The regular start for the master program is the winter term each year.

However, in principle applications for the summer term are also possible. In this case, one would apply for a higher (2nd) semester and a spot must be available, which is usually not the case. Further, you need to prove that you fulfill the requirements for the second semester, that is, you successfully finished the same or equivalent courses as the other students in the program.

There are no tuition fees. However, the university charges about 300 EUR each semester (fees and contribution) which includes a ticket for Berlin's public transport system.

More information can be found here: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studienorganisation/immatrikulation/rueckmeldung/gebuehren/index.html

No. The application deadline is a cut-off date. That means any documents provided after the application deadline cannot be considered.

No, it is a face-to-face programme.

You may apply with an incomplete BSc degree and transcript of records, as long as you fulfill the admission requirements. For more information see here:

https://www.mi.fu-berlin.de/en/data-science/students_prospective/index.html

You will find information here: https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/.

Please have a look at the website of the Berlin Studierendenwerk: https://www.stw.berlin/en/housing.html

The master’s program in Data Science is able to accept 20 new students each year.

Please use the following links to get to the application web site:

• Application with a German degree
• Application with a degree from outside Germany

Please note that the application portal is not accessible outside of the application timeframe. 

It is hard to accept a rejection, which is why we are committed to ensure that all decisions concerning admissions are clear and consistent. But we understand that there may be reasons why you wish to challenge a decision.

Please note that the admissions committee's decisions are final and there is no appeal possible in university matters according to § 26 para. 2 of the General Competence Act (Allgemeines Zuständigkeitsgesetz, AZG).

The self-disclosure form is an important part of your application as it helps you and us to assess your qualifications and fit for the program. Allow us to provide some tips on filling out the form and things to take into consideration. 

In general

• Provide proof or documentation for all courses listed in the self-disclosure form. Courses without documentation will be dismissed. 
• Please be aware we double check all claims made on the form. 
• Links may be added to the pdf, but please ascertain they are clickable and the targets are accessible. 
• If you hold a BSc in Computer Science, you only need to fill in the section on selection criteria
• Fill in the form and submit it. A missing or empty form results in automatic rejection; errors on the form do not. 
• If you do not know your application number - leave the field empty.

Language requirements

• In this field, please write what proof you hold. 
• We require C1 (CEFR) for admission. You can look here for information on how to provide proof. If using the "language of instruction" as proof, take into consideration that this only applies to completed degrees (an incomplete Bachelor degree cannot serve as proof of English), and whether your transcript lists courses such as "English Conversation B1", which implicitly negate the language of instruction. 
• Furthermore, please take a moment to realistically consider that the MSc Data Science is an international program with native and non-native English speakers from various backgrounds. English C1 is necessary for you to successfully connect with your peers and completed the program. 

Academic requirements

• The credits must have been earned at a university during the course of your studies and must be documented on your transcript or on a certificate. 
• Credits can also have been earned during an Master degree or as "additionally earned credits" - they do not necessarily need to have been part of your Bachelor degree. 
• If the titles of the courses are very general, like "Mathematics I", "Mathematics IV", etc, but "Mathematics III" covered statistics, attach or link a module/course description that describes the contents. If such a document is missing, the admission committee cannot determine if you meet the specific requirements and may reject your application. 
• The same applies for computer science. If your transcript lists generically named courses like "Computer Science I-V", indicate on the form which course covered algorithms and attach an official course description.
• Credit points: you may convert your credits into ECTS by using this formula or enter the credits as listed on your transcript. We recommend the latter.

Selection criteria

While the admission requirements need to be met, the selection criteria together with the final grade of your Bachelor degree decide your place in the ranking.

• The credits must have been earned at a university during the course of your studies and must be documented on your transcript or on a certificate. 
• Credits can also have been earned during an Master degree or as "additionally earned credits" - they do not necessarily need to have been part of your Bachelor degree. 
• Please fill in the titles (shorten if needed) and attach official course descriptions. 

Research-oriented activities

We are looking for students who have gained prior experience in research, either during their studies or elsewhere. Possible examples include internships or jobs at research institutions with relevant duties, student assistantships in research projects, etc. Proof of this should include the name of the institution, your tasks, and the duration. This may be through a letter from your supervisor, but please make certain it is not a letter of recommedation ("X was highly motivated" is irrelevant to us; "X's duties included a, b, and c" is what we are looking for). If you are thinking about using a work contract or similar documents for proof, please make sure to redact irrelevant information. 

You are required to prove English language skills at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Accepted certifications are: Link.

We usually receive more applications than there are available seats in this program. 80% or available seats are selected by ranking, for the remaining 20% additional factors are taken into account (please refer to § 15 Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 BerlHZG and § 15 Abs. 2 Satz 1 Nr. 2 BerlHZG for the details). 

Ranking

Each applicant is assigned a score (max. 100 points) based on the following three categories:

• The final mark of your bachelors degree (up to 60 points).
• Relevant coursework in theoretical informatics and interdisciplinary data science (up to 20 points).
• Relevant research-oriented activities (up to 20 points).

You can read up on this in the admission statues (currently only available in German). 

You need to fulfill the requirements stated in the admission regulations. There is no conditional acceptance.

Please have a look at this website, to check the status of your application:

https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/bewerbung/portale/index.html

Please note that it is not unusual for your application status to display little or no changes for long durations results are uploaded in batches. 

Application Deadline

We accept students for the master program once per year for the winter term which starts in October.

Applications for our Master's programme Data Science (Consecutive Master with NC, restricted admission (1st semester)) are accepted from mid-April until 31st of May. More information is on the university's admissions page.

Notification of Acceptance

The admission office of Freie University Berlin usually sends out this information after the beginning of July.

Start of Teaching

Lectures start in early/ mid-October. Welcome sessions, campus tours, and related activities may take place prior to this - we recommend you arrive in Berlin by October 1st. 

For more details on our academic calendar see  https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studienorganisation/termine/index.html

Find more information in our FAQ.

The application periode for the winter semester each year is: mid-April until 31st of May.

The admission office of Freie University Berlin usually sends out this information after beginning of July.

Due to a large number of applicants this can even take until August.

Please refrain from contacting the master programme regarding notification times. We will not be able to give an answer.

Only the final mark of your bachelors degree is counted for the application process.

If you have another precisely formulated question, you may send us an email at: datascience@mi.fu-berlin.de.

Please beware that we receive many emails and that we do not have staff to individually check documents.