About
The University of Potsdam (UP) is a public university in Potsdam, capital of the German state Brandenburg. Founded in 1991, UP is established at three locations across the city, and has a student population of approximately 20,000.
Parts of the university, including the main university library and institute of history, are located in the New Palace of Sanssouci, known for its UNESCO World Heritage status.
To compare UP against similar universities, please see this Times Higher Education webpage.
Location
UP has three main campuses. The campus Am Neuen Palais is home to the Faculty of Arts. In rural Golm, located in the science park, are the Faculties of Science and Human Sciences. The Faculties of Economics and Social Sciences, Law and Digital Engineering are in Griebnitzsee.
Besides it’s world heritage historical buildings, UP is based in beautiful modern buildings, including the ‘Gold House’ for Physics and Astronomy in Golm, and the light-flooded lecture building in Griebnitzsee.
As a city, Potsdam is surrounded by lakes, rivers and forests, with plenty of public gardens in the city. It is marked by its historical cultural influences, featuring prominent Mediterranean architecture, a Dutch Quarter with shops and restaurants, the Slavic Weaver’s Quarter, and Einstein’s 1920 solar telescope.
Aside from natural and architectural beauty, approximately 10% of Potsdam residents are students, so there is a strong student life within Potsdam. It’s scientific core is strong with more than 40 scientific institutions operating in the city and it’s surroundings. Additionally, it is a 30 minutes train trip to Berlin with strong public transport connections.
Video presentation for international exchange students at the University of Potsdam .
Level of competitiveness
This destination is open on an exchange basis to students in SLLF studying Linguistics OR Modern Language.
- Department of Modern Languages and Cultures (School of Languages, Linguistics and Film) agreement: contact academic school
- Department of Linguistics (School of Languages, Linguistics and Film): Less competitive *.
The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.
Language of instruction
- German, for the agreement with the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures
- English or German, for the agreement with the Department of Linguistics
The majority of courses at Potsdam as a whole are taught in German, and it is advised you learn German to some extent before arrival.
UP hold German language courses at a variety of levels, on-campus and online. Learn more about them here.
UP also hold a two-week course specifically designed at incoming international students. This course teaches students at an A1 and A2 level as well as holding a city tour, programme introduction and orientation. Registration and more information can be found here.
For the Winter semester this course takes place during the last 2 weeks of September. For the Summer semester this course takes place during the last 2 weeks of March.
Academic calendar
The UP academic calendar can be found on this webpage.
The Winter Semester runs from October 1st until March 31st. The lecture period typically ends early February, followed by exams until the end of March.
The Summer Semester runs from April 1st until 30 September. The lecture period typically ends mid July, followed by exams until early August.
Courses
UP provide excellent guidance on choosing the right course for you, including an online self assessment to find which courses pique your interest, and which of those match your academic requirements. This guidance page can be found here.
UP’s overview on courses for incoming international students can be found on this webpage. This includes guidance on choosing a course, courses with an orientation phase, courses taught in English and other subcategories.
Restrictions
Only open to students in School of Languages, Linguistics and Film: Modern Languages and also Linguistics.
Credits
The University of Potsdam uses the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), which defines a full study load for one year as 60 ECTS. The number of credits awarded for each course varies depending on the workload.
Students must enrol on a full courseload: 30 ECTS per semester / 60 ECTS for the full academic year (equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits per semester / 120 Queen Mary credits for the full academic year).
UP uses the following grading scale:
1 = very good (an excellent performance)
2 = good (a performance that is significantly above the average requirements)
3 = satisfactory (a performance that corresponds to average requirements)
4 = sufficient (a performance that still meets the requirements despite its deficiencies)
5 = insufficient (a performance that does not meet the requirements due to significant deficiencies).
Intermediate grades can also be used for better differentiation, resulting in the following scale of grades:
1.0; 1.3; 1.7; 2.0; 2.3; 2.7; 3.0; 3.3; 3.7; 4.0; 5.0
Accommodation
There are limited numbers of university-run student dormitories – students are encouraged to apply for university-run accommodation early to avoid disappoint.
There are many reliable private renting options recommended by UP, including Homesharing. private housing (flatshares) and private dormitories.
More information on living in Potsdam can be found on this webpage.
Cost of Living
Not including any costs relating to study, UP estimates the monthly cost of student living to be €860. Regularly updated information on the cost of living in Potsdam can be found on this webpage.
Support services
Nominated students receive an invitation to register for the online portal UPrepare, which will have resources available relating to student life at Potsdam.
Student life
Students should note that they should apply for health insurance while based in their home country, ready to present upon their arrival in Germany. This is not optional.
UP has a variety of ways to get involved in university life. The Buddy Programme matches new and experienced students to help you get to know the university and everyday life in Germany.
The Academic Sports Centre has a range of sports activities, including private classes, team sport and a gym.
UP students organise a range of initiatives across the arts and humanities. These are often held in student-run institutions like the ‘KuZe’, the student cultural centre, the NiL student club, and the ‘Pub a la Pub’, the student bar, run by students since 1994. For something more classical, you can listen to the university choir or orchestra at the Nikolaisaal. The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) organises a number of trips and activities throughout the year with the aim of integrating exchange students into the university community and organising cultural activities.
More information on cultural and student-run events at UP can be found on this webpage.
Besides the excellent public transport network, UP students get a daily free three hours on rental bikes from Nextbike. This allowance can be split on multiple rentals per day, making it a reliable, easy option to commute around the city.
