Having participated in five other study abroad programs, I thought FUBiS did not have as much value for my money as other programs. Specifically, I think a lot of tuition fees are allocated to the student interns working in the office. However, these interns were not very involved in creating a fun social scene for the program. They planned a few movie nights and posted weekly "What's on in Berlin" bulletins, but they were far less involved than facilitators I've seen in other programs.
I stayed with a host family, which was fantastic. However, the regular student dorms were subpar. Six people per mini apartment, each with their own locked single room, but no common living room space: only a kitchen. The private apartment housing option was much nicer.
However, academics were spot on: excellent teachers, great resources, and interesting weekly field trips.
Response from
With Berlin being the biggest German city, longer distances here are rather the rule than the exception. For locals it is completely normal to commute 45-60 minutes to get from A to B. Unlike in the US, student dorms in Germany are usually not located directly on campus. Amongst others, this is due to the fact that in general, German universities do not own student dorms, but work with housing providers like the Studentenwerk (student union). Therefore, being a commuter student like probably 99% of the students in Berlin is very usual.