University of Applied Sciences - HTW Berlin vs Free University of Berlin - FU vs IU International University of Applied Sciences vs GISMA Business School vs Sigmund Freud University - SFU

Side-by-side comparison from 231 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
Free University of Berlin - FU: wins 0/4 categories
IU International University of Applied Sciences: wins 0/4 categories
GISMA Business School: wins 0/4 categories
Sigmund Freud University - SFU: wins 0/4 categories
Forward College: wins 2/4 categories
CODE University of Applied Sciences: wins 2/4 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Applied Computer Science
Best programme: Business Administration
Best programme: MBA
Best programme: International Marketing
Best programme: Psychology
Paris, France
4.90
Top
Read more reviews
16 reviews
×
Best programme: Politics and International Relations
Category ratings
Facilities
3.91
4.05
3.69
3.71
4.33
4.47
5.00
Win
Location
4.00
4.00
3.87
4.14
5.00
5.00
5.00
Professors
4.00
4.21
4.43
4.21
4.67
5.00
5.00
Internationality
4.19
4.42
4.44
4.29
5.00
4.75
5.00
Student life
4.04
4.11
3.62
4.08
3.67
4.73
Win
3.00
Value
3.98
4.11
4.32
4.00
4.00
4.63
5.00
Win
Accommodation
3.88
3.11
3.11
3.77
3.67
4.33
Win
1.00
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Supportive environment and academic resources
  • +Vibrant campus life and social engagement
  • +Opportunities for personal growth and development
  • +High academic quality and supportive professors
  • +International environment and student diversity
  • +No tuition fees making education accessible
  • +Flexible online study for work-life balance
  • +Modern, intuitive digital platform for easy access
  • +Relevant, high-quality educational content
  • +Supportive professors and quality curriculum
  • +International focus and career relevance
  • +Friendly faculty and good learning environment
  • +Expert and passionate professors
  • +International study opportunities
  • +Well-located campuses and student life
  • +Engaging learning environment with interactive methods
  • +Diverse and international student community
  • +Unique multi-city European study experience

Nothing to show

Cons
  • -Poor quality instruction and unhelpful teachers
  • -Lack of administrative and management support
  • -Outdated facilities and resources
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are prevalent.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause significant frustration.
  • -Lack of resources and support hinder academic progress.
  • -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 and management issues cause significant frustration.
  • -Lack of refund processing and poor communication are major concerns.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause constant problems.
  • -Facilities are outdated and poorly maintained.
  • -Communication from the institution is unclear and infrequent.
  • -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.

This university demonstrates particularly strong performance in **Internationality**, earning a high rating. Its **Professors** and **Student Life** also receive positive marks, as does the **Value** proposition. **Facilities** are rated well, though **Location** is only at a moderate level. The area with the lowest rating is **Accomodation**.

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 institution performs strongest in Internationality, with a rating of 4.29. Professors and Location also receive high marks, both above 4.14. Conversely, Facilities and Accomodation are the weakest areas, scoring 3.71 and 3.77 respectively. Student Life and Value are rated solidly around 4.

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.

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.

The university receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, with ~91% of reviews rating it 4–5 stars. Students praise its strong academic reputation, international environment, supportive professors, and good infrastructure, while noting minor issues with course selection.

~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.

With an average rating of 4.14/5, ~86% of reviews are positive, praising quality education and helpful faculty. Approximately 14% of feedback mentions administrative issues.

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.

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%
30%
63%
57%
33%
94%
0%
4★
85%
57%
27%
21%
33%
6%
0%
3★
9%
13%
6%
7%
33%
0%
100%
2★
0%
0%
2%
7%
0%
0%
0%
1★
2%
0%
3%
7%
0%
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)

Research

Free University of Berlin is a great educational institution for international students. It gives you a great opportunity to learn how to work with an international teams in fields of the sociological research.

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.

Msc international business management

The MSc in international business management has the main subject like finance and risk management. International economics, and research methods and scientific work, which helps students in business.

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.

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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