Support for Student Initiatives

 

Social and intercultural engagement is important – that is why we support student initiatives at RWTH! 

 

Associations can be accredited if they meet certain formal and content-related criteria. That way, they can receive the special status of an accredited student initiative at RWTH and benefit from certain services provided by the University and student self-administration to facilitate their work.

The central contact person for your concerns as a student initiative is the student initiatives office.

 

What Advantages Are There for Accredited Student Initiatives at RWTH?

 

Use of Rooms at RWTH

Accredited student initiatives can book all central rooms at RWTH via the RWTH room booking service and use them for their events. It is best to contact the room allocation department as early as possible in your event planning to discuss which options are available for your event. In addition to the central rooms, Humboldt Haus is also available for intercultural events.

Getting an RWTH Domain and Email Address

Accredited initiatives will receive an RWTH domain and email address from the IT Center by providing their institution number and the contact information for two IT-savvy members. Having an RWTH domain will make your website look more professional, and your connection to RWTH will be evident immediately.

Being Listed on RWTH’s Main Website

On the Overview of Student Initiatives webpage, your initiative will be listed among all the others on RWTH’s official website. This way, potential new members can find you quickly.

Taking Advantage of Consulting and Training Services

You can attend workshops and networking meetings specifically designed for student initiatives. In addition, you can receive advice on topics such as founding an association or getting accreditation, or you can learn about association law. Please feel free to contact us by email.

Receiving Financial Support

There are currently two ways for student initiatives at RWTH to receive financial support. They can apply for:

1. DAAD funding for international student initiatives involved in intercultural or German culture-specific events.
2. A grant, loan, or default sponsorship through the student parliament of RWTH Aachen University. The student initiatives must apply to the student parliament to be considered for these options.

Leaves of Absence

If your social or intercultural engagement takes so much of your time that you feel you need to take a break from your studies – if you are a board member, for instance – you might, under certain circumstances, be able to take a leave of absence to carry out your work as a member of a student initiative. The AStA Students’ Committee – in cooperation with the Registrar’s Office – is responsible for decisions on these matters. Please don’t hesitate to contact them at eigenini@asta.rwth-aachen.de.

 

What Requirements Must Student Initiatives Meet to Get Accredited?

In order to be accredited at RWTH, your initiative must:

• predominantly have RWTH students as members
• be a registered association (e.V.)
• have a patron at RWTH (1)
• allow all students to become members of the initiative, regardless of their gender, ancestry, race, language, home country, origin, faith, religious or political views

Please refer to the accreditation guidelines for a detailed description of the requirements and documents to be submitted.

You are just getting started with your initiative and are not yet a registered association?

No problem. If you have a constitution or bylaws and otherwise meet the above criteria, you can be accredited once on a trial basis, and we give you one year to register in the register of associations. After one year, you would then resubmit the registration entry and other documents, and we would extend your accreditation.

Your initiative is part of an umbrella organization and cannot register in the register of associations on its own?

There is a solution for this as well! Instead of a copy of the entry from the register of associations, submit a declaration by your umbrella association that they assume liability for your room bookings.

Please remember to renew your accreditation early. Accreditation is valid for two years. Please submit current versions of all documents (no older than six months) to the responsible office for renewed accreditation.