University of Applied Sciences - HTW Berlin vs Humboldt University - HUB vs IU International University of Applied Sciences vs Open School of Management vs Sigmund Freud University - SFU

Side-by-side comparison from 230 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Forward College (4.70)
University of Applied Sciences - HTW Berlin: wins 0/6 categories
Humboldt University - HUB: wins 1/6 categories
IU International University of Applied Sciences: wins 0/6 categories
Open School of Management: wins 0/6 categories
Sigmund Freud University - SFU: wins 1/6 categories
Ironhack: wins 2/6 categories
Forward College: wins 2/6 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Applied Computer Science
Best programme: British Studies
Best programme: MBA
Not rated
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0 reviews
×
Best programme: Psychology
Barcelona, Spain
3.00
Read more reviews
2 reviews
×
Best programme: UX/UI Design (User Experience / User Interface Design)
Paris, France
4.70
Top
Read more reviews
32 reviews
×
Best programme: Data Science
Category ratings
Facilities
3.91
3.94
4.23
Not rated
4.33
5.00
Win
4.45
Location
4.00
4.81
4.40
Not rated
5.00
5.00
4.83
Professors
4.00
4.44
4.43
Not rated
4.67
3.00
4.91
Win
Internationality
4.19
4.38
4.44
Not rated
5.00
Win
3.00
4.56
Student life
4.04
3.81
4.11
Not rated
3.67
5.00
Win
4.58
Value
3.98
4.63
Win
4.32
Not rated
4.00
3.00
4.56
Accommodation
3.88
3.06
3.68
Not rated
3.67
4.00
4.29
Win
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Supportive environment and academic resources
  • +Vibrant campus life and social engagement
  • +Opportunities for personal growth and development
  • +Flexible, customizable curriculum
  • +Inspiring and expert faculty
  • +Practical, real-world engagement opportunities
  • +Flexible online study for work-life balance
  • +Modern, intuitive digital platform for easy access
  • +Relevant, high-quality educational content

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  • +Expert and passionate professors
  • +International study opportunities
  • +Well-located campuses and student life
  • +Practical, hands-on learning with immediate application
  • +Experienced, professional instructors with industry expertise
  • +Engaging hybrid learning format
  • +International and diverse community
  • +Interactive and engaging learning approach
  • +Focus on personal growth and development
Cons
  • -Poor quality instruction and unhelpful teachers
  • -Lack of administrative and management support
  • -Outdated facilities and resources
  • -Curriculum and staff attitude are disliked.
  • -Outdated facilities and administrative issues are concerns.
  • -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.

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  • -Administrative and management issues cause constant problems.
  • -Facilities are outdated and poorly maintained.
  • -Communication from the institution is unclear and infrequent.
  • -Administrative and management issues.
  • -Perceived lack of value for money.
  • -Administrative and management issues are frequent sources of frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are consistently criticized.
  • -A lack of clarity or support regarding curriculum and academic expectations is a common complaint.
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.

Outstanding ratings highlight the university's strengths in **Location** (4.81) and **Value** (4.63). **Professors** (4.44) and **Internationality** (4.38) also received very positive scores. Conversely, **Accomodation** (3.06) presents the weakest area, with **Student Life** (3.81) and **Facilities** (3.94) also falling below the higher-rated aspects. This indicates a university excelling in its environment and offerings, though residential options require attention.

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.

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This institution receives outstanding marks for its prime **location** and robust **internationality**, both scoring a perfect 5. Excellent **professors** (4.7) and **facilities** (4.3) also contribute to a positive academic environment. Areas for development include **student life** and **accommodation**, both rated at 3.7. The **value** proposition is solid at 4.

With exceptional marks in Facilities and Location, this institution clearly excels in its physical environment and accessibility. Student Life also receives top scores, suggesting a vibrant campus experience. Conversely, the university's weakest areas lie in its Professors and Internationality, both rated a moderate three. Value also sits at this mid-tier rating, indicating areas for potential improvement.

Evaluations reveal a strong academic offering, with **Professors** receiving the highest marks at 4.91. **Location** also scores exceptionally well at 4.83. The university demonstrates good performance in **Student Life** (4.58) and **Internationality** (4.56), with **Value** also rated favorably at 4.56. **Facilities** are rated at 4.45, and **Accomodation** stands out as the area with the lowest score at 4.29.

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 4.26 average rating, ~83% of 19 reviews are positive, praising exceptional flexibility, strong academic programs, and inspiring professors. One review noted a dislike for curriculum and staff attitude.

~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.

Nothing to show

With a 4/5 average rating, ~67% of reviews are positive. Students highlight passionate professors and the university's international opportunities. No negative feedback was received.

With an average rating of 3/5, feedback is evenly split, with ~50% positive and ~50% negative. Positive comments highlight practical, hands-on learning and professional instructors. Negative reviews express dissatisfaction with program value and staff.

With an average rating of 4.66/5 from 32 reviews, students praise Forward College's enriching international environment and innovative, interactive teaching methods. Personal and academic growth are frequently highlighted.

Rating distribution
5★
4%
53%
63%
0%
33%
50%
66%
4★
85%
26%
27%
0%
33%
0%
34%
3★
9%
16%
6%
0%
33%
0%
0%
2★
0%
5%
2%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1★
2%
0%
3%
0%
0%
50%
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)

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__

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.

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A Mixed Bag of Good and Bad

I attended Sigmund Freud University during the academic years 2022-2023, and overall, my experience with the faculty was a mix of highs and lows. One thing that stood out positively was the incredible support and dedication shown by the faculty members. The professors at SFU were genuinely invested in their students' success and were always willing to help whenever students sought their guidance. They were approachable, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to assist students in understanding the course material and academic concepts. However, despite the impressive support from the faculty, I must highlight that the organization at SFU could be improved. The overall system seemed to lack coordination, leading to certain aspects of academic life feeling unorganized. For instance, course schedules and syllabi were sometimes updated at the last minute, causing confusion among students. Additionally, administrative processes, such as course registration and academic advising, could have been smoother and better streamlined. Moreover, some professors struggled with managing their workload and appeared stressed at times, which impacted their ability to provide a consistent and structured learning environment. This lack of organization affected the overall learning experience and hindered students' ability to fully engage with the material. In conclusion, SFU is a place where students can expect a lot of support from faculty members who are passionate about teaching and willing to help. The dedication of the professors is commendable and greatly contributes to the positive learning environment. However, the university could benefit from implementing better organizational strategies to ensure a smoother academic experience for its students. Despite the areas that need improvement, the support and guidance received from the faculty make SFU a worthwhile institution for those seeking a strong support system throughout their academic journey.

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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.

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