RWTH Aachen University admission for international applicants: 2027 entry

RWTH Aachen teaches its Bachelor and Staatsexamen programmes only in German, so an applicant from abroad needs German at C1 level by enrolment, a school-leaving average of 2.5 or better (or a TestAS that meets RWTH's terms) and an application even for open-admission subjects. For winter semester 2027/2028 entry, the dates already published include the Staatsexamen portal opening on May 1, 2027 and the DoSV deadline of July 15, 2027, at 11:59pm; RWTH charges international students no tuition fees.

RWTH Aachen states that it currently only offers Bachelor and Staatsexamen courses of study in German, and that proof of German at C1 level is due when you enrol. The five rules below decide whether an application from abroad gets as far as a decision.

Rules that catch applicants out

• German only. RWTH Aachen offers its Bachelor and Staatsexamen programmes in German, so an English certificate alone does not open a first degree there.
• The grade floor. As of October 2026, RWTH Aachen states that if your average grade is worse than 2.5, admission to an open programme or a place in the allocation procedure for a restricted one is not possible; a sufficient TestAS result can compensate a lower grade.
• The self-assessment. RWTH Aachen states that the Self Assessment is mandatory and an enrolment requirement for all Bachelor programmes except Medicine and Dentistry, and the Bachelor application page states that you complete it before applying.
• Open admission still means applying. International applicants without German-citizen status apply whether the subject has open or restricted admission.

RWTH lecture hall centre C.A.R.L.

Which cycle the pages name

RWTH Aachen already publishes dates for winter semester 2027/2028 in four places: the Staatsexamen application (from May 1, 2027), the Fast Track Bachelor Admission with up to 60 admissions and a deadline of May 31, 2027 for other applicants, the DoSV deadline, and the lecture period from October 11, 2027 to February 4, 2028.

The general Bachelor application pages still describe the previous cycle: applications for winter semester 2026/2027 opened on May 4, 2026. That date has passed and those pages give no opening date for winter semester 2027/2028 yet, so the deadlines in the table are the ones RWTH Aachen states as of October 2026.

RWTH Aachen reports that it came 104th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and 5th in Germany, and 92nd worldwide in the THE rankings for 2025. In engineering, RWTH Aachen places Mechanical Engineering 25 in the QS subject table for 2026.

These positions come from RWTH Aachen's own rankings summary, dated August 2026, so they are the university's statement of where it stands. RWTH Aachen calls the QS 2026 result its second-best result to date.

The subject tables show where the university places highest. RWTH Aachen's rankings summary lists these subject results:

In research funding, RWTH Aachen states that it takes 1st place in engineering by a wide margin in the funding atlas of the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Excellence status and research clusters

RWTH Aachen states that the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments provided € 180 million of funding in its first approval phase. Under the current Excellence Strategy, RWTH Aachen lists 3 Clusters of Excellence: CARE, FSC² and ML4Q.

Key figures

• Budget: 1,264 million euros in total for 2025, including 523 million euros in external funding.
• Faculties and programmes: RWTH Aachen's ten faculties offer about 190 courses of study across engineering, natural sciences, geosciences, business and economics and other fields.

RWTH Aachen does not publish an acceptance rate, overall or for international applicants. What it publishes are the NC (Numerus Clausus) values of its restricted Bachelors: in winter semester 2026/2027, BWL / Business Administration closed at a final NC of 2,6, while open programmes such as Mechanical Engineering admit every applicant who has a sufficient average grade or TestAS score.

The NC figures are a past statistic, not a minimum. RWTH Aachen states that contrary to common belief, the NC is not a fixed minimum grade that you must achieve in advance to be admitted. RWTH Aachen adds that the results of future allocation processes cannot be calculated reliably, because the NC values are only calculated after the selection process from the applications received.

RWTH Aachen's NC tables are in German: the comma is the decimal separator, and on the German grading scale a lower grade is a better one. The results of the main round are dated 21.07.2026; the values after the follow-up procedure and the end of DoSV are dated 25.08.2026.

Places for applicants from outside the EU

In restricted programmes RWTH Aachen applies a nationality rule to applicants from outside the EU: it allocates placements so that every nationality gets at least one. The next chapter covers how the allocation works.

Open admission: most engineering and science Bachelors

RWTH Aachen's current degree programme list shows 194 results across all degree types. Many of the engineering Bachelors have no NC: Mechanical Engineering lists Admission to First Semester Open (No NC), and the course listing shows Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology with no NC as well.

For open programmes, RWTH Aachen states that all applicants who have a sufficient average grade or a sufficient TestAS score will be admitted. For an applicant from abroad, that means the grade floor of the international route decides the outcome, not competition for places.

RWTH Aachen admits international Bachelor applicants on the average grade of their school-leaving certificate. In open programmes every applicant with a total grade of 2.5 or better (or a sufficient TestAS) gets a place; restricted programmes allocate places by grade, with a deadline of July 15 for a winter semester for non-EU applicants and at least one place for every nationality that applies.

RWTH Aachen runs two kinds of Bachelor admission. Open-admission programmes (no NC) have no competition for places; restricted programmes (zulassungsbeschränkt) have a fixed number of places and an allocation procedure. The rules below are the ones RWTH Aachen states as of October 2026, without a named intake year.

How non-EU applicants are ranked

For restricted programmes the allocation runs on the average grade of your university entrance qualification. RWTH Aachen states that in the case of equal grades, the lot number decides the assignment.

RWTH Aachen adds a nationality rule. It allocates places so that every nationality gets at least one, and only when one person from each nationality that applied has a place can a second person of an already placed nationality be nominated. In practice, an applicant from a country with few applicants can be placed ahead of a better-graded applicant from a country with many.

Because of this complex selection process, RWTH Aachen's specialists cannot make any statements about your chances of obtaining a study place. The NC figures of the last round show where that round closed.

Open admission for international applicants

In an open-admission programme, RWTH Aachen reviews your eligibility and then admits you if your total grade is 2.5 or better; RWTH Aachen states that a lower grade can be compensated by a sufficient TestAS result. Nobody else's grades affect your outcome.

The lottery (Losverfahren)

After the standard allocation, places left over in restricted programmes are allocated at random among eligible applicants. RWTH Aachen states that the lottery is open to applicants of all nationalities. For programmes starting in winter semester 2026/2027, the lottery application ran from August 1 to 31, 2026; RWTH Aachen's deadline table gives the winter window for all other NC courses as August 1 until August 31.

RWTH Aachen warns that if you first need to apply for a visa and that means long waiting times, the lottery process is not suitable for you.

Psychology

Psychology (polyvalent) B.Sc. is a restricted programme: its page lists the first semester as restricted (NC for WS 2026). As with every NC, the value of the last round shows where that round closed; it is not a minimum for the next one.

RWTH Aachen publishes no SAT or ACT requirement for Bachelor admission; the test that matters is the TestAS, taken in German, which lets an international applicant with an average grade below 2.5 still be admitted with a result in the top 30%. Every Bachelor applicant except in Medicine and Dentistry also completes RWTH's free self-assessment of about 90 to 120 minutes.

RWTH Aachen's admission pages for international applicants name no standardised test from abroad, such as the SAT or ACT, as an admission criterion. The rules below are the ones RWTH Aachen states as of October 2026.

TestAS: who takes it and what score counts

The TestAS is the German aptitude test for international students. RWTH Aachen states that you must take TestAS in German, and that the test is offered only four times a year, so register in time.

For Medicine and Dentistry, RWTH Aachen states that the TestAS is a requirement to take part in the selection, but that the average grade cannot be improved or worsened by a TestAS. A strong TestAS gets you into the procedure; your grade still decides your rank.

Who does not need the TestAS

• Applicants with a university entrance qualification from an EU/EEA country who apply for a restricted-admission Bachelor.
• Holders of a current RWTH Aachen certificate of study (Bachelor, Master or state examination studies).
• Students who passed the exam Mathematics I in the ETOS or BIOS orientation semester.

RWTH Aachen also warns that a place from the lottery does not absolve you from required tests such as the TestAS.

The self-assessment (SelfAssessment)

RWTH Aachen states that participation in a Self Assessment is mandatory and an enrolment requirement for all Bachelor programmes except Medicine and Dentistry. It takes about 90 to 120 minutes, is free and anonymous, and your results have no impact on admission decisions: you need the certificate of participation, not a score.

The timing differs by route. The Bachelor application page states that you complete the self-assessment before applying; for restricted programmes, RWTH Aachen states that you do not need the certificate at application yet but strongly recommends doing it early. The Physics Bachelor also asks for proof of the Mathematics and Natural Sciences Online Self Assessment and of an Info Day before you enrol in the first core semester.

Interviews

The interview RWTH Aachen describes for Bachelor entry belongs to the Fast Track Bachelor Admission (FTBA): applicants schedule a 30-minute online interview with the RWTH FTBA team between January and May 2027; the FTBA page covers entry in the 2027/28 winter semester.

An international Bachelor applicant applies to RWTH Aachen online through RWTHonline, free of charge; restricted single-subject Bachelors also need a Hochschulstart registration for DoSV, whose deadline for winter semester 2027/2028 is July 15, 2027, at 11:59pm. As of October 2026, RWTH's international deadline table lists July 15 for restricted programmes and October 20 for open-admission programmes in the winter semester.

RWTH Aachen states that the application is free of charge and very easy to do. International applicants without German-citizen status apply even when the subject has open admission.

Where you apply

• RWTHonline for every Bachelor. RWTH Aachen states that the portal lets you track your application at any time, including missing documents, and that the International Office notifies you of missing documents only through the portal.
• DoSV through Hochschulstart for restricted single-subject Bachelors. RWTH Aachen states that all of its restricted single-subject Bachelors take part in DoSV. You register with Hochschulstart first and receive an applicant ID (BID) and an applicant authentication number (BAN). DoSV allows up to 12 applications for restricted programmes nationwide.
• Hochschulstart also allocates the places in Medicine and Dentistry in a nationwide selection process; the Medicine and Dentistry chapter covers that route.
• A limit at RWTH: you can apply for up to 9 different restricted subjects or programmes.

Two of these pages still describe the previous cycle. Applications for winter semester 2026/2027 opened on May 4, 2026, and RWTH Aachen asked NC applicants to check their status before the deadline of July 15, 2026; those dates have passed, and RWTH Aachen has not yet named the opening date for winter semester 2027/2028 on its general Bachelor pages. For a spring start, the application period for the 2027 summer semester begins on December 1, 2026.

Documents you upload

• Documents proving you are eligible to study in Germany: your university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung).
• The TestAS result for Medicine (model course) and Dentistry, which RWTH Aachen requires regardless of your overall average grade.
• One PDF per document; RWTH Aachen asks you to create a single PDF for each document listed.

Admission letter and enrolment

For restricted programmes the enrolment deadline is set individually in RWTHonline and in your admission letter. For enrolment you upload proof of participation in an RWTH Self Assessment, and the programme pages ask for documentation of your language skills for all languages of instruction at the time of enrollment.

RWTH Aachen states that you must bring the originals of all required documents to Aachen to enrol. RWTH Aachen also asks you to plan your arrival so that you can take part in the Welcome Week for international students and the orientation week for all first-year students.

For a German-taught Bachelor at RWTH Aachen you need German at C1 level, proven when you enrol rather than when you apply. As of October 2026, RWTH Aachen states that it offers its Bachelor and Staatsexamen programmes only in German, so this requirement applies to almost every undergraduate applicant from abroad.

RWTH Aachen states that most bachelor's programs and many master's programs are taught in German. The language rule sits in the general examination regulations: programme pages such as Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. and Medicine (model course of study) both point to § 3 Abs. 7 ÜPO, the clause that lists the accepted German certificates.

Which German certificates RWTH Aachen accepts

Two programmes differ. Nursing B.Sc. has its own, lower list under its subject regulations: TestDaF at level 4 in three sections, the German language diploma I (DSD I) or a Goethe-Zertifikat B2. On the US diploma page, RWTH Aachen also states that an Advanced Placement exam in German is accepted as proof of sufficient language skills for admission purposes.

When you submit the German certificate

RWTH Aachen asks for the German certificate at enrolment. The programme pages state that you must provide documentation of your language skills for the language of instruction at the time of enrollment, and the international Bachelor page says the same about the C1 proof. You can therefore apply in spring and sit DSH or TestDaF over the summer, as long as the certificate is ready by your enrolment deadline.

The Fast Track Bachelor Admission is the exception: for that route the FTBA page, which covers entry in the 2027/28 winter semester, expects very good German, B1.2 to C1, already as an application requirement. The Fast Track chapter covers that route.

Who is exempt from proving German

• Holders of a school-leaving qualification that grants admission to higher education in Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, the German-speaking communities of Belgium or South Tyrol.
• Graduates of a degree programme taught in German at a German university, including a university of applied sciences.
• Holders of a bilingual International Baccalaureate that meets the KMK resolution on bilingual IBs at foreign schools with German instruction.

German courses before you apply

RWTH Aachen does not run preparatory German courses: as of October 2026, RWTH Aachen states that it does not offer German language courses for prospective students preparing for university study. You reach C1 at a language school or a Goethe-Institut before you come, or in Germany on a language-course visa.

If you come from a non-EU country, RWTH Aachen warns that a residence permit for the purpose of learning German is generally limited to 12 months. Plan your German so that one year in Germany is enough to reach the level your programme requires.

RWTH Aachen offers no fully English-taught Bachelor: as of October 2026, RWTH Aachen states that some Bachelor programmes are taught in German and English, and those ask for English at B2 level on top of German. For those programmes TOEFL iBT counts from 90 points and IELTS from 6.0.

English alone is not enough for a Bachelor at RWTH Aachen. The international applicants page answers the question directly: RWTH Aachen currently does not offer any fully English-taught bachelor's degree programs, and the German and English programmes still require the German certificate described in the German chapter.

Bachelors taught in German and English

RWTH Aachen names Computer Science as the example of a Bachelor that also needs English at B2. The language overview lists these Bachelors under German and English, § 3 Abs. 7 und 8 ÜPO: Computer Science B.Sc., Computational Engineering Science B.Sc., Business Administration B.Sc. and Business Administration and Engineering: Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. The Computer Science page adds that you prove every language of instruction at enrolment.

The examination regulations also hold a higher English tier, § 3 Abs. 10 ÜPO, with TOEFL iBT from 100 points or a total score of 5 and IELTS from 7.0; check which clause your programme page names. On the Fast Track Bachelor Admission, whose page covers entry in the 2027/28 winter semester, Computer Science applicants also need B2 English when they apply.

Exemptions, TOEFL MyBest and verification

• You are exempt from proving English if you earned a high school diploma or academic degree in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the United States.
• Citizenship alone does not exempt you: RWTH Aachen states that neither German citizenship nor citizenship of an English-speaking country qualifies for an exemption.
• RWTH Aachen does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores. You must reach the required TOEFL minimum in a single test session.
• RWTH Aachen only accepts language tests whose results the test provider can verify.
• The RWTH Language Center placement test is open only to students enrolled at RWTH Aachen, so you cannot use it as an applicant.

English-taught Master's programmes

The English-taught offer at RWTH Aachen sits at Master's level. RWTH Aachen states that it offers a number of master's programs taught entirely in English, while most Bachelor programmes and many Master's programmes are taught in German. If you want to study in English only, a Bachelor elsewhere followed by an English-taught Master's at RWTH Aachen is the route the university's offer allows.

To apply for a Bachelor at RWTH Aachen from outside the EU, your school-leaving certificate must give university access in Germany (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, HZB) with an overall average of 2.5 or better on the German scale. As of October 2026, the international applicants page states that with an average worse than 2.5 neither admission nor the allocation procedure is possible, unless you submit a TestAS result that meets RWTH's terms (see the tests chapter).

When a foreign certificate gives access

RWTH Aachen does not judge foreign certificates by its own scale. If you earned your school-leaving certificate outside Germany, RWTH Aachen evaluates it according to the evaluation recommendations of the Office of International Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen), and points you to the ANABIN website to see whether your certificate entitles you to study and what requirements may have to be met.

• The 2.5 rule applies to citizens of a country outside the EU or the European Economic Area who do not have a German university entrance qualification.
• An advanced technical certificate or a university of applied sciences entrance qualification is not sufficient to apply to RWTH Aachen.
• German citizens with a foreign school certificate need a federal recognition of their HZB before they apply and enrol.

The minimum grade and how it is converted

The 2.5 average is a gate, not the level of admitted students. For programmes with open admission it decides whether you can be admitted at all; for restricted programmes it decides whether you take part in the selection, where the cut-off grades in the NC chapter are what matters. With an average lower than 2.5, RWTH Aachen can still admit you if your TestAS places you in the top 30% of participants. RWTH Aachen notes that ANABIN can also recalculate your average into the German grade system, and that the conversion rules of the Central Office for Foreign Education in many cases average the school-leaving grade with the grade of the Feststellungsprüfung.

A-levels (GCE)

• You need three independent general-education subjects at A-level with a minimum grade of C: two from a listed group (a language, history, geography, social studies or politics, economics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science) and one further general-education subject.
• Technical and mathematical programmes: an A-level in mathematics plus one of biology, chemistry, physics or computer science.
• Natural sciences: two of mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics.
• Social sciences and economics: one A-level from history, geography, social studies or politics, economics, and one from mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics or computer science.

IB Diploma

• All six examination subjects at least IB mark 4. A single non-passing grade of 3 can be compensated with at least grade 5 in another subject at the same or a higher level and a total of at least 24 points.
• Mathematics SL or HL, or Further Mathematics together with Mathematics HL; one of the three compulsory HL subjects must be mathematics or a natural science such as Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
• Two languages at level A or B, one of them a continuous foreign language as Language A or Language B HL, and at least twelve consecutive years of full-time education.
• IB Diploma Programme Course Results (formerly IB Certificate) and the IB Career-related Certificate are not recognised. If you do not fully meet the general HZB conditions, you must pass an assessment test.

US high school diploma

A US high school diploma alone does not give access. RWTH Aachen requires 16 academic units in grades 9 through 12, including Algebra II or Trigonometry in 11th grade and Precalculus in 12th grade and English IV, Honors or AP English, each with at least a C. On top of that you need four AP courses, an Associate Degree, two years of college-level study at an approved university, or the assessment test.

For mathematics, medicine, natural sciences and technology, the four AP exams must be passed with at least 3 and include AP Calculus AB or BC, one of AP Biology, AP Chemistry or AP Physics C, and one language such as AP French, AP Spanish, AP Latin, AP German or AP English. Arts, humanities, social sciences and business also need four AP exams at 3 or higher. The assessment test route requires an unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

If your certificate is not enough

RWTH Aachen gives two options when your school-leaving certificate does not entitle you to study in Germany: study several semesters at a university in your home country first, or attend a preparatory college (Studienkolleg) in Germany and pass its final exam, the Feststellungsprüfung. The South Korea page shows how the year of study works: without the subject requirements but with one successfully completed year at a recognised university, you can enter a Studienkolleg or sit the assessment test.

The Fast Track Bachelor Admission (FTBA) gives up to 60 applicants direct entry to selected RWTH Aachen STEM Bachelors for the winter semester 2027/2028, even if your school certificate would normally require preparatory study. Applicants who are not from RWTH's Chinese partner schools or the Studienbrücke programme apply by May 31, 2027, and the support package costs a one-time 3,600 euros.

RWTH Aachen describes the FTBA as a mentoring programme that offers direct entry into select undergraduate STEM programmes, even if your current qualifications would normally require additional preparatory study in your home country. RWTH Aachen awards the places by the end of June 2027 to the top 60 applicants, and describes the selection as holistic: strong grades, excellent test scores and the motivation to thrive in a rigorous academic environment.

Which Bachelors the FTBA covers

The FTBA page names six Bachelor programmes: Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration and Engineering (Mechanical Engineering), Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Chemistry. The page for parents and guardians says instead that the programme is available for five selected STEM Bachelors. The two pages give different numbers, so confirm with the FTBA team that your programme is on the list for winter semester 2027/2028.

FTBA requirements

• You finish secondary school in 2027 or already finished in 2026, with a diploma that qualifies you for higher education in your home country. Applicants from India must have finished in 2027.
• TestAS taken in German, with a score between 80 and 100 percent on the engineering module or the mathematics, computer science and natural sciences module.
• Very good German, B1.2 to C1, and above-average results in STEM subjects.
• For Computer Science, English at B2 level as well.
• Documents: the FTBA page lists the full set, including a one-page cover letter in German on why you want to study at RWTH Aachen.

What the FTBA costs and includes

The one-time fee for the FTBA support package is 3,600 euros. RWTH Aachen states that the package comes with dedicated personal support and accommodation in one of RWTH's student residences for a smooth start to your first semester. The semester fee and the rent for the room are not included in the FTBA support package and must be paid separately.

Studienbrücke

Studienbrücke is a preparatory programme that runs in countries including India, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Canada, the USA and Mexico, and combines German courses up to B2/C1, technical language courses in mathematics and the sciences, economics courses, and TestDaF and TestAS preparation. Studienbrücke graduates can enter the FTBA with above-average school grades, an outstanding TestAS result and very good German, and every applicant is invited to a personal interview.

Studienkolleg

If your certificate does not entitle you to study in Germany and the FTBA does not fit, RWTH Aachen names two routes: study a few semesters in your home country first, or attend a preparatory college (Studienkolleg) in Germany. RWTH Aachen describes the Studienkolleg as a one-year preparatory course prior to the degree programme; students at a Studienkolleg may only work during the semester break.

Places in Medicine and Dentistry at RWTH Aachen are allocated nationwide by Hochschulstart, and the RWTH Staatsexamen application for winter semester 2027/2028 opens on May 1, 2027. If you apply from outside the EU, you also need a TestAS result among the best 20% of participants, whatever your school grade.

Medicine at RWTH Aachen is a model course of study (Modellstudiengang) ending with the Staatsexamen, taught in German with a winter start; the Medicine page, which still names the 2026/2027 cycle, lists a standard period of 13 semesters and a restricted first semester (zulassungsbeschränkt). Unlike the RWTH Bachelors, Medicine and Dentistry do not require an RWTH Self Assessment for enrolment.

How you apply: Hochschulstart or RWTH directly

• Hochschulstart allocates the places in a nationwide selection process; on that route RWTH Aachen asks you to submit your application before the deadline to Hochschulstart via the Anton portal.
• Applicants from countries outside the EU or EEA without a German university entrance qualification apply directly to RWTH Aachen; the Medicine page that states this still describes the winter semester 2026/2027 cycle and RWTH Aachen has not yet published a 2027/2028 version.
• North Rhine-Westphalia also runs a country doctor quota to secure medical care in all regions, in particular rural areas; the Medicine page describes it with the 2026/2027 cycle.

TestAS for Medicine and Dentistry

As of October 2026, RWTH Aachen states that proof of the TestAS is mandatory for Medicine (model course) and Dentistry regardless of the overall grade of your school-leaving certificate. You must be placed among the best 20% of test participants, which RWTH Aachen defines as an average percentile rank of at least 80. The Medicine page for the 2026/2027 cycle adds that you take the TestAS in German with the module Mathematik, Informatik und Naturwissenschaften on top of the core test.

The TestAS is a condition, not a bonus. RWTH Aachen states that the average grade cannot be improved or worsened by a TestAS: once you pass the TestAS bar, the selection runs on your converted school grade.

There is no spring intake: for the summer semester, the RWTH deadline table lists no admissions for Bachelor and medical studies with NC. Plan for an October start.

Subject rules for foreign certificates

• A-levels: three of mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and computer science for access to Medicine.
• China: at least 80 percent of the Gaokao maximum score, with at least two of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, or the natural sciences composite.
• US high school diploma: four AP exams passed with at least 3, as for mathematics, natural sciences and technology.

RWTH Aachen offers about 190 courses of study across its ten faculties, from engineering and natural sciences to business, humanities and medicine. As of October 2026, the flagship engineering Bachelors such as Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science have open admission in the first semester (no NC) and start in the winter semester.

The RWTH Aachen faculty page describes the offer as engineering sciences, natural sciences, geosciences, business and economics, humanities, medical subjects and teacher education. The current degree programme list showed 194 results across all degree types, Bachelor and Master together. Check each programme page for its admission status.

What the programme pages say

The programme pages list the Abitur or an equivalent university entrance qualification (HZB) as the admission requirement. The pages for Business Administration, Architecture and Psychology still show the restriction status for winter semester 2026, the latest RWTH Aachen has published; the 2027/2028 status is not yet out. For the Bachelors taught in German and English, RWTH Aachen asks for proof of every language of instruction at enrolment.

Electrical Engineering and Information Technology and Chemistry are both on the Fast Track list described in the FTBA chapter; their RWTH Aachen programme pages give the current language and admission status.

Pre-internships and internships

• Mechanical Engineering starts with a six-week pre-internship that offers a first look at metal processing.
• Business Administration and Engineering: Mechanical Engineering: new students must document a six-week pre-internship to enrol.
• Computer Science: you can start without having completed a pre-internship.
• Architecture includes an eight-week construction internship during the degree, and Business Administration a twelve-week internship that offers a look at the job market (both pages name the 2026/2027 cycle).

If your RWTH Aachen programme needs a pre-internship before enrolment, plan those six weeks between your school exams and the winter semester, and keep the documentation for enrolment.

RWTH Aachen does not publish graduate employment rates or salaries; what it publishes is where its graduates work by field and how closely it ties study to industry, through the RWTH Aachen Campus research park. While you study, the work rules for international students allow 140 full days or 280 half days.

Where RWTH graduates work

• Computer Science: software manufacturers, telecommunications companies, users of administrative systems, the technical industry, multimedia service providers and consulting firms.
• Architecture: with a Bachelor's, a Master's and two years of professional experience, RWTH graduates can be accepted into the Architects' Guild (page for the 2026/2027 cycle).

Industry links and the RWTH Aachen Campus

RWTH Aachen describes a knowledge community closely networked with some of the world's leading research and industry partners. The visible part is the RWTH Aachen Campus, developed in close cooperation with industry and planned as one of the largest research parks in Europe.

Working while you study

RWTH Aachen does not publish a rule on staying in Germany after graduation on its student pages, nor figures on how many graduates find a job. For the residence permit after your degree, the immigration office (Ausländeramt) is the authority to ask.

RWTH Aachen charges no tuition fees, also for students from outside the EU: as of October 2026, RWTH Aachen states that North Rhine-Westphalia assumes the cost of study for international students. What you pay is a semester fee each semester and your living costs, for which the RWTH Costs page tells you to budget at least 1,100 euros per month.

Tuition: none, but a semester fee

RWTH Aachen does not charge international students tuition fees. RWTH Aachen does charge a fee for the student body: the semester fee (Semesterbeitrag), which is a contribution, not tuition. The semester fee comprises the student activity dues, a transportation/mobility fee and a social services contribution.

The semester fee varies slightly every semester, and RWTH Aachen shows the amount it charges you in the campus management system. The amount for winter semester 2027/2028 is not yet published. Pay on time: the re-registration page for the 2026/2027 cycle states that if the fee has not been transferred by October 31 for the winter semester or April 30 for the summer semester, RWTH Aachen terminates your enrolment.

Monthly living costs

RWTH Aachen gives two different living-cost figures. The Costs page says to budget at least 1,100 euros per month, while the living-costs PDF, dated 2026, recommends a minimum monthly income or allowance of 900 € to study in Aachen. Plan with the higher figure.

Proof of financing and the blocked account

For the student visa you prove that you can pay your living costs, for example with a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or a scholarship approval. The RWTH pages show the same amount with two reference dates. The Costs page states that the blocked-account amount of 11,904 euros per year applies from January 1, 2023; the Visa page gives approximately 11,904 euros per year or 992 euros per month as of January 1, 2025. The German Federal Foreign Office sets the amount, so check its current figure when you apply.

The proof does not stop at the visa. To have your residence permit extended in Aachen, a single person must prove a minimum monthly income of 992 euros to the Immigration Office.

Health insurance

Health insurance is a fixed part of the budget: the RWTH Costs page puts it at 100 to 150 euros per month.

For a first-year student at RWTH Aachen, the main scholarship route is the Deutschlandstipendium through the RWTH Education Fund, with the next application window in June 2027. As of October 2026, RWTH Aachen states that the number of scholarships is limited in each funding year, so plan your budget without one.

Deutschlandstipendium and the RWTH Education Fund

All Deutschlandstipendium applications go through the online portal during the month of June: the most recent period has ended, and RWTH Aachen names June 2027 as the next one.

• First-year students are ranked by the average grade of their university entrance qualification and their Abitur points.
• Meeting every criterion does not guarantee a scholarship: RWTH Aachen states that the number is limited in each funding year.

Your chances as an international student

Participants of a German language course or a Studienkolleg are typically not eligible for a scholarship. For a wider search, RWTH Aachen points to external databases such as the DAAD Scholarships Database.

BAföG, loans and the hardship fund

BAföG, the German state student grant, is open to international and stateless students only under specific conditions, for example if they were employed in Germany for at least the last five years. The Studierendenwerk Aachen advises on the KfW Student Loan and the DAKA Loan.

The International Office states that it has no funds to award grants or allowances to international students in financial distress. The exception is the International Students Hardship Fund for sudden emergencies; it does not replace the proof of financing you need for the visa.

RWTH Aachen does not own, rent or manage any student residence halls: you look for a room yourself, in a student residence or on the private market, and the RWTH Costs page puts accommodation at 400 to 600 euros per month as of October 2026. Start looking 2-3 months before you arrive.

Demand is the problem. Each winter semester RWTH Aachen welcomes over 9,000 new students, plus hundreds of new employees and visiting researchers, and all of them look for rooms in the same weeks. RWTH Aachen strongly recommends starting your housing search two to three months before your planned arrival.

Does RWTH own student housing?

The RWTH housing FAQ is clear: RWTH Aachen does not own, rent or manage any student residence halls or other campus housing. The Housing Advice Service does not own or manage rooms either and is not an agency that connects housing providers with students.

The FTBA page reads differently. For the Fast Track Bachelor Admission, RWTH Aachen states that the FTBA team will provide you with accommodation in one of RWTH's student residences for a smooth start to your first semester; the rent for the room is not included in the FTBA support package and is paid separately. The two pages do not match, so ask the FTBA team which residence and which landlord your room comes from.

Studierendenwerk Aachen, quota rooms and waiting lists

RWTH Aachen and its International Office have no influence over the allocation process or the waiting lists, so they cannot get you a dorm room faster. Apply to several residences early and keep looking on the private market in parallel.

Rent, deposits and scams

Several international students have reported fraudulent housing offers to RWTH Aachen. If the person offering the room says they are outside Germany and asks you to transfer a security deposit, RWTH Aachen calls that a common scam tactic.

If you start at RWTH Aachen in winter semester 2027/2028, lectures run from October 11, 2027 to February 4, 2028. RWTH Aachen asks you to plan your arrival so that you can take part in the Welcome Week for international students.

Semester and lecture dates

The current RWTH dates table still covers the 2026/2027 year: re-enrolment for winter semester 2026/2027 ran from June 16 to September 1, 2026, and that semester started on October 1, 2026. RWTH Aachen has not yet published the 2027/2028 re-enrolment dates.

Transport in the semester fee

Your semester fee includes a transportation/mobility fee alongside the student activity dues and the social services contribution. The semester fee varies slightly every semester, and RWTH Aachen shows the current amount in its campus management system.

Arrival, Welcome Week and Aachen

RWTH Aachen asks you to plan your arrival so that you can take part in both introductory weeks: the Welcome Week for international students and the orientation week for all first-year students. On the Fast Track route, weekly seminars led by senior FTBA students help you work through lecture topics in your first semester.

Aachen is a border city: RWTH Aachen describes its impact on the whole urban region of Aachen and the entire tri-border area of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The RWTH Aachen Campus, developed in close cooperation with industry, is planned as one of the largest research parks in Europe.

Unless you are a citizen of the EU, the EEA, Switzerland or a few other countries with special agreements, you need a national visa for study purposes to study at RWTH Aachen, backed by proof of financing that the RWTH Visa page gives as approximately 11,904 euros per year as of January 1, 2025. As a student you may then work 140 full days or 280 half days without a work permit.

Who needs a visa, and which one

• Citizens of the EU, the EEA, Switzerland and a few other countries with special agreements are exempt from the visa requirement; other applicants need a visa.
• Even if you may enter without a visa, you must apply for a residence permit to stay in Germany for longer than 90 days.
• For a degree programme, a thesis, an internship or a research project as part of your studies, you need a national visa for study purposes.
• Choose the visa that matches the purpose of your stay: RWTH Aachen warns that it is usually not possible to change it later.
• If you have the school and language prerequisites but no admission letter yet and are not in a preparatory programme, the German-language visa page names a study-applicant visa under § 17 Abs. 2 AufenthG.

The visa process can take several months, so RWTH Aachen advises you to apply as early as possible and make an appointment with the relevant German mission. For the study visa you also need proof of financing, covered below.

Proof of funds and the blocked account

RWTH Aachen gives the same blocked-account amount with two reference dates. The Visa page names approximately 11,904 euros per year or 992 euros per month as of January 1, 2025, for example as a blocked account or a scholarship approval. The Costs page says the 11,904 euros per year apply from January 1, 2023. Embassies follow the instructions of the Federal Foreign Office, so check the amount in force when you apply for a visa for winter semester 2027/2028.

Work rights for international students

RWTH Aachen states the private-sector rule as up to four months of work during the semester or the semester break without a work permit. A study-applicant permit under § 17 Abs. 2 AufenthG has allowed work of up to 20 hours per week since March 1, 2024, as the German-language visa page states.

RWTH Aachen suits you if you want a STEM Bachelor in German, can reach German at C1 by enrolment, and hold a school average of 2.5 or better or a TestAS in the top 30%. As of October 2026, RWTH Aachen charges international students no tuition, so your main cost is living in Aachen, which the RWTH Costs page puts at 1,100 euros per month at least.

Who RWTH Aachen suits, and who it does not

• Suits you if engineering, computer science or the natural sciences are your field. RWTH Aachen's own rankings page lists Mechanical Engineering at 25 in the QS subject table for 2026 and Technology and Engineering at 35th in the THE subject rankings for 2025, as figures RWTH Aachen reports.
• Suits you if you want a degree without tuition fees: North Rhine-Westphalia assumes the cost of study for international students, and you pay the semester fee and your living costs.
• Does not suit you if you want a Bachelor taught only in English: RWTH Aachen offers its Bachelor and Staatsexamen programmes only in German, and its English-taught offer is at Master's level.
• Does not suit you if your average is worse than 2.5 and you do not plan to sit the TestAS: without one of the two, neither admission nor the allocation procedure is possible.

Next steps for winter semester 2027/2028

Two things decide whether you can start in October 2027: your German certificate by enrolment and a grade or TestAS that clears the RWTH bar. If you need the TestAS, book it early enough to have the result for your application; book DSH or TestDaF early enough to hold the certificate at enrolment.

If your certificate does not give direct access

• Fast Track Bachelor Admission: direct entry into select STEM Bachelors even if your qualifications would normally require additional preparatory study at home.
• Studienkolleg: a one-year preparatory course in Germany before your degree, ending with the Feststellungsprüfung.
• Study at home first: a few semesters in your home country, the other option RWTH Aachen names next to the Studienkolleg.
• Studienbrücke: a preparatory programme in countries such as India, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Canada and Mexico whose graduates can apply through the Fast Track.

Official pages and documents of RWTH Aachen University, all on rwth-aachen.de: admission and international applicant pages, language requirements, deadlines, costs, housing, visa, scholarships and the rankings summary of August 2026.

Degree Programs | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Admission Requirements for International Bachelor and Staatsexamen Applicants | RWTH Aachen University | EN · TestAS for International Applicants | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Dialogue-Oriented Service Process – DoSV | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Information for Prospective FTBA Students | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Application Staatsexamen | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Particulars of International Applicants | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Costs – RWTH Aachen University | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Semester Dates | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Bachelor Allocation Process for International Students | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Enrollment Requirements | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Application Bachelor | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Allocation Process | RWTH Aachen University | EN · International Applicants – Bachelor/Staatsexamen | RWTH Aachen University | EN · International Applicants – First Semester | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Our Rankings in a Nutshell, August 2026 (RWTH PDF, English) · Why RWTH? | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Facts, Figures and Rankings: RWTH in Overview | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Ergebnisse aus dem Hauptverfahren für zulassungsbeschränkte Studiengänge WiSe 2026/27 (RWTH PDF, German only) · Restricted Admission / Numerus Clausus | RWTH Aachen University | EN · FAQ | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Business Administration B.Sc. | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Current Degree Programs | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Current Degree Programs | RWTH Aachen University | EN · How does the numerus clausus allocation procedure work at RWTH for non-EU/EEA applicants? (RWTH PDF) · Lottery Process | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Application and Enrollment Deadlines | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Lottery Process for International Students | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Psychology (polyvalent) B.Sc. | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Self Assessments | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Application to First Course Semester | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Enrollment in Bachelor Studies for Internationals | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Computer Science B.Sc. | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Prospective International Students | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Language Requirements | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Language requirements - RWTH Aachen (RWTH PDF, English version) · University Entrance Qualification: United States High School Diploma | RWTH Aachen University | EN · University Entrance Qualification Certificate | RWTH Aachen University | EN · University Entrance Qualification General Certificate of Education, GCE for short, with A Levels | RWTH Aachen Universit · My university entrance qualification is the IB Diploma. What requirements does my certificate have t... | RWTH Aachen Un · Hochschulzugangsberechtigung Ontario Secondary School Diploma | RWTH Aachen University | EN · I obtained my university entrance qualification in China in spring 2019 or later. What requirements ... | RWTH Aachen Un · I acquired my university entrance qualification in South Korea. What requirements do my certificates... | RWTH Aachen Un · I acquired my university entrance qualification in Iran. What requirements do my certificates have t... | RWTH Aachen Un · Fast Track Bachelor Admission Program (FTBA) | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Information for Parents and Guardians | RWTH Aachen University | EN · The Studienbrücke Program | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Financial Matters | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Medicine Staatsexamen, Model Course of Study | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Business Administration and Engineering: Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Architecture B.Sc. | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Study Costs and Financing | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Re-Registration Process | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Estimation of Living Costs for a Student at RWTH Aachen University (RWTH PDF, as of 2026) · Applying for Your Visa | RWTH Aachen University | EN · How Do I Apply? | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Am I Eligible to Apply? | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Scholarship for Particularly Involved International Students (BEIS) | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Scholarships and Funding Programs | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Accommodation in Aachen | RWTH Aachen University | EN · Visa procedure for foreign students (RWTH PDF, Stand: Juni 2024) · Application to a German Language Course | RWTH Aachen University | EN

Photos: RWTH Aachen main building (Hauptgebäude): photo א (Aleph), CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons · RWTH lecture hall centre C.A.R.L.: photo ArthurMcGill, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons