If you are interested in doing an exchange semester at LAI, please revise if your home institution has a cooperation agreement with our institution. We cannot accept free movers. If your institution cooperates with LAI, seek information on the application procedures at your home university. If you are accepted, the responsible person will nominate you for a stay at Freie Universität.

After your nomination, you have to complete the online application form.

Submission deadlines: June 1st for winter terms and December 1st for summer terms.

Should you have any questions please contact PD Dr. Martha Zapata (international@lai.fu-berlin.de) at the Institute for Latin American Studies of the Free University of Berlin.

Yes, all students must have proof of full health insurance coverage for the respective semester/year before they can enroll at a German university.

For PhD-candidates from EU / EEA countries and Switzerland

Please bring along proof of health insurance (European Health Insurance Card or temporary certificate) from the health insurance in your home country. This proof of health insurance must then be accepted by AOK (“Campus Point Freie Universität”) or by any other legally approved health insurance company in Germany.

Important: Please make sure that your health insurance is valid for the entire semester for which you wish to enroll. At Freie Universität Berlin the winter semester runs from October 1 through March 31, and the summer semester from April 1 through September 30. If you stay for the entire academic year, you must make sure that your proof of insurance from your home country is valid for two semesters (Oct. 1 through Sept. 30). Without the proper dates, neither the AOK nor any other German public health insurence company will accept your insurance proof and you will not be enrolled at Freie Universität Berlin.

For students from other countries:

Public Health Insurance

If you are under 30 years of age and do not have a private health insurance from your home country you must purchase a legally approved health insurance in Germany. It costs about € 80 per month.

In some cases, it is not possible to acquire the public health insurance. In this instance, we recommend private health insurance policies.

Private Health Insurance

Students who have provided for insurance abroad in their home country, or students holding a German private health insurance contract have to get an exemption from the mandatory German public health insurance at one of the insurance companies' branches in Berlin in order to have their own insurance recognized. In cases of illness, the insurance conditions fixed in your insurance policy contract are effective.

Exemption from German state health insurance are not revocable.

Further information can be found on this webpage.

All exchange and program students are exempt from a German language exam (DSH or TestDaF), which is otherwise required for international students studying at a German university. However, depending on the exchange agreement or the conditions of the external scholarship donor, a certain level of German language skills may be required. Generally, in order to follow courses and complete course assessment satisfactorily, German language skills equivalent to at least B1, preferably B2 (CEFR) are recommended.

Freie Universität Berlin does not offer any scholarships unless specified in the exchange agreement between our institution and the student’s home university. Students may apply for a scholarship at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

• Students who are citizens of the following countries do not need a visa in order to enter Germany: member states of the European Union (EU), member states of the European Economic Area (EEA), Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, or the USA. Upon arrival in Berlin, citizens of these countries (except EU and EEA) must apply for a residence permit.

• Students who are not citizens of the countries listed above must apply for a visa at their local German Embassy or German General Consulate before coming to Germany.

• It is not possible to study in Germany on a tourist visa.