General information

Welcome to the Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies at Freie Universität Berlin. On this page, you will find essential information about doctoral studies at the FSGS.

Please contact us by email as soon as you know your arrival date in Berlin. We will then arrange an appointment to introduce you to the Graduate School and assist you with the necessary formalities, such as setting up access to Wi-Fi, the cafeteria, and the libraries.

We are also happy to support you with your temporary enrolment in the doctoral programme “Literary Studies.” Further information on enrolment can be found on the Gateway for Doctoral Candidates. General information to help you organise your stay in Berlin is available on the FUBright website. In addition, the Welcome Service of Freie Universität Berlin provides an overview of services, facilities, contact persons, and events that can help you settle in.

Choosing courses and integrating into the Graduate School

The FSGS offers you the opportunity to participate in colloquia, where you can present and discuss your research project. A range of seminars is also available. Please note that most classes are conducted in German.

In addition to the formal curriculum, you are welcome to take part in workshops and conferences, as well as to help organise events or give presentations yourself. The Graduate School’s reading group provides an informal space for academic exchange. Every Tuesday at noon, members meet for the lunch forum to share a snack, get to know one another, and listen to a short presentation. The current programme is available on this website.

In addition, you may participate in workshops at the Dahlem Research School (DRS) at the Graduate School’s expense. These offer high-quality training in transferable skills.

Upon request, the Graduate School may assign you a workspace in one of the doctoral researchers’ offices. The more time you spend working at the school, the greater the opportunity to engage in discussions with fellow researchers.

If you have any further questions, feel free to email us or stop by our office (JK 33/110).

ECTS credits

If you attend FSGS classes (colloquia or seminars) amounting to 2 SWS (i.e. two hours per week during the semester), you can earn 2 ECTS credits.

Transcript of records

Upon request, we can issue a transcript of records for your home university at the end of your stay. Please visit our office (JK 33/111) with the necessary documents or send them to us by email.

To issue your transcript, we require the following:

• Download the transcript of records (available in German [PDF] or English [PDF] and complete it. Please bring a printed copy or send it to us by email.
• Submit attendance certificates [German] for all classes you have attended. Please download the certificates, complete them, and have them signed by your course instructors before submitting them to us.

Information for visiting ERASMUS doctoral candidates

For general administrative questions not directly related to the FSGS, please contact the Erasmus office’s website at Freie Universität Berlin. Their website also provides useful information to help you organise your stay in Berlin.