Aachen
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany · RWTH Aachen university guide
Germany's westernmost city, pressed against the Dutch and Belgian borders at the three-country point - day trips to Maastricht and Liège are ordinary weekend fare, and the bundled semester ticket even covers buses and trains into Dutch Zuid-Limburg. Aachen is compact and unusually student-dense (RWTH plus FH Aachen), with rents roughly half of Munich's, and it holds a genuine bureaucratic advantage: a branch of the immigration office sits inside RWTH's SuperC building on campus, serving only students and researchers.
Photo: ArthurMcGill, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Your first 30 days: the order matters
Verified dependency order · full step-by-step walkthrough planned
Aachen holds a genuine advantage here: a branch of the immigration office sits inside RWTH's SuperC building on campus, serving only students and researchers. The order still matters, because each step gates the next:
- Anmeldung at the BürgerService (Bahnhofplatz or Katschhof): register within 14 days of move-in - book the slot online early, it unlocks everything else
- Opening or unfreezing a bank account - possible once you have the Meldebescheinigung
- Health insurance enrolment: needed for both enrolment and the residence permit
- RWTH enrolment: electronic insurance notification (M10), semester-contribution payment, certified hard copies; enter a German address in RWTHonline by ~March so the BlueCard student ID can be posted
- Residence permit (non-EU) at the RWTH branch in the SuperC - Anmeldung must be done first
- Semester ticket activation in the naveo app (register with your RWTH email)
- RWTHonline and RWTHmoodle setup
The office entries below carry the verified documents, hours and traps for the two city steps, including the SuperC booking category.
The two offices you cannot avoid
BürgerService / Bürger*innenbüro Aachen (Anmeldung)
Address registration (Anmeldung) - the step that unlocks everything else
- Address
- Central offices at Bahnhofplatz and Katschhof, plus district offices
- Service page
- serviceportal.aachen.de
- Appointment booking
- serviceportal.aachen.de
- Documents
-
- Registration form (Meldeschein An-/Ummeldung)
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord's confirmation of move-in)
- Passport / ID
- Timing
- Register within 14 days of moving in. Book the appointment online via the Serviceportal - the slot must be after your move-in date, but book within the 14 days even if the actual slot is later (waits can be long).
First move from abroad: select 'Zuzug aus dem Ausland'. Aachen's fully-online eWA registration exists but needs a German eID plus BundID, so first-time arrivals from abroad must attend in person. Output: the Meldebescheinigung - required for the residence permit and to open or unfreeze a bank account.
Ausländerbehörde - RWTH branch in the SuperC (residence permit)
Residence permit for studies (§16b AufenthG) - a dedicated on-campus branch serving only RWTH students, researchers and their families
- Address
- SuperC building, RWTH campus (city centre); main office at Hackländerstraße 1 (near Hauptbahnhof)
- Service page
- www.staedteregion-aachen.de
- Appointment booking
- www.staedteregion-aachen.de
- Walk-in?
- Appointment-based; hours Mon-Thu 08:00-12:15, Wed also 14:00-16:45, Fri 08:00-12:00
- Documents
-
- Studienbescheinigung (enrolment certificate, from RWTHonline)
- Biometric photo (taken on the day in the SuperC)
- Notenspiegel (transcript, from RWTHonline)
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of funds: at least €992/month (€11,904/year) via blocked account (Sperrkonto), scholarship, or a §68 parental guarantee
- Timing
- Anmeldung must be done FIRST. The decision letter can take up to 6 weeks; you then book a separate 'Abholung' (collection) appointment. A Fiktionsbescheinigung covers you if your permit lapses while waiting. Apply for extensions about 3 months before expiry.
Aachen's standout bureaucratic advantage: because this branch serves only the RWTH community, you get direct face-to-face service without competing with the general public - a real contrast to the appointment queues of larger cities like Munich. Book under the category 'Aufenthaltsangelegenheiten / RWTH - Außenstelle SuperC / RWTH-Studenten'. One nuance: if you lived in another German city before Aachen, your first Aachen permit goes through the main office at Hackländerstraße 1, not the SuperC. Post-study: an 18-month job-seeker permit exists, and the EU Blue Card for qualified graduates above the income threshold.
Health insurance: you must have it before you enrol
Public statutory health insurance is mandatory for students in Germany. You cannot use private insurance as a standard international student. Enrol before or immediately after arriving; your insurance confirmation is required for RWTH Aachen enrolment.
Monthly contributions are set nationally and vary slightly by each insurer's Zusatzbeitrag. Check the current rate on each insurer's website before enrolling.
| Provider | English support | Online enrolment | Key differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|
| TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) | Yes | Yes | Most popular choice among international students; strong English service, app and fast online enrolment. |
| AOK Rheinland/Hamburg | Partial | Yes | In Aachen the relevant regional AOK is AOK Rheinland/Hamburg specifically (not AOK Nordwest); local offices in the city. |
| Barmer | Partial | Yes | Big national insurer with student-focused content. |
| DAK-Gesundheit | Partial | Yes | Comparable student offer and a strong app. |
TK is the most commonly chosen insurer among international students, largely due to its English app and support. In Aachen the relevant regional AOK is AOK Rheinland/Hamburg. Proof of insurance is required twice: for RWTH enrolment (electronic M10 notification) and again as a listed document for the residence permit.
Banking: open an account early
You will need a German bank account for rent, insurance and day-to-day life. The Aachen-specific tip, from RWTH's own advice: accounts can be opened or unblocked once you have your Meldebescheinigung, and if your funds are frozen at first, a relative or friend can cover the first payment. N26 can be opened before you arrive.
| Bank | What it is | Free? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| N26 | Fully app-based bank with an English UI | Free tier | Can be opened before you have a German address, in English throughout. Confirm current free-tier terms before applying, as conditions change. |
| DKB | Free online current account (Girokonto) widely used by students | Yes | Interface is primarily German; opening generally needs a registered German address plus ID verification. |
| ING | Free online current account with no account fee | Yes | German-language service; widely accepted; needs a German address to open. |
| Commerzbank | Traditional bank with a free account option including a student variant | Free variant | Physical branches in Aachen, useful if a landlord or office wants a traditional bank. Check the current student-account conditions. |
| Sparkasse Aachen | Aachen's local Sparkasse; some landlords and offices prefer a local account | Varies | Branches across the city; German-language service. Sparkassen usually charge account fees, so confirm the current giro conditions. RWTH's own tip: an account can be opened or unblocked once you have your Meldebescheinigung - if funds are frozen at first, a relative or friend can cover the first payment. |
Bank terms and fee conditions change. Always verify on the official bank website before opening an account.
Finding somewhere to live
Aachen is the good-news chapter: rents run roughly half of Munich's, and dorm rooms are all-inclusive (no separate utility bills). The catch is scarcity - only about 10% of students get a dorm place, and allocation is strictly first-come, so apply at bewerberportal.stw.rwth-aachen.de the day you are admitted (you do not need to be enrolled yet). Most students live in WGs (€350-450/month); cheaper districts include Brand, Haaren and Laurensberg. One border-city curiosity: converted student housing in Kerkrade (NL) is marketed to RWTH students, reachable free on the semester ticket and open to non-EU students - but your visa is tied to Germany, so confirm the residence implications before committing.
| Platform | What it is | Free? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studierendenwerk Aachen (dorms) | Official student halls - the cheapest option; all-inclusive rents | Application free; rooms €250-500/mo all-inclusive (most under €300) | Allocation is strictly chronological (first-come) and you can apply BEFORE enrolment - apply the day you are admitted. Only ~10% of Aachen students get a dorm place. Enrolment certificate or admission notification is needed at lease signing; deposit due at least 10 days before the lease starts; deposit refunds take 12-14 weeks after move-out. RWTH itself owns no dorms. |
| WG-Gesucht | Shared-flat (WG) listings - how most Aachen students live | Free to browse | Budget €350-450/month for a WG room (usually unfurnished) - roughly half Munich. WG casting applies: a strong, authentic first message matters. Have ready: Selbstauskunft, three months of income proof, SCHUFA, liability insurance. Deposits run 2-3x rent; termination notice is usually 3 months. |
| ImmoScout24 | Germany's largest property portal - single apartments and WGs | Free tier | Single apartments in Aachen run about €550-700/month plus utilities (€100-200), Rundfunkbeitrag (€18.36) and internet (€20-30). Cheaper districts to search: Brand, Haaren, Laurensberg. |
| Poha House | Private all-inclusive student housing in Aachen | No - premium all-inclusive rents | Private provider option when Studierendenwerk waitlists are long; compare the all-inclusive price against a WG plus utilities before committing. |
| AStA housing board | Student-union housing listings and housing advice | Yes | Also check physical bulletin boards in the Mensas and Audimax. Scam shield (RWTH's own warning): scammers target internationals on Facebook, WG-Gesucht and Kleinanzeigen - never transfer money or send sensitive documents without proof a listing is legitimate. |
Scam rule for every platform: never transfer a deposit before you have seen the room (in person or on a live video call) and signed a contract.
Getting around
Your semester contribution includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket, delivered digitally via the naveo app - and the Aachen version has a genuinely distinctive feature: it is valid Germany-wide plus Zuid-Limburg in the Netherlands (Maastricht, Parkstad, Sittard-Geleen). Belgium is only partially covered via specific bus lines, so check before planning trips to Liège.
| Option | What it is | Free? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschlandsemesterticket (bundled) | Nationwide semester ticket included in the RWTH semester contribution | Included in the semester contribution (priced at 60% of the Deutschlandticket, solidarity model) | Aachen is a border city - check current coverage for cross-border routes before relying on them. Confirmed: the ticket is valid on German regional transport nationwide PLUS Zuid-Limburg in the Netherlands (Maastricht, Parkstad, Sittard-Geleen via Arriva rail and buses - show the naveo QR code together with your BlueCard or enrolment certificate). Belgium is different: only specific AVV cross-border lines (e.g. line 24 to Kelmis) are covered, so trips to Liège may require a separate ticket. Delivered digitally in the naveo app (optional AVV chip card, switchable once per semester); not valid before the semester starts (1 Oct / 1 Apr); bikes need a supplement and are allowed on ASEAG buses only from 7 p.m. |
| ASEAG | Aachen's bus operator; issues the semester ticket (semesterticket@aseag.de) | App free | Runs the city bus network, including the cross-border lines to Vaals (25/33/350), Kerkrade (34) and Kelmis, Belgium (24). |
| AVV (Aachener Verkehrsverbund) | Regional network authority; journey planning across the Aachen region | App free | Covers regional trains and buses in the StädteRegion, including the SB3 to Sittard (NL). |
| DB Navigator | National trains and journey planning | App free; tickets paid | Essential for any travel beyond the region; Cologne is an easy, largely ticket-covered day trip. |
Install before you arrive
naveo first - it is not optional, because your semester ticket only exists as a QR code inside it.
| App | What it is | Platforms | Free? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| naveo | Your Deutschlandsemesterticket lives here as a QR code | iOS / Android | Yes | Not optional: the semester ticket is delivered digitally via naveo. Register with your RWTH email in firstname.surname@rwth-aachen.de format. You can switch to an AVV chip card once per semester by form. |
| AVV app | Regional journey planning across the Aachen network incl. cross-border lines | iOS / Android | Yes | Plans the Dutch and Belgian cross-border connections the semester ticket partially covers. |
| DB Navigator | National train tickets and journey planning | iOS / Android | App free; tickets paid | For everything beyond regional transport - the semester ticket is not valid on ICE/IC. |
| Stadt Aachen Serviceportal | Book Anmeldung and other city appointments online | Web | Yes | Book your Anmeldung slot within 14 days of moving in, even if the actual appointment lands later. |
Building a life here
Aachen is compact and unusually student-dense (RWTH plus FH Aachen share the city), with a lively scene and the tripoint location as its signature: day trips to Maastricht, Liège and Cologne are ordinary weekend fare and largely ticket-covered.
| Organisation | What it is | Free? | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| RWTH Hochschulsport (HSZ) | Large subsidised university sports programme (Sportkarte-based) | Subsidised; Sportkarte required | One of the cheapest ways to meet people; register early each semester as popular courses fill fast. |
| Studierendenwerk Aachen (Mensa) | Subsidised student canteens across campus | Subsidised student prices | Menus published online; also runs housing and BAföG services. |
| AStA RWTH Aachen | Student union: housing advice, semester-ticket support, counselling, events | Yes | First stop for semester-ticket refunds (study abroad, hardship, duplicate ticket - apply by 31 March for winter / 30 September for summer) and housing problems. Each faculty also has its own Fachschaft. |
| ESN Aachen (Erasmus Student Network) | International-student events, trips and buddy activities | Yes (small event fees) | Find the Aachen section via the national ESN Germany site. The tripoint location makes for easy group day trips to Maastricht and Liège. |
The AStA is also where semester-ticket refund applications go - deadlines are 31 March (winter semester) and 30 September (summer semester).
What it's actually like in the offices
Verified notes · full first-hand guide planned
Aachen's immigration setup is friendlier than most German cities: the SuperC branch serves only the RWTH community, so you are not competing with the general public for appointments the way you would at a big-city Ausländerbehörde. What we can already tell you: book under the category 'Aufenthaltsangelegenheiten / RWTH - Außenstelle SuperC / RWTH-Studenten'; your biometric photo is taken on the day; bring proof of funds of at least €992/month; and if you lived in another German city before Aachen, your first Aachen permit goes through the main office at Hackländerstraße 1 instead.
City resource data last verified July 2026. Office details, fees, and service URLs change; check official sources before visiting.