University of Greifswald

The University of Greifswald is located in the city of Greifswald in north-eastern Germany. Based close to the coastline of the Baltic Sea, Scandinavia is easily accessible from the university. While the city does not have its own airport, the airports in Hamburg, Berlin, or Szczecin in Poland are not too far away. With a variety of festivals, the locality has made a name for itself across the country as cycle-friendly, and for its distinctive architecture.

The university boasts a long history of scholarship, having been established in 1456. There are five faculties: Law and Economics; Mathematics and Natural Sciences; University Medicine; Arts and Humanities; and Theology. The university has a vast research community and is committed to expanding its academic connections internationally.

Its five key fields of research are: community medicine and individualised medicine; environmental change, responses and adaptation; cultures of the Baltic Sea region; plasma physics and proteome research. Around 6% of the student population is international.

The university prides itself on the diversity of its disciplines. Students can specialise in one or two subjects for their BA degree. There are several options to boost your ability with the German language: the Department of Teaching German as a Foreign Language provides intensive courses and technical language courses; the German Department runs courses for more advanced students; while the Language Centre has a database to pair up with a native speaker.

Among the university’s goals are to make the university a more family-friendly place and ensure a balance of gender across all work areas. Notable alumni include 19th century landscape painter Caspar David Friedrich, evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr, surgeon Theodor Billroth, zoologist Heinrich Bodinus and astrophysicist Thomas Henning.