Free University of Berlin

The Free University of Berlin translates into German as Freie Universität Berlin. It is a prestigious European research university. 28,000+ students attend school, majoring in subjects including Biology, Business, Earth Science, History, Law, Mathematics, Computer Science, Philosophy, Physics, and Veterinary Medicine.

The school was founded by scholars and students in 1948. It was supported by the American Allies and politicians in Berlin to oppose student persecution in what was then East Germany. The United States donated money for new buildings for the school, and it was modeled after campuses in the US.

The founding of the FU Berlin was a bold act of defiance against the Soviet occupation of East Berlin. It was also a symbol of the growing commitment to freedom and democracy in West Germany.

The FU Berlin was founded by a group of students and professors who were determined to create a university that would be free from political interference. They were inspired by the ideals of the American Revolution, and they named the new university after the Free University of Brussels, which had been founded during the Belgian Revolution of 1830.

The FU Berlin was initially housed in a number of temporary buildings, but it quickly began to grow. In 1949, the university was granted a charter by the American military governor of Berlin. In 1950, the FU Berlin moved to its permanent campus in the Dahlem district of Berlin.

The FU Berlin quickly became one of the leading universities in West Germany. It was a center of intellectual ferment and social activism in the 1960s and 1970s. The university was also at the forefront of the movement for German reunification in the 1980s.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the FU Berlin expanded its campus into the former East Berlin. The university also established partnerships with universities in Central and Eastern Europe.

The FU Berlin has a long and distinguished history. It has played a major role in the development of Germany's democracy and its intellectual life. The university is committed to its founding principles of freedom, academic excellence, and social responsibility.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, Free University of Berlin is positioned as the #97 top university in the world, which makes it the #4 top university in Germany. The university's global rank is improved by 1 point from last year.