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FAQ
- FUBiS
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- Orientation meeting and the first days of class
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Orientation meeting and the first days of class
- What happens at the orientation meeting?
- How do I get from my housing to Freie Universität Berlin?
- What will my first day of class look like?
- When and how will I receive FUBiS information material?
- When and how will I receive the course material for the subject courses?
- When and how will I receive the course material for the German language courses?
- Can I drop and add courses?
What happens at the orientation meeting?
The orientation meeting takes place on the first Sunday of the program (the day after the arrival Saturday) at Freie Universität Berlin. You will receive your personal documents (student identity card, ZEDAT computer account, tickets for excursions you booked during the registration and the insurance documents, if applicable).
During the orientation meeting you will receive an overview of the structure of the program as well as specific details regarding the activities and events of the following weeks. During the buffet you will have the chance to get to know the FUBiS team, your instructors and your fellow students. Subject course students will also receive their course readers.
The participation in the orientation meeting is mandatory for all FUBiS students.
How do I get from my housing to Freie Universität Berlin?
About four weeks before your FUBiS term begins, you will receive the FUBiS student guide in which you will find directions from the accommodation to the FUBiS Orientation at Freie Universität Berlin. On day of the orientation meeting a FUBiS staff member will meet students in selected accommodations and accompany them to the university.
(This is not valid for students who are placed in homestays or who have arranged for an accommodation independently.)
What will my first day of class look like?
The first day of class for the students who have registered for a course on the A or C track is Monday. The B track courses begin on Tuesday. The meeting place and time will be announced at the orientation meeting. Students of the D track courses will find the information about their first day of class in the course description (syllabus).
German courses: If you have registered for a German course, your first day of class begins with a short interview in which the instructors will assess your speaking skills. Together with the online placement test this interview will help make sure that you are placed in the course which best suits your language proficiency level.
When and how will I receive FUBiS information material?
About four weeks before the FUBiS term begins you will receive the FUBiS student guide by e-mail. The student guide contains information about the day of arrival, directions to your accommodation, a detailed overview of the FUBiS program and other tips to help you prepare yourself for the FUBiS term (information about the campus, libraries, emergency phone numbers etc.). The student guide will also be made available for download on the FUBiS e-learning platform. (The access code for the platform will be sent to you by e-mail.) Please print out the student guide and bring it with you to Berlin.
In the following weeks you will receive additional information (e.g. regarding the e-learning platform, the online placement test for German course students and your housing placement) via e-mail.
When and how will I receive the course material for the subject courses?
Every subject course participant will receive a reader at the orientation meeting on Sunday. This reader is included in the course fee. If you would like to prepare for your class before you arrive, you will find the material for the first week of class on the FUBiS e-learning platform. You will receive the access code for this platform by e-mail approximately four weeks before FUBiS starts.
In addition, some professors give recommendations for further reading which is not included in the reader. More information on suggested readings can be found in the respective course description (syllabus) on the FUBiS website. Please note that the purchase of additional literature occurs voluntarily and is not a course requirement.
When and how will I receive the course material for the German language courses?
German course participants will receive a textbook (included in the course fee) for the respective level (see syllabi German A1 to C1). Additional materials will be provided by your instructor.
Can I drop and add courses?
FUBiS is an intensive short-term study program and therefore there is no drop-and-add period. However, a course change is possible under the following circumstances:
- the maximum number of participants in the desired course has not been reached;
- the change has been approved by the instructors of both affected courses;
- the change has been approved by the program coordinator(s).
We urgently recommend that you get in touch with your home university to clarify whether the study achievements in the other (new) course will be recognized. The last chance for a course change is the first Wednesday of a 4-week term (FUBiS I, FUBiS III) or the first Friday of a 6-week term (FUBiS II). No course changes will be approved after these deadlines.
For a course change after the beginning of the program you will be charged a fee of 75€ per subject course. There is no extra fee for changes within the language courses.
If you would like to drop a course, please read the terms of cancellation.
