Global Architecture + Design
Unique Experiences
Explore sustainable development in Berlin
with guided visits to experimental cooperative housing at Spreefeld
Delve into a range of architectural styles
showcasing the works of international artists on remnants of the Berlin Wall
Participate in a groundbreaking design
to improve city living
Your Destination
Berlin is Germany’s architectural powerhouse, offering an inspiring landscape for students interested in global architecture and design. The city’s iconic blend of neoclassical, Bauhaus, and contemporary styles is most famously embodied in the works of architects like Walter Gropius and makes it a living classroom for design enthusiasts. Whether you are sketching façades in Mitte or studying sustainable design in modern neighborhoods, Berlin is the perfect place to study abroad.
Program Highlights
- Academic Courses: Choose from CIEE courses and online courses delivered by CIEE’s global partner, ASU, that align with your academic major.
- Immersive Experiences: Participate in activites, excursions, study tours, and more that showcase your host city's culture, values, and local art, film, music, cuisine, and sports scenes.
Excursions & Activities
CIEE’s excursions and cultural activities in Berlin will open doors for you to explore Germany's rich diversity, language, culture, history, and timeless beauty in ways that will enhance your time abroad.
Samples of past excursions and activities:
- Soak in artistic inspiration from Europe’s largest street art gallery, Teufelsberg, housing in an abandoned Cold War spy station
- Visit landmarks by celebrated architects, such as the Reichstag Dome by Foster and Partners
- Explore innovative projects such as Spreefeld, an experimental sustainable housing cooperative
Please note: Activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience.
Program Blogs
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Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Berlin offers a variety of housing options to ensure you're comfortable in your home away from home. Your accommodation preferences will be met in the form of dorms, homestays, and shared apartments. Additionally, all housing options are located in neighborhoods with convenient access to public transportation, shops, and restaurants. Most students live in an on-campus residence hall with a mix of CIEE students and resident assistants.
Standard Housing: Includes one of the following options: (1) a single room at a homestay, (2) accommodation in a triple or quad room at CIEE Berlin, or (3) - if dorm capacity is exceeded - a double room off-campus in a shared apartment/residence hall located within 45 minutes of CIEE. Homestays feature a kitchen, living room, and bathroom shared with a host family. Off-campus shared apartments offer kitchens, common areas, and laundry facilities (for fee) shared with other students. Triples and quad rooms on campus offer an en-suite bathroom and are fully furnished and equipped with a fridge, microwave, and Wi-Fi. The residence hall has four large, shared student kitchens, five student lounges, and a laundry room (service for fee).
Students who live with host families receive breakfast and dinner daily. In residence halls and at shared apartments, students can prepare their own meals in the (shared) kitchens. Basic cooking utensils are provided. In the neighborhood or throughout the city, there are plenty of restaurants ready for students to explore.
Select Housing: Includes a double room or shared apartment on campus at CIEE Berlin, or if dorm capacity is exceeded, off-campus in a private bedroom within a shared apartment located within 45 minutes of CIEE. The on-campus residence hall rooms offer en-suite bathrooms and are fully furnished and equipped with a fridge, microwave, and Wi-Fi. The residence hall has four large, shared student kitchens, five student lounges, and a laundry room (for fee). Select housing requires an additional fee.
Select Plus Housing: Includes a single room at CIEE Berlin or a single room in off-campus housing within 15 minutes from CIEE. The on-campus residence hall rooms offer en-suite bathrooms and are fully furnished and equipped with a fridge, microwave, and Wi-Fi. The residence hall has four large, shared student kitchens, five student lounges, and a laundry room (for fee). Off-campus single rooms share kitchens, common areas, and laundry facilities (for fee) with other students. Single rooms share a spacious bathroom with another single room. Select Plus housing requires an additional fee.
A note: The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive. Non-standard housing options require an additional fee that can be found in the program Dates and Fees.
Meals
Homestays: Include two meals, usually breakfast and dinner. For non-homestay housing, meals are not included in the program cost.
Shared apartment/Residence hall: Students can prepare their own meals within the kitchen facilities. CIEE provides basic cooking utensils and cleaning supplies. Students can also explore the myriad of grocery stores and restaurants in our multicultural Kreuzberg neighborhood or throughout the city. Students should be prepared to have a food budget.
Academics
CIEE Berlin: Study in the heart of Berlin's Kreuzberg district, in close proximity to a large public market hall, plenty of restaurants and cafés, and various shops. CIEE Berlin features classrooms, student lounges, a study space, a student life office, an academic advising office, an on-campus café, and a dedicated outdoor space.
Arizona State University (ASU): Brought to you by CIEE in partnership with ASU, enhance your international coursework with online classes that align with your degree requirements. ASU offers thousands of online courses in asynchronous 7.5-week sessions that fit within the CIEE academic calendar.
Course Information
Course Notes
- Future Cities Design Studio spans the full semester.
- Design and Sustainability Seminar, Science and Technology Workshop, and all CIEE courses* operate on a block schedule. Courses are condensed into three intensive six-week blocks in partnership with the Open Campus Block program.
- Students may not take more than one CIEE elective in a single block.
- Some CIEE courses are available in multiple CIEE locations. To help ensure you are able to enroll in the courses you need, some courses may be facilitated as a Hybrid course by an instructor from a location that is separate from your own. In a Hybrid course, you will learn either face-to-face or online, depending on your location. However, regardless of your location, you will apply what you learn from the instructor and course materials in your location. Hybrid courses can be identified in the course list as those whose course codes end in “CIEE” – open the syllabus to see the instruction location, if known.
Language Courses
- During course selection, students interested in a non-introductory German language course will be instructed to take an online German language assessment to determine their proficiency level. Enrollment will be finalized on site and is based on assessment outcomes.
- Students may opt into the non-credit Survival German course to their course load during the customary add/drop period.
*Not all courses listed below may be available to Global Architecture + Design students as some electives may conflict with the meeting times for the core curriculum. Additional courses may be made available upon arrival depending on the final schedule.
Architecture
Fall Block II 2025
Natural Resources, Conservation, and the Environment
Fall Block III 2025
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Fall Block II 2025
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Fall Block II 2025
Agriculture
Health Professions and Related Programs
Social Sciences
History, Philosophy, Religion
Fall Block III 2025
Languages and Cultural Studies
Literature, Linguistics, and Writing
Visual and Performing Arts
Fall Block III 2025
Architecture
Spring Block II 2026
Natural Resources, Conservation, and the Environment
Spring Block II 2026
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Spring Block II 2026
Health Professions and Related Programs
Social Sciences
Spring Block I 2026
Spring Block III 2026
History, Philosophy, Religion
Spring Block II 2026
Spring Block III 2026
Languages and Cultural Studies
Literature, Linguistics, and Writing
Visual and Performing Arts
Spring Block III 2026
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Spring Block II 2026
CIEE proudly partners with ASU to deliver asynchronous, online coursework that aligns with your degree requirements from anywhere you study abroad.
CIEE and ASU offer courses online per program eligibility, at no additional charge. Be sure to review online courses with your home school advisor.
Check the CIEE Program Dates and ASU start dates below to maximize course options within your program!
Search ASU Online Courses BROWSE FAQs for more INFO
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- Stohl International Undergraduate Research Scholarships
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.
Dates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Fall 2025 18 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $22,450 |
| Program Spring 2026 18 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
| Participation Confirmation | $300 * |
| Educational Costs | $15,956 ** |
| Housing | $6,000 *** |
| Insurance | $194 |
| Total Fees | $22,450 |
Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee. Housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis; however, other factors may also be considered.
| Select Housing Fee | $1,800 |
| Select Plus Housing Fee | $2,700 |
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
| Meals not included in program fee | $504 † |
| International Airfare | $1,250 †† |
| Local Transportation | $600 |
| Books & Supplies | $450 |
| Visa Fees | $80 |
| Personal expenses | $225 ††† |
| Total Costs | $3,109 |
*non-refundable fee
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***Housing fees listed are for financial aid purposes only and should not be considered a basis for calculation of refunds.
†For students in homestays, families provide 2 meals a day. For students in residence halls/apartments, you should budget approx. $340 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries (Includes 3 GB data/month. 6 GB data would cost an extra $9/month)
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Eric Ginola
Interim Center Director & Director of Student Life
Having grown up in the Chicago area and completed his undergraduate degree at Macalester College, Eric went on to complete his graduate work at the University of Washington-Seattle, where he...
Greta Krumbholz
Academic Director
Greta Krumbholz has a Master’s degree in German and Slavic Studies and a Ph.D. in linguistics at the University of Hamburg. She has taught at the University of Hamburg, the...
Get Started
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Connect With Your Campus Study Abroad Office
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
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Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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