Information on the application deadlines can be found in the STMAW section (LINK) on the Student Services Center website.

In the following, you can find information about:

• prerequisites
• relevant first university degrees and courses
• documenting your English language proficiency
• documenting your proficiency in a program-related language
• when and where to submit proof of language proficiency
• applying with a degree from Germany
• applying with a degree from a country other than Germany
• how to apply at a glance
• fees and funding
• frequently asked questions

Prerequisites

To be eligible for admission to the master’s program, you need to fulfill the following requirements:

1. You must hold a first university degree (e.g., a bachelor’s degree) comprising at least 180 credit points (ECTS) and

• in addition you must have earned at least 30 ECTS in content relevant to the study of the MA program (30 ECTS or more of this first degree should be in courses that are relevant to STMAW or with an emphasis on the History of Science and/or Knowledge in the Ancient World
• those 30 ECTS may also have been completed outside the first degree in accordance with section 1, such as relevant ECTS gained in a previous Master’s degree program

If you have earned less than 30 ECTS from your first degree in courses that are relevant to STMAW, you can also meet the admission requirements by demonstrating other relevant qualifications.

2. You must provide proof of language skills, with at least 10 ECTS or the equivalent in one or more of the following languages: Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite, Ancient Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, or other ancient Semitic languages such as Hebrew, Aramaic, or Ge'ez.

3. You must provide proof of excellent English language skills (at least level C1 CEFR) if you have not obtained your first university degree in a program where English is the language of instruction.

4. Applicants do not need to provide proof of German language skills.

For an explanation of the admission process please visit the program website or refer to the detailed admission regulations in English (the link will be added soon) and in German (the link will be added soon) (the latter is the legally binding version).

Relevant first university degrees and courses

You can apply with any first university degree (e.g., a bachelor's degree) in which you have earned 30 ECTS or more in courses that are relevant to STMAW, including, for example, degrees in the natural and social sciences.

Documenting your English language proficiency

In our program, all modules are taught in English. It is vital to have a high level of English proficiency in order to succeed in this course of study. Although meeting the formal language requirements is essential, we suggest taking some time to evaluate your personal language skills and ensure you're prepared for the academic demands of our program. As a student, you will be expected to read and comprehend academic texts, engage in high-level discussions during the class meetings, and express your ideas in academic prose in writing assignments and research papers as well as in your thesis.

When applying to the program, you'll need to submit proof of your English proficiency on a C1 (CEFR) level. There are various certificates that can be accepted as evidence of your English language proficiency, including:

• IELTS (Academic): overall score at least 7.0 (C1)
• TOEFL Internet-based iB: overall score 100 or higher, at least 25 in writing
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): grades A-C
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): grades A-C
• Cambridge First Certificate of English (FCE): grades A-B
• Cambridge English Scale CPE, CAE and FCE (from January 2015): overall score at least 180 and in writing at least 180
• UNIcert® (level III or higher)
• language certificates by DAAD (C1 level),
• Erasmus Language Tests (C1 level),
• language certificates by university language departments (C1 level),
• confirmation of completed C1 level language courses (taken at a university or a language school).

Your certificate(s) of proficiency must not be no more than three years old at the time of application.

Further options

A document showing that applicants spent at least one year at an English-language university in an Anglophone country and successfully participated in several regular, linguistically demanding courses can also be used to demonstrate proficiency (if you are unsure if your university qualifies, please enquire via email), such as a bachelor's or master's degree (recognized in Germany) from a program that requires C1 as a prerequisite for admission or where the language of instruction is in English (the date of graduation should not older than three years), or a result with at least 12 points in the written 'Abitur' examination in English ('Leistungskurs'/advanced level).

Please provide only one document as proof of your proficiency in English; if you provide more than one document, only the latest will be considered for your application.

Documenting your proficiency in an ancient language

You must provide proof of language skills, with at least 10 ECTS or equivalent in one or more of the following languages: Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite, Ancient Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, or other ancient Semitic languages such as Hebrew, Aramaic, or Ge'ez.

A summer intensive ancient language course (e.g., six to eight weeks, focusing exclusively on a single ancient language) would also generally meet the 10 LP requirement.

See for example:

The University of Chicago

King’s College London

Harvard Divinity School

When and where to submit proof of language proficiency

To apply for our program, you will need to provide proof of your language proficiency in advance; we cannot offer a preliminary admission without it. If you have any doubts about the specific certification requirements for your language proficiency, please don't hesitate to reach out to our knowledgeable academic advisors.

Bear in mind that German language proficiency is not required for the application process or the program of study.

Please do not send your certificates to our program's academic advisors; simply upload them directly to the relevant application portal.

Selection criteria when admission is restricted

See section 4 in the admission regulations:

(1) 80 percent of the study placements that are still available after the preliminary quotas have been filled will be allocated according to the selection process outlined in this document (higher education quota). 20 percent of the study placements will be distributed according to §15 Section 1.1.2 BerlHZG. 5 percent of the study placements are reserved for the quota stipulated in §15 Section 1.3 BerlHZG.

(2) Candidates are selected for the master’s program according to the following criteria:

1. The level of qualification as demonstrated by the applicant’s academic performance in their degree programs (§ 15 Section 2.1.1 BerlHZG).

2. The results of an interview with the applicant, which is intended to provide information about her or his motivation and suitability for the master's degree program (§ 15 Section 2.1.6 BerlHZG).

3. Other qualifications acquired outside of a university degree program (Section 15.2.1.5 BerlHZG).

(3) In the selection process, selection points will be awarded under the criteria defined above in Sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.2. The maximum number of points that can be awarded is 100.

(4) For the selection criteria listed under Section 4.2.1 of these regulations, a maximum of 60 selection points can be awarded in relation to the average grade stated on the degree certificate for the candidate’s previous degree program.

(5) For the selection criteria listed under Section 4.2. Nr. 2 a non-public interview will be conducted by the selection officers according to section 6 which will last twenty minutes per applicant. Applicants will be invited in written form by the selection commission, stating the time and place. The invitation is considered timely if it was sent at least 10 working days before the selection interview. A transcript will be made during the selection interview, which will contain the main reasons for the applicant's assessment. Depending on the suitability determined, up to 40 selection points will be awarded as follows:

a)      Excellently suited = 40 selection points

b)      Very suitable = 32 selection points

c)      Well suited = 24 selection points

d)      Suited = 16 selection points

e)      Conditionally suitable = 8 selection points

f)       Non suitable = 0 selection points

(6) At least two selection officers will be appointed to carry out the selection process. These are determined by the Dean of the Department of History and Cultural Studies at the Free University of Berlin on behalf of the Presidium of the Freie Universität Berlin. They must be eligible to take examinations in the master's program and be employed full-time at the Freie Universität Berlin. Representation is not permitted..

Applying with a degree from Germany

If you hold a first university degree from Germany, you must apply via the online form of Freie Universität Berlin.

Applying with a degree from a country other than Germany

If you hold a first university degree from a country other than German, you must apply via uni-assist, a Germany-wide association that provides processing and evaluation for international student applications. Freie Universität Berlin will accept such applications only when submitted through the uni-assist online portal. Uni-assist evaluates whether the application – i.e. your degree and transcript – meets the formal prerequisites established by Freie Universität Berlin. Uni-assist does not check subject-specific entry requirements, which is done by the STMAW selection commission of the Department of History and Cultural Studies.

Please note that our program's academic advisors cannot answer inquiries concerning the formal application process via Freie Universität and/or uni-assist (e.g. necessary documents, certification). In these matters, please contact Freie Universität Berlin's admission office (info-service@fu-berlin.de).

How to apply

Regardless of whether you are applying through the Freie Universität's application portal or through uni-assist, you will need to submit certain documents. Generally speaking, you need to provide proof of fulfilling each of the three admission requirements (first/second degree with 30 ECTS in STMAW-related courses, English C1, STMAW-related ancient language).

Please submit official translations of all certificates if issued in a language other than German or English.

Documents to submit

• bachelor's degree including diploma supplement;
• transcript of records → to prove at least 30 ECTS in STMAW-related courses; 10 ECTS in an ancient language;
• one up-to-date English language certificate → according to the options mentioned above, to prove your proficiency in English at least on the C1 level CERF or equivalent;
• if applicable: further documents as proof of additional qualifications as mentioned above.

Further recommended documents:

• CV – especially when applying with additional qualifications;
• a motivation letter – no longer than 500 words.

What not to submit

• recommendation letters;
• work samples;
• writing samples;
• master's thesis proposals.

Fees and funding

The good news is that the master's program Science, Technology and Medicine in the Ancient World is tuition-free! However, registering as a student of Freie Universität Berlin currently costs around €313 (WiSe 23/24), including free use of the Berlin public transportation system. 

General information about funding your studies can be found here.

While there are no specific scholarships for our program, you can still apply for funding independently. Many German organizations and foundations offer scholarships for international students in Germany. In fact, every year, several international students of Freie Universität are successful in obtaining funding from such programs. Check out the following websites to find a program that fits your personal profile:

DAAD

Study In Germany 

studierendenWERK Berlin

Frequently asked questions