CIEE College Study Abroad in Berlin, Germany

I went on Session III (4 weeks) of the CIEE Summer in Berlin program this year and loved it because of the location, program excursions, and academics! If you study in Berlin through CIEE, you'll be living in a center with hundreds of other students on CIEE programs. Because of this, I was able to get close with people in my program by exploring the city together or hanging out on campus. The dorms are spacious, clean, and there are also kitchens and laundry machines available. The surrounding area is in the district of Kreuzberg, which is extremely safe, diverse, and walkable. There are two grocery stores a 10 minute walk from campus, and I felt comfortable walking alone to them at 11pm. There are also a lot of ethnic restaurants with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.

The center is also conveniently located right next to one of the stations on the U7 subway, which can connect you to almost anywhere you want to go in Berlin through public transit. This summer, Berlin was doing a 9-Euro ticket promotion which CIEE paid for, but otherwise the transit should still be fairly affordable. CIEE also offers completely free bike rentals if you'd rather explore the city that way.

One thing I loved about the CIEE program in particular is the inclusion of paid dinners and excursions. I think in total we had three group dinners that were entirely paid for, as well as an overnight trip to Hamburg, a northern German city we got to by train. CIEE also paid for two private city walking tours of Berlin and Hamburg. These trips allowed us students to bond and explore a new place in German.

As for academics, the class I took was Holocaust Studies, which was incredibly informative, and I would highly recommend it. Being in Berlin allowed us access to memorials and museums that enhanced the learning experience and allowed me to learn from a German perspective and about aspects of the Holocaust I would have never learned in the United States. The classwork was extremely manageable in my opinion: we had class four days a week, for three hours each. We had discussion posts due before each class and ended up completing two 3-page essays, a midterm on vocabulary, and a group presentation. Having a small class size of nine people also made me feel comfortable participating and asking questions. Although the program says to plan for 6 hours of additional work before every class, it took me about 1-2. The grading was fair and I ended up with an A in the class. I also now know much more deeply about the Holocaust and am glad I got to see some of the historical sites related to it. CIEE also offers an optional, 1-unit German language course at no additional charge if you're interested in learning German. I didn't take this course, but my friend said she really enjoyed it and it was not difficult.

There were not many downsides of the program. However, one thing to take into consideration is that besides the paid dinners, you are responsible for all your own meals, as there is no dining hall. As mentioned earlier, there are grocery stores and food markets a short walk from campus that sell affordable groceries ready to eat or to cook. Also, because you do not live with a host family, it may be harder to feel as immersed in German culture. Even so, I felt like I was able to immerse myself by exploring the city on my own.

Overall, I would recommend CIEE Berlin if you're looking for a prime location, opportunity to socialize and explore, and manageable, interesting coursework. Thank you CIEE for this great experience!

I always knew I wanted to study abroad. The problem was, how could I pick just one location? Then I heard about CIEE's Design Your Semester Program. With this Open Campus program, I able to switch to three different locations during one semester. For me, six weeks in a city is the perfect amount of time to study in a new city. CIEE also has weekend study tours to nearby cities. The tours always provide a well rounded cultural experience. I would highly recommend the Open Campus program if you want to see and experience more when abroad. They offer many cities around the world, but mainly across Europe. I picked Madrid, Berlin, and London for my semester. Each city, in its own special way, had so much to offer. I would highly recommend the open campus program if you can't decide where you want to study abroad.

Hi! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Berlin with CIEE Open Campus. I have enjoyed my classes thus far, especially my Post War Monuments and Memorials Class. Not only did this class challenge my thinking, helped me gain an understanding, touched my emotions, but also provided me with a worldly insight that I didn't think was possible. As for the institute, all of the staff from the RA's to the Faculty/Student Life Team to the Security they have always been great at helping me (and always with a smile). I think it is hard for me because I do wish this program was a bit bigger, but at the same time I like the small community of it. As for Berlin as a whole, this city is one that is so rich in history and also has a melting pot of cultures. There is never not something to explore and experience.

Berlin is a great city to study in. When comparing places, it won't wow you with beautiful tourist attractions (although those are in Berlin too) but it is a very dynamic city where there is always new stuff going on. I would feel bad when I saw people visiting for the weekend because it's a city that can't be captured in a weekend. In terms of making the transition, I would definitely recommend going in the fall when the weather is still nice, because around November it gets gloomy, cold, and dark very early. So in January and February it would make it tougher to get out and explore, and might make the transition tougher. CIEE is a very solid program to study with. They care a lot about the students and make a large effort to get there students out into the city and community with class excursions and several weekly optional excursions

I came to CIEE with a lot of expectations and a lot of it was met. I came to love Berlin because of its openness to people of different cultures. I'll describe Berlin as a place where you can do certain things that you may not be able to do in other places of the world haha. The CIEE staff were super supportive and made conscious efforts to reach out to students to listen to them at all times. My internship placement was different from my chosen career field and in the beginning I was unsure how to welcome it but I am glad I did it because I've learnt what I like and what I don't like when it comes to business and career paths.

My 6-week block with CIEE Berlin was incredible. If you are reading this because you are considering studying abroad here, then DO IT!

I had the most amazing time in Berlin. The city itself has a rich history that you just have to experience in person, the food was undeniably good and the overall atmosphere of Berlin was just incredible. Living in the heart of Kreuzberg was a huge plus, and I loved the trendy, young, hip vibes of the neighborhood.

The CIEE Berlin staff was always there to help me with whatever needs I had- whether it dealt with academics, housing, exploring the local area or just having someone to talk to. From the professors to the security guards, someone is always willing to help.

I am so glad that I chose to study abroad in Berlin with CIEE, and my biggest regret may possibly be not staying longer. I miss my friends, Curry 36 and Mustafa's every single day. Hopefully I will make it back to Berlin in the near future!

Again, if you have to chance to study abroad with CIEE Berlin, then please please please do it!

I always knew I wanted to study abroad. However, as the time to fill out applications was quickly approaching I was growing increasingly doubtful about leaving my home university. I transferred to my current school and found my home. I was heartbroken to leave my friends for a semester. I knew that I would enjoy my time in Europe but I was not prepared for how much I enjoyed my experience abroad with CIEE in Berlin.

I already want to go back to Berlin and I hope to live there in the near future. I knew basically zero German (besides the basics) before I chose to go to Berlin and I still thrived. I cannot express enough how much I loved this program and experience. Studying abroad in Berlin truly changed my life (everyone says that but it's true). Berlin is very diverse and it's refreshing to live there. There is always something to do in Berlin and an endless amount of restaurants (I'm a picky eater... this was important to me).

The way the CIEE Global Institute Berlin program was structured allowed me to experience and immerse myself in Berlin culture while learning from a different perspective in my classes. I actually learned more in my classes in Berlin than I ever have in any other course I've ever taken. In these courses we would often go on excursions that would allow us to make connections between class lessons and real life or history in Berlin.

I applaud this program and would recommend this experience to everyone. (I'm serious. I can't praise this program enough).

My summer in Berlin was unbelievable. From seeing President Barack Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel speak at Kirchentag to walking the streets at night and watching the city light up to getting döner for lunch, dinner, or just a snack, Berlin in summer is something you have to experience. The city comes alive. Berlin has it all: culture, history, art, diversity of people, festivals, a mix of architecture, excellent public transportation, beautiful parks, and good food. CIEE Berlin makes it easy to explore the city. Its central location and comfortable accommodations only add to your experience. And now it's time for you to go and find out for yourself just how wonderful Berlin in summer really is.