Language Preparation

Bruno de Castro Copyright: © Martin Braun

I did not only learn German as a second language. I have grown as a person. My stay in Aachen gave me the opportunity to acknowledge the intercultural differences between Germany and Brazil and to learn from them. This affects my professional relationships but even more so my personal relationships.

Bruno de Castro

Language Requirements for Exchange Students

Most of the lectures and seminars at RWTH Aachen are held in German. We want your academic stay at our university to be successful and as smooth as possible but also want you to be able to find your way through everyday life in Aachen and feel comfortable. German skills are important for achieving this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Acquiring German Skills

There are numerous opportunities to learn German before your stay, or when you are already in Aachen. Even if you will only be taking courses and writing papers in English here, we still recommend you learn some German before your stay. You will benefit from your stay more if you can speak and understand German, as it will make it easier for you to socialize, communicate at the University, and generally get by in Aachen.

Before You Get Here

Deutsch-Uni Online

Deutsch-Uni Online, DUO for short, offers online German courses that are exclusively for ERASMUS students. Please contact Deutsch-Uni Online directly if you have any questions.

Goethe-Institut

The Goethe-Institut offers many opportunities to learn German. You can take a German course or exam at one of their many locations all over the world. You can find all the information about courses and cultural offers on the Goethe-Institut website.

MedineLingua

MedineLingua offers subject-specific foreign language courses for medical students and physicians. We strongly recommend getting familiar with the German medical terminology before embarking on your exchange stay in Germany. Further information is available on the MedineLingua Website.

Important

You must be enrolled as a student at RWTH to be able to take a semester course at RWTH. You will need your TIM ID to be able to take the placement test and receive your test results. Therefore, make sure that you get enrolled at RWTH by mid-September or mid-March at the latest. If you want to enroll in the intensive course, please enroll by September 1. You will need your TIM ID for the final test and to get the result.

When You Are Here

RWTH German Courses

The RWTH Language Center offers intensive courses and courses that run throughout the semester. These courses are open to all international students. The semester courses are in especially high demand and fill up quickly – you have to be fast and ensure you do not miss the registration periods!

  • RWTH German Courses Intensive Phase in September
    Before each winter semester, exchange and program students can register for an intensive German course at RWTH in September at levels A1.1 to A2.2. You will receive all important registration information directly from the Incoming Student Service after you have applied.
  • RWTH German Courses – Semester Course
    During the semester, the RWTH Language Center offers German courses at all learning levels, i.e. from A1.1 to C1.1. All information about registration can be found directly at the Language Center. Please note that you cannot list these language courses as a course on your Learning Agreement! However, you will receive a certificate of attendance upon successful participation.

Tips: More Ways to Learn German

If you cannot, or do not want to pay for a course, there are also many other opportunities and different ways to learn German. Here are a few suggestions:

  • DAAD has summarized the most common ways to learn German. Get some ideas here!
  • Look at the database of the Professional Association for German as a Foreign Language. Here you can filter by state or city and find a suitable language course near you.
  • Deutsche Welle offers free online courses for all levels.
  • INCAS, the international student club, also offers many opportunities to learn new languages, including German, for example together with a tandem partner or in a group with Café Lingua.