International Programmes 2024/2025

Liberal Arts and Sciences (BA/BSc) at University College Freiburg Liberal Arts and Sciences (BA/BSc)

University of Freiburg • Freiburg im Breisgau

Degree
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science (depending on the major)
Teaching language
  • English
Languages

LAS courses at UCF are taught in English. LAS students can take courses in other study programmes at the University of Freiburg that are largely held in German.

Full-time / part-time
  • full-time
Programme duration
8 semesters
Beginning
Winter semester
Additional information on beginning, duration and mode of study

Beginning: Starting LAS is only possible in the winter semester. One week before the semester start in mid-October, UCF hosts a Welcome Week for all new LAS students.

Duration: LAS is a four-year, 240 ECTS credit study programme with a progressive storyline, covering academic skills, specialisation, and room for intellectual exploration.

Mode: Most LAS courses are held in-person at the University of Freiburg. Some are or in part include online components, e.g. in collaboration with partner institutions.

Application deadline

EU and non-EU applicants: 15 July for the following winter semester
Please see the University College Freiburg website for further information.

Tuition fees per semester in EUR
Varied
Additional information on tuition fees

The state of Baden-Württemberg charges study fees for non-EU students as well as students earning a second degree. Here you will find further information about tuition fees: www.studium.uni-freiburg.de/en.

Joint degree / double degree programme
Yes
Description/content

Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) is a specific approach to Bachelor-level education – a process of intellectual discovery and personal development in an interdisciplinary and international learning community. The Freiburg LAS programme reaches across academic fields and offers discipline-oriented academic training in a particular major. It encourages students to critically reflect on science and knowledge and become skilled communicators and creative shapers of their environments.

Programme features

  • LAS is a four-year programme with 240 ECTS credits. It has a progressive storyline covering academic competencies, skills training, academic specialisation, and room for intellectual exploration.
  • The language of instruction is English. Students who do not speak German must learn German up to A2 (CEFR) during their LAS studies.
  • LAS is a selective programme with an annual intake of 80 students.
  • The LAS programme has three parts: core (56 ECTS credits), major (120 ECTS credits), and electives (64 ECTS credits).

Contents

1. The core is shared by all LAS students. It includes academic skills, reflections on knowledge and science, and a curriculum on responsibility and leadership.

2. The majors provide an in-depth education in a specific academic field. After their first year of studies, students choose one of the following majors:

3. In the electives, LAS students shape their own study profiles. They can take courses at other university departments and across our European networks (EUCOR and EPICUR), attend language classes, study abroad for a semester or two, and/or undertake internships or independent projects.

LAS graduates are prepared for careers in international environments that come with complex responsibilities and require fast and efficient adaptation to varying challenges. About 85% of LAS graduates continue with Master's and PhD programmes. For more information on what graduates of the LAS programme at UCF are doing, see the UCF website.

Course organisation

During the first year of LAS, the so-called foundational year, students largely follow the same curriculum and establish a shared basis of knowledge and skills. From year two onwards, students can design their own study programme, meaning individual study trajectories will progress quite differently:

  • After your first year of studies and having completed three introductions to different majors, you choose your major.
  • Beyond classes in the major, you will take further core courses, notably on leadership and responsibility.
  • You will have substantial freedom to take courses of your choice in the programme's electives section.
  • Furthermore, we encourage you to spend part of your studies abroad. About 80% of all LAS students seize the opportunity to gain experience abroad, usually during their third year of study.
  • In the last semester of year four, students write the Bachelor's thesis in the area of their major.

For further information on our LAS programme, please

The following chart summarises the LAS curriculum and its components:

A Diploma supplement will be issued
Yes
International elements
  • International guest lecturers
  • Specialist literature in other languages
  • Language training provided
  • Training in intercultural skills
  • Courses are led with foreign partners
  • Projects with partners in Germany and abroad
  • International comparisons and thematic reference to the international context
Diverse intercultural background of students
About 30% of the student body is non-German, coming from about 50 countries.
Integrated internships

The electives section of the programme allows for credit recognition of academically relevant internships, subject to approval by the LAS Board of Studies.

Special promotion / funding of the programme
  • ERASMUS+
  • Other (e.g. state level)
  • DAAD
Name of DAAD funding programme
Nationales Begleitprogramm EUN
Course-specific, integrated German language courses
No
Course-specific, integrated English language courses
Yes
Tuition fees per semester in EUR
Varied
Additional information on tuition fees

The state of Baden-Württemberg charges study fees for non-EU students as well as students earning a second degree. Here you will find further information about tuition fees: www.studium.uni-freiburg.de/en.

Semester contribution

180 EUR per semester:

  • Administrative fee: 70 EUR
  • Contribution to the constituted student body: 7 EUR
  • Contribution to the student union: 103 EUR
Costs of living

Participants must ensure that sufficient funding is available to finance their participation in a course of study. The average cost of living in Freiburg for one month is currently approx. 850 EUR to 1,000 EUR.

Some details:

  • Rooms in private accommodation including extra costs: 350 EUR – 700 EUR
  • Rooms in student residences including extra costs: 250 EUR – 550 EUR
  • Private expenses amount to around 350 EUR per month.
  • Health insurance (recommended) is available for approx. 120 EUR per month.
  • Transport: A special student ticket for regional transport costs approx. 89 EUR per semester. 

www.studium.uni-freiburg.de/en/counseling/welcome-guide-for-international-students/finance

Funding opportunities within the university
Yes
Description of the above-mentioned funding opportunities within the university

For more information on financing your studies and on scholarships, please see the university's Student Service Center website.

Academic admission requirements

The LAS programme has an annual intake of 80 students. The programme is selective. Selection is based on your academic achievements, your motivation for studying with us in Freiburg, and the match between the LAS programme and prospective students. Our target group is students with intellectual curiosity and responsibility who are looking for breadth and depth in their academic training. The application requirements are:

  • University entrance qualification: school leaving diploma and transcript of grades
  • Proof of English proficiency at min. B2 (CEFR)
  • Application essay (500 words maximum)
  • Letter of motivation (500 words maximum)
  • Study-orientation test, e.g. the LAS Online Study Choice Assistant (OSA)

For details on these requirements and the application and admissions process overall, please see the UCF website.

Language requirements

Applicants must provide proof of English proficiency at level B2 or above according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Application deadline

EU and non-EU applicants: 15 July for the following winter semester
Please see the University College Freiburg website for further information.

Submit application to

Applications to the LAS programme at the University of Freiburg must be submitted online. For more information and access to the application portal, please see the University College Freiburg website.

Possibility of finding part-time employment

The city and the University of Freiburg offer jobs for students, ranging from catering to academic student assistant positions. As Freiburg is a university town, the job market for students is quite competitive. Please see the UCF website for more information and links regarding student life and finances in Freiburg.

Accommodation

As Freiburg is an attractive city, finding a suitable and affordable place to live can take a little while. The University of Freiburg offers all newly enrolled international students the possibility to apply for student housing via the International Office. In addition to these dormitories, which are run by the Studierendenwerk Freiburg (www.swfr.de/en), several independent residence halls are listed on the university website (http://www.housing.uni-freiburg.de). The Studierendenwerk Freiburg and the International Office also offer a list of available private rooms.

Career advisory service

The University of Freiburg offers career advice in cooperation with the federal employment agency.

Support for international students and doctoral candidates
  • Welcome event
  • Buddy programme
  • Tutors
  • Cultural and linguistic preparation
  • Accompanying programme
  • Specialist counselling
General services and support for international students and doctoral candidates

Please see the information and offerings for international students on the University College Freiburg website. Services include:

  • General information and advice before and after arrival
  • Buddy-For-A-Day programme for your first day in Freiburg
  • LAS Welcome Week to get to know fellow students, staff, the academic, social, and administrative setting at UCF and in Germany
  • Academic and programme advice at UCF
  • Peer advising groups led by senior LAS students

University of Freiburg

Content Bild
UCF courtyard © Markus Kaufhold

The University of Freiburg was founded in 1457 as a classical comprehensive university, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Germany. Awarded for its excellence in both research and teaching, the university also boasts a long history, with numerous Nobel laureates. Brilliant scholars and creative thinking distinguish it today as a modern, top-notch university, well equipped for the challenges of the 21st century. As an organisation with around 24,500 students, 288 degree programmes, and 6,536 employees (2021), the University of Freiburg is committed to family friendliness, equal opportunities, and environmental consciousness in its day-to-day operations. The structure of the university is multifaceted, ranging from 11 academic faculties – from the humanities and the social and natural sciences all the way to engineering – to 19 research centres. This goes to show that we are a dynamic, large-scale institution with a diverse educational offering. As studies, research, and continuing education are all an integral part of this offering, we maintain a close relationship with the city and the region as well as with the international academic community. Bilateral partnerships, research projects, joint study courses and memberships in international networks such as the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and of EUCOR – The European Campus are examples of the university's strong transnational relations. All our students, including those from abroad, can take courses at the Universities of Basel (Switzerland) and Strasbourg (France) without having to enrol. Via EUCOR, The European Campus mobility grant, they also receive allowances for travel expenses to their partner institutions.

University location

Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in south-western Germany on the edge of the Black Forest. Freiburg was founded by Konrad and Duke Bertold III of Zähringen in 1120 as a free market town – hence its name, which translates to "free town". Freiburg holds a central position in Europe at the trijunction of Switzerland, France, and Germany, and is the city with the most hours of sunshine per year in Germany. It is nestled in one of the oldest cultural landscapes north of the Alps, a location which has had an unmistakable influence on the town. The university plays an essential part in the quality of life in Freiburg; both in the academic sphere and in the perception of the general public, the activities of the university are of central importance. Since its founding, teaching, learning and research have formed an indivisible whole.

With approx. 230,000 inhabitants, Freiburg has a friendly size, offering the safe surroundings of a smaller city whilst at the same time excelling in terms of culture, shopping and infrastructure. Both the inhabitants and the city government of Freiburg attach great importance to ecological values and sustainable development. This "green city" atmosphere influences many aspects of city life – from the numerous cyclists on the streets to cutting-edge solar energy research. Surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Black Forest and the wine-growing regions of the Rhine Valley, Freiburg is a popular destination for tourism and leisure activities.

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