University of Applied Sciences - HTW Berlin vs Berlin School of Economics and Law - BSEL vs Humboldt University - HUB vs European School of Management and Technology - ESMT Berlin vs IU International University of Applied Sciences

Side-by-side comparison from 226 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Forward College (4.90)
University of Applied Sciences - HTW Berlin: wins 0/4 categories
Berlin School of Economics and Law - BSEL: wins 0/4 categories
Humboldt University - HUB: wins 0/4 categories
European School of Management and Technology - ESMT Berlin: wins 0/4 categories
IU International University of Applied Sciences: wins 0/4 categories
Forward College: wins 1/4 categories
CODE University of Applied Sciences: wins 3/4 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Applied Computer Science
Best programme: Economics
Best programme: British Studies
Best programme: Business Administration in Management
Best programme: MBA
Paris, France
4.90
Top
Read more reviews
16 reviews
×
Best programme: Politics and International Relations
Category ratings
Facilities
3.91
4.20
3.69
4.33
3.69
4.47
5.00
Win
Location
4.00
4.20
4.63
5.00
3.87
5.00
5.00
Professors
4.00
4.10
4.40
4.33
4.43
5.00
5.00
Internationality
4.19
4.30
4.40
4.50
4.44
4.75
5.00
Win
Student life
4.04
4.33
3.56
4.33
3.62
4.73
Win
3.00
Value
3.98
4.10
4.60
4.50
4.32
4.63
5.00
Win
Accommodation
3.88
3.50
3.00
4.33
3.11
4.33
1.00
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Supportive environment and academic resources
  • +Vibrant campus life and social engagement
  • +Opportunities for personal growth and development
  • +Experienced professors and valuable content delivery
  • +Practical, real-world application of knowledge
  • +Diverse and international student body
  • +Inspiring professors and high academic standards
  • +Practical experience and societal engagement opportunities
  • +Relevant and critical curriculum development
  • +Passionate, knowledgeable professors and engaging teaching
  • +Practical, real-world-focused curriculum
  • +Dynamic community and vibrant atmosphere
  • +Flexible online study for work-life balance
  • +Modern, intuitive digital platform for easy access
  • +Relevant, high-quality educational content
  • +Engaging learning environment with interactive methods
  • +Diverse and international student community
  • +Unique multi-city European study experience

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Cons
  • -Poor quality instruction and unhelpful teachers
  • -Lack of administrative and management support
  • -Outdated facilities and resources
  • -Administrative and management issues frustrate students.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are frequently mentioned.
  • -Lack of resources and support hinders academic progress.
  • -Disliked curriculum and staff attitude.
  • -Facilities were outdated.
  • -Unsuitable for specific degree programs.
  • -Administrative and management issues are a frequent source of frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and a lack of modern resources are a common complaint.
  • -The curriculum is often perceived as irrelevant or poorly delivered.
  • -Slow and unresponsive administrative processes, including grade processing and student support.
  • -Poor staff attitude and lack of accountability for errors in student records and applications.
  • -Inadequate support and guidance for online students.
  • -Administrative & management issues cause frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and equipment are a concern.
  • -Lack of transparency and communication is prevalent.

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Rating summary
What students say

Overall, the university garners positive feedback with its strongest area being **Internationality**, scoring 4.19. Student life also performs well at 4.04. Areas with slightly lower, though still respectable, ratings include **Facilities** at 3.91 and **Accomodation** at 3.88. Professors, location, and value all received a solid 4 or close to it, indicating a well-rounded student experience.

Overall, this university garners positive feedback, with **Student Life (4.33)** and **Internationality (4.3)** emerging as its strongest aspects. Facilities and Location also received high marks (4.2). The **Accomodation (3.5)** rating is notably lower than other categories, suggesting this area could benefit from improvement. Value and Professors also received solid scores, reflecting general satisfaction with the educational experience.

This university garners exceptional marks for its Location and Value, both scoring 4.6. Professors and Internationality also stand out with a strong 4.4. Conversely, Accomodation presents the lowest score at 3. Facilities and Student Life fall in the mid-range with ratings of 3.69 and 3.56 respectively, suggesting areas for potential improvement.

Remarkably high scores characterize this university's performance. Its location stands out with a perfect 5.0 rating, marking it as its strongest area. Areas such as facilities, professors, student life, and accommodation all received excellent scores of 4.33. Internationality and value were also strong, both earning 4.5. No significant weaknesses were identified, with all categories receiving positive feedback.

This institution garners notable praise in several key areas, with **Internationality** and **Professors** receiving particularly high scores. The **Value** proposition is also well-regarded. Conversely, **Accomodation** stands out as the lowest-rated aspect. Other aspects like Facilities, Location, and Student Life fall within a more moderate range of positive feedback.

This university garners excellent reviews, particularly excelling in its **professors and location**, both achieving perfect scores. Student life and internationality also stand out with scores above 4.7. Areas with slightly lower, though still strong, ratings include **facilities and accommodation**. Overall, the university presents a well-rounded positive student experience with high marks across most aspects.

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Reviews summary
Highlights

Approximately 98% of reviews are positive, highlighting enjoyable campus life, supportive environments, modern facilities, and ample opportunities for social engagement and personal development. A small amount of negative feedback points to inconsistent teaching quality and interpersonal issues.

With a 4.18 average rating from 11 reviews, ~91% are positive. Students praise experienced professors, practical learning, and international environment. Some note unstructured teaching methods.

~78% of reviews are positive, highlighting enlightening academics, beautiful campuses, and engaging learning. A small percentage (~5.6%) mentions a less-than-ideal curriculum or staff attitude.

All six reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.33/5. Students highlight passionate professors, engaging classes, and exceptional education quality. There is no negative feedback.

~95% of reviews are positive, praising flexibility, modern platforms, and accessible materials. A small percentage (~5%) mention issues with grading delays and slow administrative support.

Students highly praise the interactive learning, international community, and opportunities for academic and personal growth. There are no negative reviews.

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Rating distribution
5★
4%
27%
50%
33%
63%
94%
0%
4★
85%
64%
28%
67%
27%
6%
0%
3★
9%
9%
17%
0%
6%
0%
100%
2★
0%
0%
6%
0%
2%
0%
0%
1★
2%
0%
0%
0%
3%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked
A university that takes away its student's spirit

Project management teacher fails people and tells them straight into their face it’s because she doesn’t like them. The Law teacher had us do presentations and didn’t even do one single class in a year. Ethics teacher claims that women deserve to get sexually assaulted if their dress is an inch too short. The Economics teacher does not speak English even though the major is taught in it. Half the students are internationals without German coming to Berlin to study, yet most “International” subjects are talking only about Germany and giving presentations in German. There is nothing applied about this university, it is all old theory. Marketing classes did not even include advertising, social media, digital media or anything more relevant in the past decade. Same for other subjects. The administration is disorganised. The international student office is always on holidays and never replies. The administration does not answer at all until you send your e-mails to their bosses. Due to the error OF THE ADMINISTRATION, they did not want to count my two semesters abroad until I fought them for seven months and emailed everyone at school when suddenly it was a matter of one document. One thesis supervisor steals his students' work for his own publications and has plenty of lawsuits. The other master’s supervisor did not answer any of the e-mails during the writing, except for one which said ‘I don’t know, google it”. There is so much more I could say. This school is a disaster and if you are reading this review DO NOT GO HERE, they really don’t care about their students. Neither does the school administration, nor the teachers. If at least one person decides not to go there due to this review I already did a good deed. Try HWR, Free University, Humboldt, or anything else. It was a horrible experience that made me not want to continue educating myself for at least a few years until I can forget all those horrible moments and people (except some single people and students)

Platform to Learn

A great institute to learn in Berlin. I am enrolled in for masters program and I must say that the professors are very educated and they share their valuable experience that helps us understand the concepts even better. They deliver such great content and the assignments are given in such a way that everyone learns.

Great (and free) education

My experience at Humboldt has been more than great so far. University is free in Germany, and the student facilities are amazing. The canteen food is good and cheap, the public transport is much cheaper as a student, the accomodation too (but there is a long waiting list!). My master is in English and I am super happy with the opportunities, the professors, and the general academic environment__

Well qualified professors and great connectons with the industry

Well structured programs, great facilities and very good career development team. The alumni relations with the school are great and well maintained and fostered. Overall a great school right in the middle of Berlin.

The best university in the world

My experience with IU is very wonderful and exceptional. The learning process is smooth and easy especially for online students and the exams are well tailored to test your knowledge on what you have been learning. It is quite great indeed.

Great modern university approach

I am currently a 3rd year student at Forward College and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to other students. The interactive approach of Forward where questions, debate, and discussion were encouraged enhanced my learning so much and I feel like I genuinely enjoyed every class. Having the experience of living in 3 different cultures, surrounded by people from all over the world made this experience even more special and helped me develop and grow in so many ways. Another aspect I have loved are the professors. Speaking with friends at other university I am so grateful to have teachers that actually know us, are excited to teach and interact with us, and will always take the time to help you.

Fastest Growing Startup University In Germany

I have mixed feelings about my experience at Code University. On one hand, it's a privilege to study at one of Berlin’s most prestigious institutions tuition-free. The professors are knowledgeable, and the curriculum is practical and forward-thinking — it has definitely contributed to my growth as a student and aspiring entrepreneur. However, my journey here hasn’t been smooth. During my Orientation Semester, I struggled with shyness and social anxiety. I found it difficult to engage in class and to make friends. Unfortunately, instead of receiving support, I was mocked — not just by students (which I could handle), but also by some lecturers. That was deeply discouraging. With time, I worked on myself and broke out of my shell. I’m now more confident and driven, and I’m currently building what I believe will be one of the most impactful student-led projects to come out of CODE. Ironically, that seems to have caused some friction. I feel like certain individuals who underestimated me in the past are now uncomfortable with my progress and success. Rather than support me, it feels like they're trying to hold me back. To add to that, despite referring three international students to CODE — something I do as a side hustle — I haven’t received any acknowledgment or recognition. While many of my peers are featured on the university’s website, I’ve noticed that I’m not represented at all. So, would I recommend Code University? It depends. If you're resilient and can handle both the highs and lows without losing focus, then yes — the academic value is real. But emotionally and socially, it can be a tough environment, especially if you don’t fit into the dominant culture right away. That said, my story at CODE is still being written. Let’s see how it all turns out.

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