty of mathematics and information technology trains modern specialists with a mathematical mindset. Programmers and engineers will find their application here.
The Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities in some aspects echoes the curriculum of the Faculty of History and Culture. It is also seriously involved in archeology and history of Egypt. But besides this, they master Chinese, Korean and Japanese languages, go deep into philosophy.
In something related graduates of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine receive medical specialties. After graduating from Berlin University, they can work both in public animal health clinics and open private practice.
Cost of education
It is worthwhile to be prepared for the fact that considerable financial resources will be needed to graduate from the free university of Berlin. The cost of training, of course, varies from the level of your initial training, as well as the number of years you spend on education.
But on average, the cost of the entire three-year course is about six thousand euros, or about 400 thousand rubles. To this it is necessary to add the cost of living, meals, methodological and educational literature. So not everyone can afford to get a high-quality education.
Student Reviews
However, it is worth recognizing that every year there are more and more Russians who entered the Free University of Berlin. The reviews that they leave on Internet sites and social networks speak for themselves.
First of all, they note a high level of faculty. An extensive program, having mastered that, you will truly become a deep specialist in your industry.
Also, studying at a European university will help you tighten your knowledge of foreign languages, and not only German. Indeed, students from all over Europe and even from other continents study at this University of Berlin.
Advice for applicants
Those who are just considering whether to submit documents to this university should know that it is very difficult to do. The competition for the most popular specialties is quite high, but in the end, everything is possible. Moreover, Russian students are not less likely to be enrolled than representatives of other countries.
After all, the Germans themselves are interested in attracting foreign students. Today in the world, no nation is able to independently solve global problems, which are becoming more and more every year. This is terrorism, global warming, the global financial crisis. Therefore, only with a joint discussion by representatives of different nationalities will it be possible to achieve a positive result.