In recognition of the changes being experienced by many societies as a consequence of increasing global interdependence, the MA-ICM is a response to the challenges of conflict, cultural diversity, social inequality, violations of human rights and human exploitation.
These issues have heightened tensions for a growing number of individuals and groups on the local, national and international level. Thus there is an urgent need for professionals who can act effectively on issues of conflict management and social justice in multicultural contexts. Graduates will gain a solid understanding of these issues needed to achieve greater social justice through professional roles as field officers, managers, facilitators, advocates or researchers.

This four semester Masters of Arts (MA) comprises a total of 120 credits which are assigned according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The ASH is a state-recognized University of Applied Sciences and the MA-ICM was reaccredited in 2018.

The MA-ICM is an inter-disciplinary, research oriented study program, combining human rights with selected social sciences. The program’s principal focus is the study of conflict, particularly with regard to contexts characterized by cultural diversity in which human rights are ascribed a central role. A secondary focus is on the development of methods of conflict intervention and transformation that take into account  the various issues of diversity. Particular elements of the curriculum will comprise units on transnationalism and community, democracy and social inequality, diversity and conflicts, human rights and socio-political action, cooperation and development, and conflict management.

This international program is taught in English and students together from various backgrounds and cultures to facilitate a cross-cultural learning experience. It is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to mediate conflicts, advance peace, and promote human rights based on social justice in a world characterized by increasing migratory movements and consequent cultural
diversity.

The MA-ICM is offered once a year, starting each winter semester.

It is a study program based on classroom teaching and seminars which also include periods of self-depended learning and e-facilitated study time as well as written assignments. It requires a full-time commitment from students. The standard period of study is 24 months to be completed over four semesters.

During the first three semesters, students will attend classes and seminars as well as dedicate themselves to the completion of project elaboration and essay writing. The final semester is dedicated to the research and writing of the MA thesis (30 weeks).

The orientation of the MA-ICM is suited to the requirements of the job market. Former graduates work free-lance, in international governmental, non-governmental and private sector organizations in professional roles such as field officers, program managers, facilitators, trainers, advocates or researchers.

The Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences (ASH) is Germany's
oldest and largest academic training institution in social work. It is
recognized as one of Germany's most research-intensive universities of
applied sciences in the social field and is committed to international
cooperation. The Alice Salomon University is located in Berlin, a
culturally vibrant, cosmopolitan city.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions:

• email: icm@ avoid-unrequested-mailsash-berlin.eu
• phone: +49 (30) 992 45 142

You are also warmly welcome to visit us during our Office Hours (Tuesday 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm) - just call for an appointment!

Please note that our application form will only be accessible during our application period (October 15 – May 15). However,  if you are experiencing troubles using the online form, here are some frequent difficulties we encountered:

• After you clicked "send", the following questions appears: "Sind diese Werte richtig?" ("Are these data correct?"). Please click "weiter" ("continue").
• Make sure you filled out all required fields (marked with *)
• Other universities you applied for: If you did not apply to another program, please just write "none".
• Use one of the following internet browsers: Firefox, Safari, Chrome. Mobile Apps might cause further technical issues, so we advise filling out the form using a computer.

If these solutions did not work for you, please copy paste the application form together with your data in the answer sections as word document to:  icm@ ash-berlin.eu 

Please be aware, that this way your application process might take longer.

The Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences has a commitment to offer its students high quality courses at a fair price. The tuition fee is divided in an administrative fee of 300 EUR which covers admission and registration.

The total cost of the first three semesters is  7,920.00 Euros (2,640 Euros per semester).
Additionally, there is a fee of 1250 Euros for the (master thesis) last semester.
Further fees depend on the services you wish. For instance, the ticket of Berlin's public transport system (valid for 6 months) currently costs 193.80 Euros for MA-ICM students and is optional.

The costs for living - including rent, food, clothing, laundry, personal hygiene, travel, obligatory health insurance, telephone, leisure activities and other expenses - generally average between 700 Euros and 900 Euros per month.

Unfortunately, our university is not able to grant scholarships. However, there are many organizations where you can apply for funding. Attached you find an extensive list of scholarship opportunities. Keep in mind their application deadlines!

Important Information Regarding Tuition Fee Obligation

By signing the study contract, you commit to the full tuition fee for the entire duration of the program (four semesters), regardless of whether you complete the program or choose to withdraw at any point after enrollment.

This means specifically:

• Once you officially start the program on October 1st, you are obligated to pay the full tuition fee for the Master's program, even if you decide to leave the program before completing the four semesters.
• If you decide not to start the program, you must notify us by September 30th. In this case, you will not be required to pay the tuition fee. Any tuition fees already paid will be refunded. However, the administrative fee of 300 EUR is non-refundable.

Exception in Case of Social Reasons:
If you experience exceptional social or personal circumstances, you may submit a written plea addressed to the Rector, requesting to be exempted from the remaining tuition fee payments. Please note that this is only a possibility, and the Rector may decide against your plea.

It is important to carefully consider your decision before signing the contract, as this agreement ensures the financial commitment for the entire program.

If you have any questions or require clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.

After your admission as Master student of Intercultural Conflict Management at Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences (ASH), you will need to plan your stay in Germany, especially if you need a visa. Adapting to life in a foreign country, in a different culture, and in a different academic system is not always easy. We would like to take the chance and help you starting in Germany.

Visa

Contact a German Embassy or Consulate in your home country. Regarding any current entry, and residence requirements as soon as possible! It usually might take up to three months or even more to get a visa.

EU-citizens, including EEC countries (Iceland, Great Britain, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Japan, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand) do not require a visa for entering Germany. However, non-EU citizens have to apply for a student residence permit at the Foreigner’s Registration Office upon arrival in Berlin.

Your entry visa cannot be used to obtain a student residence permit in Germany. All prospect students from non-EU countries, thus, have to obtain a student residence permit that allows candidates to study in the Federal Republic of Germany, and to enroll at ASH.

After your admission to our program, and once the admission fee has been paid, you will receive all necessary documents required to apply for a student visa at your local German embassy. If you are experiencing trouble getting a visa, our office will support you getting in contact with the respective authorities.

Please see the information on the process of admission here.

Documents

Please see the detailed information on the necessary documents for various institution in Germany via this link.

Before entering Germany, you will need:

• A valid passport, or European ID-card, valid for the whole duration of your stay in Germany
• A visa for you, and if applicable all of your family members accompanying you
• Biometric pass photos will be required for both the Foreigner’s Office and the City Registration
• Birth certificate(s), marriage certificate, including a German translation
• Original undergraduate diplomas (Bachelor’s Degree, or other academic degrees), including your records which are needed for your enrollment
• Blocked bank account, scholarship or other financial proof
• Health insurance
• Vaccination certificate, if possible in English or German language
• If applicable: A medical clearance / certificate detailing previous diseases, and medications
• If applicable: An international driver’s license, including insurance cards
• Please check your local embassy for up-to-date information.

A medical insurance for the entire duration of your stay is required for the enrollment at a German university. In fact, we are not allowed to enroll you in our university if there is no proof of a valid health insurance plan. Also, a health insurance plan that covers a minimum of one year is required for getting a residence permit at the Foreigner's Office.

The main aim for being fully insured is your own personal safety so you can see a doctor, or get hospital treatment without having to pay large medical bills by yourself.

Basically, there are two types of health insurance in Germany:

• Public Health Insurance: "Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung"
• Private Health Insurance

Health insurance from your home country

Depending on where you come from, the health insurance plan from your home country might cover your stay in Germany, also. This is especially the case for EU citizens who have an EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card). Students with an EHIC card don't have to buy a German health insurance plan due to European social security agreements. You can recognize whether your card is an EHIC card by looking at the backside of your card where the EU logo should be clearly visible. With an EHIC card, Euopean students are allowed to make use of all necessary medical operations and treatments under the same conditions and costs as for German citizens. But be aware that you are not allowed to work in Germany as long as you make use of the European social security agreement. If you want to start working in Germany, you will have to get a German insurance.

Countries that issue EHIC cards are currently: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden Switzerland and United Kingdom. Please make sure to double-check, as social security agreements or EU status may change depending on your home country.

If you come from outside of the EU, it is very unlikely that we or the Foreigner's Office will be allowed to accept your health insurance.

Differences between Public Health Insurance and Private Health Insurance

Germany features a very high level of safety awareness. On the average, a German citizens pays around 2,400 EUR / year for an average of six insurance policies, including private pensions provisions, insurances on households, etc. However, everyone in Germany is subject to social insurance, and all employees in Germany have to contribute to pay into the statuary social security of Germany. So by German law, health insurance is mandatory for every resident, including international students, regardless of their income.

Health care insurance in Germany is carried by insurance providers: "Krankenkasse".

As mentioned above, Public Health Insurance is statutory, meaning that every citizen in Germany is obligated to have this insurance. However, as a student, you are free to choose between a public and an private provider at the beginning of your studies. This decision cannot be reversed until you finished your studies! Once you have a private health insurance plan, you will be unable to change back to the public health care until you start working in Germany.

What is covered by your health insurance plan can vary! Health insurance aims to cover all basic medical needs, including dental care, regular checkups, psychiatric treatment, etc. In contrast, private health insurance can cover more specific medical treatments and methods (although so called "alternative medicine" will most likely be more strictly regulated in Germany in the upcoming years.) Moreover, being privately insured, you can get medical treatment in private hospitals and at private practices.

Rates are very different between providers! For private health insurance, you usually pay much less than for the public insurance when it comes to monthly rates. But be aware: The rates for private health insurance might be lower on a monthly level, but your personal deductible co-payment in case of medical treatment may be much higher than with the public health insurance where - in almost all cases - you will never have to pay more than 10 EUR on your own (for example for hospital treatments, orthoses, etc.).

Rates may vary in relation to your age! If you are 30 years old or older, chances might be that rates for a public health insurance might be very high for you. Also, German Public Health Insurance Companies are not obligated to insure you if you are over 30 years old! In case you are not accepted into the Public Health Insurance program, you have no other option than getting private health insurance. Rates can change slightly each year.

Health insurance for entering Germany

 To enter Germany, even for a three-month visa, you will need to proof that you have a valiud health insurance plan covering your stay / entry to Germany. From our experience, we highly advise you:

• Do not buy a travel insurance plan that covers the whole duration of your studies! Neither ASH nor the Foreigner's Office will accept travel insurances for a resident permit.
• If you already know that you want to get private health insurance, Klemmer International offers guest insurances / travel insurances to be changed into normal private health insurance plans, so you don't have to pay double.
• Research and compare public and private insurance companies yourself. Know what you want from your insurance plan, and that it fits your personal wishes. Make sure that it is a valid policy for a resident permit. Again: Travel insurances cannot be accepted after your three-months entering visa.

Like in any foreign country, language, environment, mentality and perhaps also the climate may be different from what you are used to. As a welcoming gesture MA-SWHR Program Assistants will hand out a Welcome Package with necessary information about Berlin at the beginning of your studies.

• Currency: Euro is the only valid currency in Germany; a EUR is made up of 100 Cents. The banknotes in circulation are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 EUR, the coins comprise 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 Cents as well as 1 and 2 EUR

• Cash: You will need money the moment you arrive. You can bring any amount of German or foreign currency into Germany - but remember to check on your own country's foreign exchange regulations. Currency exchange offices are open at airports and main railway stations in the evening and at weekends. Once here, you can change large-denomination Euro notes acquired in your home country into coinage or you can cash traveler’s checks. You need cash to make telephone calls, deposit luggage, pay taxis, or buy bus tickets. Be aware that cash is still the most prominent way of paying and that not all supermarkets and/or restaurants will accept credit cards. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from approx. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Afternoon opening hours differ but, in most cases, banks remain open shorter on Fridays until approx. 3 p.m. You can also change money at many larger post offices.

• First stay: If you need a hotel room for the first night(s) MA-SWHR Management can help you find and contact a hostel or hotel for your first night. You may also want to check out wg-gesucht.de, airbnb, or other private housing websites that offer short-term accomodation for new arrivals

• Public transport: Germany has a well-developed, though relatively expensive public transport network. Over greater distances, it is most common to travel on the German Railways (“Deutsche Bahn”). But there are also bus services like Flixbus, Megabus etc. that offer transport from Berlin to several cities in Germany and neighboring countries. In towns and cities, suburban trains, buses, trams, the underground, and taxis are the usual means of transportation.

• Local public transportation: Berlin has an excellent network of public transport that reaches every corner of the city and the surrounding areas. U-Bahn (underground) and S-Bahn (suburban and interurban trains) are the best ways of getting around; there are also regional trains, buses, comfortable new trams in the east of the city and ferries. One type of ticket is valid on all forms of transport. The system is efficient but, given continued construction around the city, delays and schedule changes may occur. You might want to download a public transport app to your smartphone (or use its website www.bvg.de) in order to search for transport connections quickly and get informed about schedule changes. Berlin is very bicycle friendly, and it is a good way to get to know the city - there are specially marked bike lanes everywhere. There are also plenty of bike rental shops. Walking is another good way to get around - the historic center of Berlin is surprisingly compact and is best explored on foot.

In Germany, campus universities are very uncommon, and Alice Salomon University is no exception to this. Thus, unfortunately we cannot offer you any accommodation via the university. As an enrolled student you can, however, apply for a place in various student residence halls, organized by the student union “studierendenWERK Berlin” all over Berlin. Finding private accommodation in a shared apartment or a single apartment can be challenging if you are new, since rent prices have been significantly increasing over the last years.

Student residence halls of studierendenWERK

The student residence halls (dorms) are controlled by the studierendenWERK BERLIN (student union). Only registered students can apply for a place in a student residence hall. If you get in touch with the student union early, your chances for a placement increase. Please note that you need to be enrolled in order to be able to sign up for accommodation.

We have made very good experiences with the house ‘Victor Jara’ near our University at Oberfeldstraße 131. It is located in a quiet green area and is pretty affordable in comparison to other properties in Berlin.

Have a look at their website and check out the housing section. There is a variety of housing possibilities in student residences. However, the waiting lists for the more central ones can be pretty long.

Private housing

We strongly recommend you to start looking for accommodation as soon as possible and definitely before the beginning of your stay in Germany. If alone, you can easily live for a short time in a hostel or perhaps with friends or acquaintances. Finding a flat share or single apartment is usually significantly faster if you can rely on a personal network in Berlin. We highly advise you to reach out to your colleagues at SWHR, and ask them to update you on new housing opportunities they have heard of. However, supply and demand, particularly in cities with a large population of students, varies considerably in the course of the year. At the beginning of a term, i.e. in March/ April or September/ October, there is always a big demand for accommodation.

Costs for housing in Berlin may range from Euro 300 (room in a shared apartment) to Euro 700 for a studio apartment, or room. This – of course – depends, in particular, on the type of accommodation required by MA-SWHR students: furnished or at least partly-furnished apartments rented at short notice and for relatively short periods.

For students, there are several online platforms for finding accommodation:

www.wg-gesucht.de/en/ - easy to use

www.wg-company.de – non-commercial database

www.studenten-wg.de – easy to use

www.wg-welt.de – only in German

You should also check out Facebook groups that focus on housing in Berlin. These also include groups for people with special interest, background or identity (such as queer housing, housing for trans_ people, POC, etc.)

For more information, please also check our International Office's website on accommodation.

As the capital of Germany, Berlin offers a broad variety of different libraries. You will get a detailed manual for the library usage in the welcome package and there will be a day trip arranged and conducted by the Program Assistants in order to introduce the most important libraries to you during our introduction week. Each university (FU and HU) has their own libraries which are open to all students. Also, the ASH library is located in the main building.

Libraries that you will want to know for starting your studies are:

Jakob-und-Wilhlem-Grimm-Zentrum (main library of Humboldt University)
Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1-3, 10177 Berlin
https://www.grimm-zentrum.hu-berlin.de/
Opening hours:
Mo - Fri 8 a.m. - 12 a.m.
Sat/ Sun: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m

Staatsbibliothek (called the „StaBi“) House 1
Unter den Linden 8, 10117 Berlin
http://staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/
Opening hours:
Mo - Fri 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sa. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Staatsbibliothek (called the „StaBi“) House 2
Potsdamer Str. 33, 10785 Berlin
(U/S Potsdamer Platz)
http://staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/
Opening hours:
Mo - Fri 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sa. 10 a.m - 7 p.m.

Amerika Gedenk Bibliothek („AGB“)
Blücherplatz 1
10961 Berlin
(U-Hallesches Tor)
90226-105 (information)
www.zlb.de
Opening hours:
Mo - Fri 10 p.m. - 20 p.m.
Sa 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Ibero- Amerikanisches Institut
Potsdamer Straße 37
10785 Berlin
(S- Bahn Potsdamer Platz)
http://www.iai.spk-berlin.de/startseite.html
Opening Hours:
Mo-Fri 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sa. 9 a.m. – 13 p.m.

Although our program and your administration is conducted in English at MA-SWHR, everyday life in Berlin is definitely easier with some German basic language knowledge.

Each year, we will offer free German language courses throughout the semester. We highly recommend you taking part. We will inform you on the class schedules beforehand in a timely manner. Furthermore, there are also language courses in English, Spanish, and Turkish every semester at ASH.

Please consider that the MA-SWHR is a full-time study program that requires a full-time commitment from all students and that it might be difficult to work beside your studies.

However, of course we understand the necessity to secure your income while studying, and thus, we would like to shortly advise you on work-related issues in the following:

EU-citizens don’t need a work permit. However, please keep in mind that you are not allowed to work in Germany if you don’t have a German health insurance plan. As long as you are using your EU home countries health insurance plan, you may not start working. Moreover, you will be required to have a valid residence permit for Germany. Click here for more information on working as an EU-citizen and student.

International students have the opportunity to work 90 days full-time, or 180 days part-time (4 hours a day) in one year without a work permit.

Different agencies and platforms negotiate jobs between students and employers in Berlin. The majority of these jobs are temporary jobs (store rooms, drivers, construction help, catering). Besides, at the beginning and end of each semester, there might be job opportunities as student assistant at Berlin universities. The average salary for these temporary jobs is between the statuary minimum wage (as of January 2021 that is 9.50 €/hour) to 12.50 €/hour.

In case you want to apply for an internship during your studies, feel free to reach out to us in case a letter of support is needed. We can also advise you on internship opportunities at our office.

The Empowerment, Awareness and anti-racist institutional opening of ASH Berlin (EmpA) aims to improve the study conditions of international students, students with a refugee background and students of color¹ through various offers such as PowerExperts, an expert Forum for international and BIPoC students to present their researches, or PowerTalk, where students can arrange individual and confidential talks with the EmpA team. You can find more information about EmpA and their offers here.

­

¹People of Color  is an alliance term that establishes links between people who experience racism (cf.FemoCo 2013). However, the term is also controversially discussed within different communities. Numerous other self-designations have been used as alternatives to racist foreign designations.

The International Office offers  several activities, programs and projects in which you are warmly welcome to participate and mingle with other ASH-students.

Be part of the university and utilize the various possibilities on further training, recreation as well as the in-house  students initiatives. 

Are you looking for a way on how to balance student life and family life?  Do you wish to know more about alice barrier-free and its policy? Do you urgently need a special counselling due to fear of speaking, personal crises and/ or study difficulties in general ?

Kindly feel invited to visit the respective internal and external homepage for further information.

Moreover, please note that our university does not offer any financial support for graduate students, yet. We, however, provide you with a distinctive compilation on institutions offering scholarships in our download section.

Finding an appropriate accommodation ! The International Office provides you with a brief introduction on housing as well as a few facts on living in Berlin.

Kindly note that any application for a student dorm­­­ pre to the admission to the MA-ICM program may not be considered by the studierendenWerk.