The Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (National Academic Recognition and Information Center) is responsible for collecting information on the recognition of foreign educational insitutions. Detailed information can be found on the Anabin-website (in German only).

The main criterion is the academic/school grades you received so far. International applicants (except EU/EEC citizens) need to have grades that are equal to or better than 2.5 in the German grading system. This criterion serves to ensure that those applicants that are accepted at RWTH Aachen University stand a fair chance to successfully complete their studies.
Another criterion is language proficiency. You won’t be admitted to studies at RWTH Aachen University if you are not proficient in the language of teaching. To be proficient you need to have language capabilities at the level of at least C1 according to the Common European Framework (the DAAD provides further information on this: see CEFR levels).

In order to study at RWTH Aachen University applicants form countries outside the European Union and EEC need to have an average grade of 2.5 in the German marking system. In the German marking system 1 is the best grade and 4 the minimum passing grade (5 and 6 mean that a person failed in the respective course). 2.5 is the exact middle between 1 and 4. In order to determine if your grade is sufficient you take the best grade and the minimum passing grade and find out the middle. If your grade is on the middle or better than you qualifiy for studying at RWTH Aachen University.

Example: 100 is the best possible grade, 60 the minimum passing grade. If your grade is 80 or above you qualify for studying at RWTH Aachen University.

Please refer to the webpage Courses of Study.

RWTH Aachen University currently does not offer any English language Bachelor's degree programmes. There are several English language Master’s degree programmes, however: International Master's Programmes.

"NC" means "numerus clausus" which is Latin for "restriction grade". NC-Programmes are usually those study programmes in which considerably more applications are filed each year than places of study exist, e.g. human medicine.

On this page you will find a table with a column "NC for First Semester". If there is an entry in this column than the study programme is restricted.

Unlike in the Anglo-American University system in Germany universities do not offer full-coverage scholarships. Prospective and current RWTH students, however, may apply for a scholarship from the Education Fund, which is worth €300 per month. Also, German universities pool their resources and have the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) give scholarships to talented applicants (see DAAD Scholarshhips Database). Additionally, there are a number of trusts and foundations which offer scholarships. A full list of programmes and foundations can be found in the RWTH Scholarships Database.

From the winter term of 2011/12, RWTH Aachen University will no longer charge tuition fees, which is due to the fact that the Federal State of NRW Germany is an advocate of free university education (free university education has a strong tradition in Germany). However students have to pay a services fee plus social security fees, which amount to approx. €200 per term (semester). To stay in Aachen you should expect to need about €700 per month (including rent).

Re-Enrollment

The question what to study you should answer according to your own predilections and abilities. The Student Advice Center will help you with general information about study choices and possibilities.Additionally RWTH Aachen offers a free Self-Assessment-Test which might help you to find the right study programme.

No, RWTH Aachen University only offers full-time study programmes leading to Master's and Bachelor's degrees. For the possibility of part-time studies at other universities, please refer to the Hochschulkompass website. For long-distance learning, lease refer to the pages of Fernuniversität Hagen, Germany's distance teaching university.

Yes, you may. Please indicate which is your preferred study programme.

This question is not easy to answer. RWTH Aachen University is predominantly a Technical university, i.e. that traditionally the engineering sciences and the natural sciences are the strongest fields of expertise. However, in certain academic areas humanities and business sciences also excel. We would like to ask you to inform yourself about the respective strength and focus areas of a faculty by contacting the responsible study advisors directly.

RWTH Aachen University is seeking especially students who are intellectually excelling and show a high degree of commitment. Applicants should have shown these qualities already in their secondary education and in past studies at other universities. Furthermore, we expect all students to integrate into the university community which entails learning German and being willing to improve your personal language skills continuously.

The teaching methods at RWTH Aachen University is founded on the promotion of intellectual potentials and on academic self-reliance. As a consequence students are expected to develop and show a high degree of self-organization-skills and a strong motivation to study on your own or in small student groups.

In fact we are often asked if studying at RWTH Aachen University is difficult. This is not a question that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". Rather the answer has to be that RWTH Aachen University offers a world-class education that opens you many options for your future professional or academic career. In turn students are expected to show an extraordinary willingness to work hard and improve themselves. The standard of education thus is very high at RWTH Aachen University. If you performed below average in your past studies or in your secondary education an application at RWTH Aachen University does not make sense. Additionally, you should have a very good command of the language in which you plan to study. Excellent academic and language skills are therefore necessary prerequisites for successful study and thus for a successful application at RWTH Aachen University.

No, Aachen University of Applied Sciences is a “Fachhochschule” in the German educational system. A “Fachhochschule” trains students for specific jobs and puts a less strong focus on theoretical foundations of the respective science that is being taught. Therefore you cannot enter PhD studies at a Fachhochschule.