Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible? 

Eligibility is based on whether your transcript fulfills the criteria listed here [1]. Important is your proof of English language proficiency (C1). 

You need to provide proof of English language proficiency. The CSE Masters is taught in a highly project-based and research integrated format. Therefore students require a high level of English proficiency to participate in the group work around project assignments and to be able to understand, but also to deliver complex scientific texts. Therefore, the English language proficiency level we require is set to level C1 of the Common European Framework of References for Language (CEFR).

With your application documents, you need to submit a proof of English language proficiency using one of the following certificates (with equivalences with respect to CEFR):

 

Equivalences with respect to CEFR

CEFR(Europe)	IELTS	TOEFL(IBT)	Cambridge	ALTE	UNIcert
C1	6.5-8	100	CAE(A-C)	Level 4	III

Students who are native English speakers are also eligible without any further certification.

Under certain conditions, candidates can schedule a personal interview with the lecturers of the program before the formal application to proof their English proficiency. This option is mainly open for applicants that are physically located in Berlin or are able to travel here in person. Please contact us with a brief explanation of your exceptional condition (often financial).

In case you have questions, please contact us: cse.master@civilsystems.tu-berlin.de

Proof of German language proficiency is not required for the application. All lectures are offered in English language. During the study you will however be required to acquire a minimum level of German language skills.

There is a regulation  [2]for students coming from German universities. International students can only apply once they have their official degree certificate. You can also apply every semester though, so you don't have to wait a whole year. 

There is no formal tuition, but all students at TU Berlin are required to pay the semester fee [3] to the central student union. 

Applications are always for the coming semester and go through Uni-Assist. You can find a checklist of the required documents and formats here [4].  

We will not provide information on the application status. At the end of the deadline we will  evaluate all applications, invite a selected number of candidates to an interview and inform those candidates that were not selected. 

The deadlines for applications are always published here [5] as soon as they are set. 

You can find all the information about semester dates and deadlines here [7].

Please note that there is a difference between the semester and the lecture period: Usually the lecture period starts about two weeks into the semester and ends well before the semester ends (mid October for the winter semester and mid April for the summer semester). The period after the lecture period ends and before the next one starts is often referred to as the semester break. However examination dates can be planned after the end of the lecture period (usually at the beginning or end of the semester break), so make sure you are still in Berlin at the time of your exams. 

You can find all the information about orientation lectures  here [8]. 

You can contact the Studierendenwerk about accommodation, however they usually only have very few rooms available, so we recommend also looking into flatshare opportunities through websites like wg-gesucht. 

 You should chose your elective and comulsory elective courses for your first semester now (and maybe already find some you may want to take later). Start by reading about the program structure and going through the module lists to find some courses that interest you. You can find information about the program structure and the module lists here [9]. 

Next, check the module descriptions of the modules that interest you for the “Turnus” information which will tell you whether the module (or component of the module) is usually offered during the winter semester, summer semester or both. For those that will be offered in the coming semester, check the teaching page on the department’s website (linked at the top of the module description) or the LSF [10] to find out when and where the lectures etc. will take place. If you have already received your TubIT account information (or once you receive it), look for the course page in ISIS [11], where you will usually also find the information about dates, times and locations of the module components (“enrolling” for a course on ISIS just gives you access to the course page, it does not officially sign you up for the course). Make sure you have the correct course page, there are separate ones for each semester as ISIS is also an archive and while it may be useful to access the older course pages for material etc. you need to be enrolled on the course page for the current semester to receive emails about announcements, hand in assignments etc. 

There is no official sign up procedure for the modules, you just need to go to the first lecture and will receive all further information there. That includes the deadline for the exam registration, which is the one official registration for the module and usually happens during the semester (deadlines differ depending on the type of exam). 

A module can have one of three examination types: written, oral or portfolio. While most are familiar with written and oral exams, portfolio exams are TUB specific. For a portfolio exam you collect up to 100 portfolio points during the semester and after. Points may be collected through homework assignments, presentations, online quizzes, written exams etc., however the components of the course that points are assigned to are always set beforehand and listed in the module description. Most of the compulsory courses of the program use portfolio based exams.

If you know you will miss the first week(s) of lectures or have missed the first lectures but still want to take some courses this semester please contact the course supervisor for the courses you are interested in that are being offered this semester. You can find their respective contact information including an email address at the very top of the module descriptions (which you can find here [12]). Ask them if it’s possible to join the course after missing the first lecture(s) and how to go about it. Please note that course supervisors will likely be different for each module and so will their policy on joining the course late.