Language Requirements

 

The language of instruction in all Bachelor's and Master's courses of study at RWTH is German, with only a few exceptions. You must prove you have the required language skills for your chosen course of study – usually with a recognized language certificate. You can find out which language certificates are accepted for your chosen course of study in the document in the yellow download box below. 

 

Please Note

Participation in RWTH Language Center's placement tests requires a user account. In order to set this up, you must first transfer the semester fees. Only then will you receive your coupon code for creating a user account.

 

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Exemptions from the German language certificate

All applicants who have a school leaving qualification from Germany, Luxemburg, Austria, the German-speaking part of Switzerland, or the German-speaking communities in East Belgium and South Tyrol are exempt from the German language certificate requirement.

All applicants who hold a first degree in German that was issued by a German university – including universities of applied sciences – are also exempt.

Exemptions from the English language certificate

All applicants who have a school leaving qualification or first degree in English that was issued by an institution in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or the US are exempt from the English language certificate requirement. The school leaving qualification or first degree must have been completed in one of the countries listed above.

Please Note

Please note that having German citizenship or citizenship of an English-speaking country, even those listed above, does not in and of itself exempt you from the respective language certificate requirement. In addition, we would like to point out that exemptions from taking the language test can only be made by the Language Center of the RWTH for persons who are already enrolled students of the RWTH. You can find more information about this on the website of the Language Center.

Please also note that RWTH does not accept MyBest Scores of the TOEFL test. The required minimum TOEFL score must be achieved within one single TOEFL exam. In addition, we would like to point out that TOEFL and IELTS tests lose their validity two years after they have been taken.

 

Language Requirements for Doctoral Studies

Your supervisor will usually check whether it is necessary for you to provide a language certificate to be able to pursue your doctoral studies. You may indeed have to take a language exam, so please discuss this with your supervisor early on.

Acquiring German Skills

In Your Home Country

Sound language skills are a prerequisite for you to be successful in your studies in Germany. Applicants from non-EU countries can only get a residency permit for the purpose of learning German for a limited period – typically twelve months.

Therefore, we highly recommend you acquire basic German skills in your home country wherever you have the opportunity to do so. Learning German at home can prevent lengthy language stays in Germany, where you cannot be certain of passing the required language exam at the end.

 

Legal Basis

  1. The legal basis for providing proof that you fulfill the required language skills is § 49, paragraphs 8 and 10 of the current edition of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia.
  2. You can find more information in the Ordinance for the German Language Exam University Admission of International Applicants – DSH, and in the Comprehensive Examination Regulations for all Bachelor's and Master's Courses of Study at RWTH, which are complemented by the examination regulations for each course of study.
 

Please look into language-learning opportunities in Germany and your home country and consider the time and expenses involved in such preparatory courses. The many Goethe Institutes around the world offer German courses at every level. Deutsch-Uni-Online, or DUO offers supported Online Language Courses.

At RWTH

Unfortunately, the University cannot currently offer any German language courses for prospective students to prepare them for pursuing their studies. Please refer to the Language Center's website for up-to-date information on when courses will be offered again.