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Other names:
Free University of Berlin
Contact: +49 30 838 73 401
Freie Universität Berlin (FU BERLIN)
Kaiserswerther Straße 16-18, 14195 Berlin, Germany
4.12 / 5 based on 186 reviews.
86% of students recommend
186 reviews
186 Language reviews of Freie Universität Berlin
by Farah, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations Personal comments:
I learned a lot of German, more than what I expected, and I have to say with a pretty good accent. And 90% of the sucess was due to talking with people: germans and other internationals. The clue is to avoid going around with people who speak your own language, or to simply make use of English. I tried to speak in German in all situations. A language exchange is also very useful: meeting some German person who lears your language (Spanish in my case), and speaking one day in German and the next day in Spanish. You learn a lot of your mistakes, because it should be a person who points your mistakes out. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
 
by Jordan, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY, United States
International Relations, School for International Training: Central European Studies
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your English?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations Personal comments:
The homestay portion of the experience was designed to bring students directly into the host culture. Yet, as I stated before, my host family was not very social and did not make time to speak with me at length, which enabled me to go out more and speak with locals, which had its own problems. The majority of Germans speak some if not perfect English, thus attempting to practice with them was often futile. Ultimately, I feel that after four months in Germany, my language capabilities did improve. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Konstantina, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
Business Studies, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Basic phrases My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations Personal comments:
I believe that studying in Berlin for a semester was a unique opportunity for me to speak German fluently. As I mentioned in the previous section, all the modules were taught in German, so this motivated me to revise everyday and become very fluent in a very short period of time. In the end I spoke German like I never even imagined I would! This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by ingridvalde, Universitetet i Bergen, Bergen, Norway
History, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations Personal comments:
I spoke German pretty perfect before I went to Berlin, and I would have had great difficulties if I had not done it. There was never a lecture in any other language than German, and even in the dormatory there was nearly all the time German and not English. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Oscar, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
Education, Teacher Training, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your English?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) Personal comments:
Unfortunately many subjects of the English and Spanish Philology where held in German, something I could not understand, as we were dealing with English Literature, linguistics and history (the same problem with SPanish subjects). This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by UNKNOWN, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States
International Relations, University Agreement
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: No problems in any areas (including slang) My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) Personal comments:
I had an easy time, but I had lived in Germany for a year already. German is a difficult langauge, so be sure to interact with Germans as much as possible. Don't get lazy and speak your mother tongue. If you want to do that, you can stay at home. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Carmen, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Political Science, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: No problems in any areas (including slang) My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) Personal comments:
As I speak german like a native, I wasn't confronted with any communication problems. As far as I know foreign students had no problems communicating with teachers or with academic matters as almost everybody speaks english This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Maarja, Tartu Ülikool, Tartu, Estonia
Marketing and Sales Management, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) Personal comments:
There was an opportunity to speak in english when it was hard to explain some thing in german. Meeting with people from different countries, gave an opportunity to learn more about other languages. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Anne Marie, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States
Humanities, Lexia
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your English?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Basic phrases Personal comments:
German was a difficult language to learn while in Berlin. In retrospect, I should have learned basic words and phrases before I got to Berlin and furthered my studies once I was there. As an international city, most people in Berlin spoke English very well. As soon as locals heard my American accent, they imediatly spoke to me in English even if I attempted to speak in German. This became very frustrating. Language wasn't an issue at the University because classes were in English. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Nefeli, Panepistimio Ioanninon, Ioannina, Greece
Education, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Basic phrases Personal comments:
I'm glad I was given the chance to practise and improve my German skills, to the point that I am now capable of working or studying at a German speaking enviroment This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by orquidea4, Università Degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Philology, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Basic phrases Personal comments:
I learnt so much about the german language at the university and outside because I used to spend my time with german people trying to avoid to stay too much time with italians... This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Anna, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
International Relations, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Basic phrases Personal comments:
to communicate every day with people took not a long time. but to communicate in seminars, using specific terminology was a big struggle This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by chazfaid, University College London, London, United Kingdom
Literature, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Basic phrases Personal comments:
Studying in a big city such as Berlin means that everybody speaks English. Self discipline needed to fully immerse yourself in German. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by marzia, Universita degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
International Relations, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Basic phrases Personal comments:
It was easier with the teachers than with the local students. With the other erasmus students we spoke always both english and german This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by selma, Sciences Po Paris, Paris, France
Marketing and Sales Management, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: Basic phrases Personal comments:
It was very easy to communicate with German students and teachers, to join teams for marketing projects and for extra curricular activities This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Cosmin, Universitatea de Vest din Timísoara, Timisoara, Romania
Natural Sciences, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your English?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) Personal comments:
I wanted to learn german when I came to Berlin. I managed it ''with a little help of my friends'' This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Elisa, Universita degli Studi Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
Political Science, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) Personal comments:
It was a very useful experience, and after that I wanted to go on in improving my language skills This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Jordan, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY, United States
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies, School for International Training (SIT)
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your English?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.) My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) Personal comments:
The host family experience forced me to utilize my language skills, yet the immersion experience could have extended to the classroom. Most Germans speak English well, so it would have behooved us to have no choice but to be constantly surrounded by their language. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Lisa, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
Language, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) Personal comments:
It was useful having lectures in German. I mainly talked to other foreigners in German. This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
by Xavier, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
International Relations, Erasmus
Language difficulties
Language of instruction: German
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German Was learning German a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my German How much did you improve your German?
My level before: At ease in most situations My level after: At ease in most situations How much did you improve your German?
My level before: Did not speak it My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang) Personal comments:
My parents speak a german dialect, that's why it as not so difficult for me This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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About iAgora
iAgora provides university reviews and ratings by international graduates, Erasmus and exchange students. International rankings and admission details to graduate programmes like masters, MSc, MBAs and summer courses at Freie Universität Berlin and other business schools and universities.
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No problems.
I coped pretty well.
Sometimes it was difficult.
It was a constant struggle.
