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Short-Term Studies (Freemover)

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As a free mover you organize your study abroad on your own, without participating in an exchange program. The prerequisite for short-term admission is evidence of adequate German-language skills and several semesters of prior study in the same field at your home university. It is not possible to earn a degree within the context of short-term studies (as a free mover). If you would like to earn a degree at the University of Freiburg, you must apply for full-time studies. As a free mover, you generally remain enrolled as a student at your home university for the duration of your studies at the University of Freiburg and continue your course of study there upon your return.


If you would like to come to the University of Freiburg as a free mover, it is wise to apply by the general application deadlines on 15 July or 15 January in order to have enough time to organize your stay (visa, flight, room, etc.) – but no later than 15.03. for a summer semester or 15.09. for a winter semester.

Please send your application to the International Admissions and Services Department (IAS) at the Student Service Center. For information on applying, please visit the Applying section of the Student Portal or download the application for admission and a list of all necessary supporting documents here:

Under “Desired degree program” on your application as a free mover, please enter “No formal degree.”
In the following fields of study it is not possible to apply for admission to short-term studies as a free mover:

  • Applied Political Science (Bachelor of Arts)
  • Medicine (State Examination)
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences (Bachelor)
  • Molecular Medicine (Bachelor of Science)
  • Regio Chimica (Bachelor of Science)
  • Pharmacy (State Examination)
  • Psychology (Bachelor of Science)
  • Dentistry (State Examination)


In the following fields of study you need express written permission from the department to apply for admission to short-term studies as a free mover:

  • Law (State Examination)
  • All master’s programs (Master of Arts and Master of Science)


If you wish to study in one of these fields as a free mover, please contact an advisor at your department. Contact information is available on the overview of fields.

Important notes

  • Please note that the University of Freiburg does not provide scholarships.
  • You can find possible financial support opportunities in particular on the pages of the German Academic Exchange Service (www.daad.de).
  • (Research) stays in the context of final theses for students are possible under the conditions that you can read about in the application form.
 

Fees per semester

  • EU citizens: 173€
  • non-EU citizens: 1673€

 

In order to receive admission for short-term studies at the University of Freiburg without the possibility to earn a formal degree, you must have already studied for several semesters at your home university and still be enrolled there (you’ll need to present a certificate of enrollment as evidence). In addition, the field of study you enroll in at the University of Freiburg must be related to your field of study at your home university.

The language of instruction at the University of Freiburg is German, with the exception of a few master’s and postgraduate programs and the Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which are held in English or French. It is thus very important to acquire good skills in German before leaving your home country. Please submit certificates demonstrating your German language skills. Your skills in the German language should correspond to reference level B2. As an applicant for short-term studies, you do not need to take the DSH language examination.

International students who wish to apply for admission to a university in Germany need to provide evidence that they possess the necessary qualification for higher education entrance just like German applicants. If you possess a secondary school leaving certificate from your native country that is regarded as equivalent to the German Abitur, you can receive admission to the university directly. If you have already studied for two or more semesters in your native country, you can generally also be admitted directly to a degree program at the University of Freiburg. The decision as to whether foreign-earned higher education entrance qualification is fully equivalent or only partially equivalent to the German Abitur is made on the basis of recommendations from the ministers of education and cultural affairs of the German states (Central Office for Foreign Education Systems). You can check for yourself whether your higher education entrance qualification is equivalent to the German qualification on the database of the Conference of the State Ministers of Education at www.anabin.de [de].

If you enroll as a short-term student at the University of Freiburg, you will be allowed to take most of the courses and examinations in your field of study, but you cannot earn a degree. Please check early on to make sure the credits you earn at the University of Freiburg will be honored at your home university upon your return.