Contact Us
Phone: (202) 885-2940
Graduate programs: spagrad@american.edu
Undergraduate programs: aupublicaffairs@american.edu
The School of Public Affairs offers an international exchange program for MPA and MPP students to study at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany for one semester.
The next exchange program takes place in the Fall 2024 semester. The application deadline is April 1, 2024. To talk with Janet Nagler, the program advisor, please contact Nick Gourgues at gourgues@american.edu to schedule an appointment.
An information session on the program will be scheduled in March 2024.
Apply
Email the following application documents to Janet Nagler jnagler@american.edu.
- Resume
- Letter of Motivation (indicate your grades, commitment, and enthusiasm)
- Unofficial copy of AU transcript
- If applicable, TOEFL scores required unless student earned an undergraduate degree at an American institution
Student Experiences
Sam Evans, SPA/MPP '22
Studying abroad at Hertie was one of the best experiences of my academic career with AU. The people of Hertie are wonderful, from the acclaimed faculty and helpful staff to the highly active international student body. The classes are highly engaging and the location is unbeatable, both for learning about governance and for exploring the city and Europe more generally. Most of the continent is just a short train or plane ride away, and Berlin is a lively, diverse, and fascinating city. Getting to study abroad during grad school is a unique experience, and I could not recommend spending a semester at Hertie more.
Photo caption: Left to right: Sam Evans, MPP 2022, Owen Rosenberg, MPA 2022 and Curtis Synnott, MPP 2022 in Prague, in a side trip from Berlin.
Sophie Stowe, SPA/MPA ‘24
My experience at Hertie has been a dream. I am taking three amazing courses that are extremely relevant to my environmental policy focus in my MPA. I can't speak highly enough of my professors. I have joined the sustainability club and the bouldering club and have found a lot of community in both of these spaces. I frequently attend events put on by other clubs and by Hertie itself that I find interesting. The speakers that Hertie is able to bring in are incredible. Just the other day we had Jennifer Morgan and Laurence Tubiana come in to speak about the COP28 Climate conference. I have loved life in this city so much, there is so much to do- I am never bored and absolutely don't have enough time here. The nightlife, the restaurants, the museums, the art community are all so lovely. You can go as hard as you want here or take it easy and enjoy the finer things and the culture. Overall, this has been a 10/10 experience and I fully intend to move back to Berlin to pursue a career in the environmental field.
Photo caption: left to right are fellow Hertie students, Johannes and Valeria, and on the right is Sophie Stowe.