The Free University of Berlin is a public research university in Berlin, Germany. It was founded in West Berlin in 1948 with American support during the early Cold War period as a Western continuation of the Friedrich Wilhelm University, or the University of Berlin, whose traditions and faculty members it retained. The Friedrich Wilhelm University, being located in East Berlin, was renamed the Humboldt University. The Free University's name referred to West Berlin's status as part of the intellectual continuum of the Western "Free World", contrasting with Soviet-controlled East Berlin.
Ranked Top 100 worldwide across 3 major ranking systems
Ranked in 76 subject rankings
QS
ARWU
US News
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ARWU
US News
|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts & Humanities | 26 | 72.2 | 2026 |
| Social Sciences | 49 | 67.1 | 2026 |
| Law | =63 | 56.4 | 2026 |
| Psychology | 74 | 62.0 | 2026 |
| Life Sciences | 90 | 63.5 | 2026 |
| Physical Sciences | 126–150 | 56.7 | 2026 |
| Education | 151–175 | 47.6 | 2026 |
| Computer Science | 176–200 | 49.5 | 2026 |
| Business & Economics | 176–200 | 47.3 | 2026 |