Geological Sciences, B.Sc.
The geological sciences deal with the resources, processes and risks of planet Earth. Their methods are strictly scientific, but through their connection to the history of life and the Earth, they also have a historical component that is unique among the natural sciences.
Programme facts
| Degree | Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 semesters, 180 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German, English |
| Required German | C1 |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €376.80 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Every applicant who meets the formal requirements is admitted — but places can run out before the deadline, so apply at the start of the window.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →About the programme
Analysis and prediction of geological processes require the reconstruction of past events through the (global or local) study of rocks, minerals and fossils, which is usually done in an interdisciplinary manner in the geological sciences using various methods. Therefore, there are various disciplines in the geological sciences: In geophysics, the structure of the earth's interior and changes are investigated using physical methods. Mineralogists, hydrogeologists and geochemists deal with the properties and frequencies of the solid (mineral), liquid and gaseous components of the planet, structural geologists and sedimentologists interpret terrain changes such as mountain formation, plate tectonics and sedimentary basin formation, and paleontology studies interactions between life on earth and the earth's surface.
Read moreShow less
The importance of the geological sciences arises from the dependence of our civilization on resources such as water, energy and metal raw materials and building materials. Today in particular, the search for deposits of materials that are important in sustainable and climate-friendly energy use (e.g. for the production of solar cells and batteries) is playing an increasingly important role compared to the exploration of conventional energy sources such as oil, coal, gas and uranium. Another focus of teaching and research in the geological sciences at the Free University of Berlin is the quantitative assessment of long- and short-term natural risks such as climate change, earthquake hazards, slope instability, volcanism, ecosystem resilience and economic risks, including their effective communication to the public, e.g. in the form of specifications for environmental protection and land use. To research and interpret geological processes today and in the history of the earth, geoscientists develop computer-based or experimental models that are compared with a large number of observational data. The combination of models with observational data enables a better understanding of the earth in all its complexity. Students can learn both the skills of creating such models (e.g. numerical modeling) and a variety of methods for obtaining observational data (e.g. analytical laboratory methods, remote sensing, mapping and field surveys). The strength of the training in the Geological Sciences degree program lies in the diverse range of methods and employment opportunities on the labor market.
What you study
The mono-Bachelor's degree includes the study areas of basic geoscientific knowledge, basic natural science knowledge, advanced geoscientific knowledge and modules from the study area of general career preparation (ABV).
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
A career perspective is offered in so-called geoscientific routine activities such as geological documentation, data acquisition and processing, geoscientific support of a drilling crew or specialized machines, software or hardware or in customer service as well as solving geoscientific problems using standardized procedures (e.g. creation of special maps and profiles, directories, literature searches). The classic raw materials sector continues to be an important economic sector for our graduates (energy raw materials, metal and non-metal raw materials, glass, cement, ceramics industry). Further employment opportunities can also be found in the areas of materials research and development (e.g. solar cell research, semiconductor industry) and in various laboratories (environmental analysis, forensics, device manufacturers, etc.). Other employers can be private companies such as software manufacturers, (geo)scientific institutions or local authorities - but employment opportunities in the public sector also arise less frequently.
Read moreShow less
For managerial positions or employment in research and teaching, a master's degree and possibly a doctorate are required.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (Berlin), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €376.80 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | A school certificate that gives access to university in Germany — directly or after a Studienkolleg. |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1, English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 15.07 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application via uni-assist until 15.07uni-assist checks documents for 4–6 weeks — send them well before the deadline.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.07.2027 (274 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.