Undergraduate Global Engagement

formerly the office of Global Programs

Spend a semester in Berlin -- the dynamic and multicultural city at the heart of the EU’s economic and political powerhouse. Begin or expand your study of the German language and explore your academic interests by enrolling in courses taught in English alongside other international students. Discover contemporary German life and immerse yourself daily in the city’s remarkable history!

Program Overview

Welcome to the Berlin Consortium for German Studies! The BCGS was established in 1995 and is proud to have over 935 alumni who have studied in its different programs at the Freie Universität Berlin. BCGS students have not only acquired or deepened their language proficiency and academic knowledge, but also gained a variety of personal and cultural experiences, which they took back home with them. Some alumni even return to live, study, or work in Germany.

For our English Language Program (ELP), we partner with the Freie Universität Berlin European Studies Program, called FU-BEST. FU-BEST is an intensive academic semester program for US and non-European students, with the mission of introducing participants to Berlin, Germany, and Europe. We have offered this English Language Program since 2021, and it runs each spring semester on the US calendar.

This partnership aims to provide students of beginner and intermediate levels of German -- including those with no German background -- the opportunity to study alongside other international students and to participate in cultural activities and trips that provide a deeper understanding of the local customs and culture. The program provides an intensive and diverse study abroad experience through combining three essential elements: German language instruction, a varied menu of subject courses in English, and the concept of the “extended classroom.”

The courses and schedule are intensive, immersing students in daily language study Monday through Thursday, alongside three subject courses taught in English. FU-BEST organizes a series of excursions and cultural activities in and around Berlin as integral parts of the academic program. Read on for more information about the program and schedule.

Program schedule

Your daily schedule will be different from what you are used to on your home campus. The intensive German language course meets 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday, from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm. Your three subject courses, taught in English, will take place in the afternoon, either from 1:30 until 4 pm or from 4:30 until 7 pm, each session with a break in between. Over the course of the semester, the courses take you out of the classroom to explore relevant sites and institutions.

Part of the academic day will be spent commuting to the FU Campus. Like most European universities, it is not a residential university and its student body commutes to the campus from all over greater Berlin. You will likely commute 50 minutes to class.

Berlin Consortium for German Studies

As students studying at FU-BEST through the BCGS English program, you will also have BCGS staff as resources for you throughout your semester abroad, though your teaching and social life will occur through the FU-BEST program.

The BCGS team will be your liaison to FU-BEST and to your US home schools. We will advise you, collect your applications/student materials, and coordinate billing and payment. We will engage with FU-BEST and your home institutions and provide a smooth transition for credit transfer.

A couple of weeks after the FU-BEST on-site orientation, BCGS will hold an info session and administer your course registration. We will also introduce you to the Dahlem campus and to additional resources. You are always welcome to visit us during your stay. The BCGS will also provide you with information about the BCGS Original program, if that is of interest as well.

Eligibility & Application

Submitted applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis up until the date noted at the bottom of this webpage. Please note course registration and housing is provided on a first-come, first-served basis and can fill up quickly.

• Minimum 3.0 average language GPA (if applicable)

• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Students must also maintain a 3.0 GPA during the semester before going abroad.

• This program is designed for students with limited or no German language experience. If you have taken the equivalent of 2 years of college-level German language, you should apply for the original Berlin Consortium for German Studies program.

• Applicants must be a student of a BCGS Consortium Member institution to apply. Member schools are: University of Chicago, Columbia University and Barnard College, Cornell University, The Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, in association with the University of Notre Dame and Vassar College. Read more about the Berlin Consortium here.

HOW TO APPLY

Want to apply? Click the “Start Your Application” button at the top of this page. If the button doesn't appear above, the program is not yet accepting applications. You will be asked to set up a short profile, which will allow us to send you relevant information about your application. Once you’ve created a profile, you will see a checklist of items that you will need to submit. These generally include:

• Application questionnaire(s)

• BCGS/FU-BEST Application Form

• Official Transcript

• At some point prior to departure, an advising meeting with director of German language program at your school

• Home school approval/clearance - prior to starting an application, please meet with your home school study abroad adviser to confirm your school will allow you to apply to this program.

• Application fee (if applicable)

Academics

Based on your German language ability, you will enroll in an appropriate intensive FU-BEST German language course, along with three subject courses. It is required that students take 1 Intensive language course and 3 academic courses, for a total of 17 credits.

Below, please find the different German language levels available.

FU-BEST Electives (in English); 4 credits/each

• See Course Selection Form in the “Eligibility and Application” of this webpage for more information

FU-BEST electives are taught in English alongside other FU-BEST students who are international students. For a list of courses, please refer to the FU-BEST website. Please note that in case of low enrolment not all of the listed courses may be offered in a certain term.

Have you already completed 4+ semesters of German? If you are an advanced language student (4+ semesters of German), please click on the BCGS website for higher level German language opportunities.

​The University reserves the right to withdraw or modify the courses of instruction or to change the instructors as may become necessary.

GRADES AND TRANSCRIPTS

Grading & Credit Policy

Click here for the Columbia Semester/Academic Year program grading policies.

For the BCGS grading and credit policy, please click here.

Transcripts

All courses taken on the program are converted to an American grading scale and transmitted to students as follows:

Columbia students: Grades appear on SSOL and your transcript as semester grades from courses taken at Columbia. For more information, please see the section on Academic Credit in Steps to Study Abroad.

Barnard students: Grades appear on eBear and your transcript as any semester grades from courses taken at Barnard. For more information, please see the section on Credit and Transcripts for Barnard Students on our Barnard student pages.

Consortium Students: Grades are entered into Columbia's VERGIL system and you will need to request a transcript to obtain your final grades and send to your home school for processing. Please see the section on Credit and Transcripts for Non-Columbia Students on the Non-Columbia student pages.

LOCATION

FU-BEST Campus

All FU-BEST classes take place on the Lankwitz campus of Freie Universität Berlin, which is accessible by public transport and located in the southwest of Berlin, surrounded by a primarily residential area.

Please note that the FU-BEST campus is temporarily moving for Academic Year 2026-2027 due to construction and will now host its students at Storkower Str. near the trendy and lively Friedrichshain and Samariterviertel areas bustling with cafés, shops, cinemas, and lots of other student-friendly locations.

FU Campus Dahlem

While FU-BEST is your everyday academic and administrative center in Berlin, the BCGS will also play a role in your semester abroad. You can always contact the BCGS staff with any questions or concerns that may come up while studying and living in Berlin. We are very much looking forward to hearing and seeing you at our BCGS center.

The BCGS team will be your liaison to FU-BEST and to your home schools. We will advise you, collect your applications/student materials, and coordinate billing and payment. For all courses based on BCGS tuition, we will engage with FU-BEST and your home institutions and provide a smooth transition for credit transfer.

A couple of weeks after the FU-BEST on-site orientation, BCGS will hold an info session and administer your course registration. We will also introduce you to the Dahlem campus and to additional resources. You are always welcome to visit us during your stay. The BCGS will also provide you with information about the BCGS Original program, if that is of interest as well.

Life in Berlin

Berlin is the capital city and the largest city in Germany. The city has become known for its art scene and entrepreneurial environment. Berlin is home to world renowned Universities, museums, orchestras, and entertainment venues. This city, rich in history and historical monuments, will provide endless cultural outlets for city dwellers and visitors alike.

Since the city's reunification in 1990, Berlin has been characterized by change and invention. The dichotomy between old and new provides a constant reminder of Berlin's complex history. After the fall of the Berlin wall, Berlin emerged as the cultural and economic capital city of Germany, alive with a sense of transformation and progress. A vibrant nightlife, exciting art scene, and myriad cultural venues contribute to Berlin's status as one of Europe's most cosmopolitan and sophisticated urban centers.

Visits to museums, galleries, cultural and political institutions, and historic sites and landmarks all contribute to providing a deeper understanding of Germany's past and its current role in the European Union and global affairs.

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Curious about the BCGS Original Program student experience? Be sure to read Student Stories on our website and check out additional student testimonials on GoOverseas.

HOUSING

The program has a number of housing options for students, which include The Social Hub, The Student Village or Homestays. While The Social Hub offers a single bedroom and a private bathroom, the Student Village shared accommodations with other students. Homestay options are also available, which provide housing experiences with locals from the community.

While The Social Hub offers a single bedroom and a private bathroom, the Student Village provides a single bedroom and shared bathrooms and kitchen. Homestay options are also available, which provide housing experiences with locals from the community.

Please note that The Social Hub and the Student Village all require a commute of around 50 minutes to the FU-BEST Campus.

​To learn more about additional housing details, visit the FU-BEST website.

MEALS

Berlin is a great food destination. The high ethnic diversity of its citizens contributes to the vast variety of its restaurants and food offerings from all over the world. There is a strong movement towards organic and regional produce as well as vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Nevertheless, the famous Döner and Currywurst still have their place among the new trends. You will have easy access to your favorite food at fresh food markets, supermarkets, street vendors and on campus. On the Campus Lankwitz at the Freie Universität, there is a cafeteria and a major dining hall. The prices for students at all Berlin University dining halls are subsidized and thus very affordable. Please note that there is no dinner served on campus.

However, please be aware that there are no meals included and there is no meal plan for BCGS students.

ACTIVITIES

FU-BEST offers many activities that will help you engage with the cultural life of Berlin. The program features an elaborate set of learning supports and cultural experience activities. Participation is mandatory for some events, others are optional.

Trips & Excursions

FU-BEST organizes a series of excursions and cultural activities in and around Berlin as integral parts of the academic program. These trips are intended to offer an insider's look into Berlin and Germany, and they often provide access to people and places that you might otherwise not have.

FITNESS AND WELLNESS

Just like any major city, Berlin offers you many different options for staying active during your stay. Below you’ll find a few options.

The Lankwitz Campus has a sports facility, the UniFit, which is the official gym of Freie Universität Berlin. You can purchase a membership for 20€ per month when signing up for three months. https://www.hochschulsport.fu-berlin.de/en/sportprogramm/UniFit/index.html

The housing options also offer convenient exercise rooms, and if you need any further information, don't hesitate to talk to FU-BEST staff who will be happy to help.

People

FU-BEST

Academic Director

Kristina Rödder

Berlin is the perfect city from which to explore – both physically and mentally – Germany, Europe, the world, and yourself! Luckily, I was born here and I have been using it as my actual and intellectual home base ever since. I studied North American Studies and Communication Science here at Freie Universität Berlin and received my M.A. in 2002. After that, I lived in Hamburg for a year, working with the Körber Foundation for their Transatlantic Idea Contest USable. I returned to Berlin and Freie Universität Berlin to pursue my Ph.D. in History (with an American research topic), which I received in 2007. I then worked for an organization offering guided city walking tours with a historical and sociological perspective on Berlin. In 2008, I joined FUBiS (Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University), FU-BEST’s short-term sister program, as Program Coordinator, and came to FU-BEST as Academic Director in 2011. This somehow merges elements of all my former jobs, interests, and fields of expertise. Plus, it is a great place to help young people become Freie Universität alumni, part-time Berliners, and explorers, too!

Program Managers

Philip Kurz

Born and raised in Berlin, I always shared a close bond with the United States. After acquiring my German high school diploma, I continued my fascination with the U.S. by enrolling in the BA North American Studies Program at the John-F.-Kennedy-Institute at Freie Universität Berlin. In 2008 I had the chance to spend a semester abroad at Tulane University in New Orleans. These months not only provided me with an excellent academic experience but also caused me to fall in love with this unique and multicultural city. After my return in 2009, I instantly started working for FU-BEST (and briefly for FUBiS) in order to help provide international students with the same kind of experience I had during my time abroad. In 2011 I finished my BA in North American studies with a concentration on disaster sociology and received my MA in American Studies from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in 2016.

BCGS

Resident Director

Carmen Müller has been the Resident Director since the program's inception. A native of the Southwest of Germany, she moved to Berlin in 1988 and experienced the fall of the wall and its aftermath first-hand. As a master’s degree student, she spent an academic year as a Fulbright fellow at the New School for Social Research in New York City. Dr. Müller received her Doctor of Philosophy from the John F. Kennedy Institute at the Freie Universität Berlin and is a historian specializing in 19th- and 20th- century European and German history, German-American relations, and methodology. Dr. Müller loves the vibrant life of Berlin.

Assistant Administrative Director

Assists the Resident Director in program operations and student affairs.

Nikolaj Blocksdorf has been working with BCGS since 2012. As a genuine Berliner, he offers the students unique insights into the rich diversity of his native city. Mr. Blocksdorf is also familiar with the students’ perspective of educational exchange: He stayed with a host family during his high school year in Orange County, California. Later, when studying North American Studies and Islamic Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, he left his comfort zone to live for seven months in Damascus, Syria.

Financial Considerations

Many students use a combination of federal student aid and home school grants to fund their undergraduate studies. Many, if not most, of these funds are applicable to studying abroad for a semester or academic year. The costs of studying abroad during the semester or academic year are frequently comparable to those of staying on campus.

All students should work with their home school financial aid office to determine what aid is available for studying abroad.

Please see below for the cost breakdowns for detailed information on all program-related expenses:

Spring 2027: Cost Breakdown for Consortium Students

Please Note: Tuition and fees are subject to Board of Trustee approval and may change*

Financing Your Studies in Berlin

Students may apply for the following scholarship applicable to this program:

DAAD

For more information and resources on financing your time abroad, please see the pages below:

• Columbia students
• Barnard students
• Non-Columbia students

WITHDRAWAL & REFUND POLICY

Find Out More

Speak to an Adviser: Want to learn more? Make an appointment to chat with the adviser for this program! You can also email them with any questions, or to arrange a meeting if you are unable to make the listed times.

Applying: Make sure to review the dates and deadlines section at the bottom of the page.

Resources: View our Steps to Study Abroad page to see advice on Where to Begin, how to Prepare to Go, and what you need to know when Returning from Abroad. We will share many resources with you throughout the application and pre-departure process for preparing to study abroad.

We recommend reviewing the following before you apply:

• Having a valid passport is one of the key components of going abroad. See more on our Passports and Visas page.

• Need help deciding which semester, program, and experience are right for you? Check out our Choosing a Study Abroad Program page.

• Learn about finances and study abroad on our Financial Considerations page.

• If considering summer study abroad, review guidance on our Summer Study Abroad page.

• Plan ahead and prepare for your health, well-being, and accessibility abroad by reviewing our Well-Being Abroad resources and Identity and Diversity Abroad page.

Once accepted, make sure to review the Prepare to Go page for more resources and information about preparing for your experience abroad.