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Middlebury School in Germany: Berlin

by: Middlebury - C.V. Starr Schools Abroad

6 (1)

The Middlebury School in Germany offers cultural and linguistic immersion through a rigorous curriculum and adherence to the Middlebury Language Pledge. By promising to speak only German abroad, students have the best chance of acquiring fluency and actively engaging in the local environment. While in Berlin, students attend Freie Universität and enroll in an in-house core course. Through volunte...

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Program Highlights

Take the opportunity to focus on linguistic development.

Gain real-world experience by taking part in an immersive environment.

Study in the capital of Germany.

Receive Individual and student-centered support.

Gain practical experience abroad with an internship or volunteer work.

Quick Details

Locations
  • Berlin, Germany
Availability
Year(s) Offered2023, 2024, 2025Terms Available:
  • Fall
  • Spring
  • Academic Year
Age Requirement:Varies
Types & Subjects:
  • African Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Art History
  • Asian Studies
  • Biology
  • See more
Guidelines:
  • All Nationalities
See all program details

Awards

Program Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about the programs

Overall Rating

6

Total Reviews

1

Becoming Independent

December 08, 2023by: Jed - United StatesProgram: Middlebury School in Germany: Berlin
6

First, I had a fantastic time in Berlin. After living there for two semesters, it is my favorite city in the world. But I am unsure to what extent this is due to the program. First, I was put into student housing. In some ways, Middlebury Students are quite privileged because student housing typically has long waitlists, and finding an apartment is near impossible (even if you are willing to pay a lot). The housing situation is fine. It is a little far from the cool parts of Berlin (about 20-25 minutes) and depending on who you are living with, people can be a little dirty in the shared kitchen. But given the unfortunate realities of the housing market currently, having a room is better than no room. Moreover, I was not a Middlebury Student, so I was required to arrive early in order to enroll in a language course at GLS Berlin, which is one hour away on public transit from the program-provided housing. GLS is an amazing language school in a cool neighborhood (Prenzlauer Berg), I just wish I lived closer to enjoy the social opportunities! While this was only a temporary arrangement, having to commute so far on a daily basis was still a pain. Next, the program is usually quite small, given the specific nature of the Immersion Program. There were maximum six students in Berlin in one semester. This made social life difficult at times, and is different from many other programs that sometimes have hundreds of students from American Colleges and Universities to mingle with. However, I was able to meet people eventually, but the program does not necessarily provide robust social opportunities given the small amount of students. In the first semester I was there, I thought that academic expectations were clearly communicated, and that they had a strong ability to manage administrative tasks (visas, etc.). The staff are very invested in your wellbeing, sometimes to an overwhelming extent, but I think that is for the best. There were some miscommunications around deadlines in my second semester that were sometimes frustrating, that at the time were very stressful to deal with, but of course, I ended up being fine in the end. I would say one should only do this program if you are ready to live in a new, sometimes daunting city by yourself, because that is effectively what you are doing. Knowing that staff were there for safety needs did provide a great sense of security, but they really give you a tremendous amount of independence. The downside of this, of course, is that you need to try really hard to make friends for yourself given the small amount of people on the program. If you think that you could thrive in such an environment, I would really encourage you to do so.

Program Details

Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know

Locations

  • Berlin, Germany

Types and Subjects

  • Subjects & Courses
  • African Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Art History

Availability

Years Offered: 2023, 2024, 2025

Age Requirement

Age Requirement Varies

Guidelines

  • All Nationalities
  • This Program is also open to Solo

Program Cost Includes

  • Tuition & Fees
  • Medical / Accident Insurance
  • On-Site / In-Country Staff Support
  • Pre-Departure Orientation

Accommodation Options

  • Apartment/Flat
  • Dormitory

Qualifications & Experience

    Language Skills Required

  • German

    Accepted Education Levels

  • High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (for example: GED)

Application Procedures

  • Letters of Reference
  • Transcript
  • Online Application
  • Essay

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